A Vicious Love
by Soloren1992
Summary: After The Evil Queen's curse is broken and the residents of Storybrooke regain their memories, a mysterious stranger from Emma's past comes to town. It is revealed that she is from The Enchanted Forest, and has a long, sordid history with Regina. Will this newcomer be of help or hindrance for Storybrooke? Mostly canon, with a few twists. Rated M for language and lesbian sex. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1, The Stranger

**(Author's Note: This story is mostly about Regina and Shae, my own character that I've created, and her adventures/encounters with some of the other characters from the show. LESBIAN SEX WILL HAPPEN. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. Some of the story will be centered around things that happen in certain episodes, with Shae's own adventures thrown in. Chapter 1 is pretty long, sorry about that, but I felt that it needed to be to properly set things up. The song being sung in this chapter is Vicious Love by New Found Glory, which is also how I got the title for my story. I hope you all enjoy, and please drop a comment if you do. Thanks!)**

 **CHAPTER 1**

All was quiet as night fell over the town of Storybrooke. Queen Regina's curse had just been broken, and the newly awoken residents were still frantically searching for their friends and relatives.

Snow White and Prince Charming, along with their daughter, Sheriff Emma Swan, tried their best to keep things calm and organized, but it was proving to be a tough job. The residents of Storybrooke were frantic and desperate to find their loved ones, and since Snow and Charming were already together and with their family, it fell to them to try and help everyone else.

The pair were at Granny's, sharing a drink together after a long and tiring day of work. Since most of the town was spending time with their newly found families, Granny's was unusually empty for this time of night. Snow and David sat alone at the bar, with Ruby, aka Red, on the other side, and Granny herself in the back, tending to the dishes.

The calm of the evening was suddenly broken when the door to Granny's diner burst open, and Grumpy the dwarf bustled in, looking troubled.

"Grumpy? Are you alright?" Snow asked in concern, sliding off her bar stool.

"Someone's… Coming… Not… Sure…" Grumpy wheezed, his chest heaving with exertion.

"Calm down, Grumpy. Take a breath." David said, placing a hand on the dwarf's shoulder.

Grumpy nodded, taking several deep, soothing breaths. Once he had calmed himself, he was finally able to articulate properly.

"Someone's coming, someone new." He said gravely.

"You mean…" Ruby began slowly.

"Yeah, someone from the outside." Grumpy finished for her.

David, Snow, and Ruby all exchanged a worried glance. This was not the time for a stranger to be coming to Storybrooke.

"Are you sure?" Asked Snow.

Grumpy nodded. "I was in the woods near the sign. I saw him drive in in one of those old VW Busses, from the outside."

"That's not good." Ruby mumbled.

"You're damn right it's not good!" Growled Grumpy. "What are we gonna do?"

Nobody had time to come up with any solutions. The roar of an engine sounded from outside the diner, and they all watched as, just as Grumpy said, a turquoise VW Bus drove up and parked in the street outside of Granny's. A stranger dressed all in black stepped out of the car, ruffled his hair, and began to make his way up the sidewalk toward the diner.

"What do we do?" Grumpy asked again, a note of panic in his voice.

"Just stay calm, alright? We can deal with this." Said the Prince.

The door to Granny's diner once again opened, and the stranger they were all waiting for finally made his entrance. Upon closer inspection, this stranger was not a man at all, but a woman, dressed in men's clothes. She was garbed head to toe in black; jeans, combat boots, an AC/DC band t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. She was quite tall, strikingly thin, and her messy and wavy hair was also jet black, with streaks of bright red in it. She had several piercings; one in her lip, one in her eyebrow, and the rest in her ears. Her most striking features were positively her complexion and her eyes. Her skin was a pale gray, like stone, and her eyes were a shade of deep red, red like blood. She also had three long, deep scars running diagonally across her face. Above all, they all got the feeling that there was something very familiar about this woman.

"Shae?" Snow said after a long silence.

The stranger eyed Snow suspiciously for a moment. "Snow?" She finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is that really you?"

Snow nodded, and the strange woman named Shae smiled widely. "Oh, thank god!" She exclaimed.

Shae crossed the room with several long strides and threw her arms around Snow White. Snow laughed, embracing the young woman tightly.

"Oh my god, finally!" Shae said, gripping Snow by her shoulders. "It's you, it's actually you!"

"Yes! It's me, it's us!"

Shae glanced around at the others, and her smile grew. "Ah! Prince Charming!"

"It's good to see you, Shae." David said, shaking Shae's hand.

"And Frumpy the dwarf!" Exclaimed Shae, clapping the dwarf on the shoulder.

"It's Grumpy." Growled Grumpy.

"Right, yeah, that was it." Shae said with a laugh. She then turned to Ruby, and her face fell. "Ah… Hello, Red."

Ruby fixed Shae with an icy stare for a long, tense moment, but then she smiled. "Oh, come here you!"

"Oh! Uh, ok." Shae stammered awkwardly as Ruby also embraced her.

"Shae, my god, it's so good to see you." Snow said, taking Shae's hand in both of hers. "Where have you been all this time?"

"Well, uh, that's kinda… Complicated." Shae replied slowly.

Snow opened her mouth to speak more, but didn't get the chance. The bell over the diner's door tinkled and they all whirled around. It was Emma, with Henry close behind her.

There was a long moment of silence where nobody spoke a word, and Emma stared wide eyed at Shae.

"Emma?" Shae asked, breaking the silence.

"Shae?" Said Emma, looking inexplicably furious. "What in the hell are you doing here?"

"Wait a minute, you two know each other?" Asked Snow, very confused.

"Um, yeah, she's an old…" Emma hesitated for a moment, as if searching for the right word. "Uh, she's an old friend, from Boston."

Emma then noticed Snow White's hand in Shae's, and her expression shifted from anger to shock.

"Do you guys know each other?" She asked, her eyes wide as saucers.

"Well, yes, she's um… Well…" Snow stammered.

"An old friend?" Offered Grumpy with a shrug.

"Hey, I know you!" Henry suddenly exclaimed. "You're Shaeogora. You're a vampire!"

A hushed silence fell over the diner, and everyone glanced around at each other nervously.

"Uh, yeah…" Shae said slowly. "Who's the kid?"

"This is Henry, my son." Emma answered, still looking a bit floored.

"The one you gave up? So you found him!" Shae said excitedly.

"Well, technically he found me."

"Yep! And I brought her to Storybrooke and she broke the curse, just like the prophecy said." Henry said triumphantly.

It was Shae's turn to look shocked now. She stared wide eyed from Henry, to Emma, then to Snow and Charming.

"Oh… Oh my god." She stammered. "She's… You're… You're THAT Emma. Your daughter."

Snow and Charming both nodded. Shae ran shaky hands through her hair, her red eyes still wide with shock.

"H-Hold on, so, you're from The Enchanted Forest? And you're a vampire?" Asked Emma.

Shae glanced around at the others nervously, then turned back to Emma. "Surprise?" She said, giving a shrug.

"Wow, this is just… This is a lot to take in." Emma stammered, rubbing her forehead.

"Why don't we all sit down?" Snow suggested. "Ruby, can we get some coffee please?"

Ruby nodded and went back behind the counter while the others chose a table and all sat down. "So you said you met Shae in Boston, right?" Snow asked her daughter.

When Emma nodded, Snow shook her head in disbelief. "How is that possible? None of us could leave Storybrooke."

"Were you not affected by the curse?" Grumpy asked Shae.

"No, I wasn't." Shae replied, causing more shocked looks from the others. "I mean, I was brought to Storybrooke just like everyone else, but when I realized I still had my memories, I left. I couldn't risk Regina finding out, and finding me."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked.

There was a sudden silence as everyone exchanged a worried glance. When nobody spoke, Henry was the one to explain. "Shae used to work for The Evil Queen."

Emma's jaw dropped open. "What?" She exclaimed.

"How did you know that?" Shae asked Henry.

"You're in the book!" Henry said excitedly.

"Book? What book?" Shae asked as Henry opened up his backpack.

"It's a book of stories, our stories." Charming explained.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously!" Henry agreed as he plopped the book on the table.

They all waited patiently as Henry flipped through page after page. Finally, he found the one he was looking for.

"'Shaeogora, The Queen's Protector.'" Emma read outloud.

"Not a bad likeness." Shae said, pointing to the drawing of herself clad in black, medieval style leather armor, and a long, black overcoat. "So this book tells all of our stories? The real ones?"

"Yep!" Henry answered.

Shae's brow furrowed as she looked down on the book. She noticed Emma leaning in closer, and promptly slammed the book shut.

"Hey! I was trying to read that!" Complained Emma.

"Yeah, well, It's not exactly a pleasant story." Shae said with a grimace. "I'd rather not relive it if that's alright."

"She's right. Her story sucks." Henry agreed.

"Wow, thanks kid." Shae replied sarcastically.

"Sorry… There's just no happy ending." Henry apologised. "I mean, the middle was kinda happy when you were in love with the-"

"Hey! So, what have you guys been up to?" Shae suddenly cut in. "I mean, it has been twenty-eight years."

"We've been cursed, duh." Grumpy growled.

"I think we're all more curious to know what you've been up to." Snow said. "Why have you come back now? Oh, do you need a place to sleep?"

"Uh, well, with the whole vampire thing I don't really sleep." Shae explained. "And I've got my bus, so I'm good."

"Hang on, you slept at my place all the time when we were together." Emma said, then stopped short, her eyes wide. "Oh, uh, oops."

"Together?" Snow asked, her eyes flashing with anger. "As in-"

"We uh, dated for a little while." Emma admitted, muttering the words rather quickly.

"You dated a vampire?" Henry asked.

"Well, I didn't know she was a vampire at the time!" Emma cried.

"How long were the two of you together?" Asked David, looking just about as angry as his wife was.

"Uh, I dunno, about a year." Shae said with a shrug.

"A year?" Snow exclaimed, furiously getting to her feet. "Oh my god… You slept with my daughter!"

Shae get out of her chair and backed away as the furious Snow White advanced on her, hands balled into fists.

"Look, Snow, I didn't know!" Shae attempted to explain.

Snow was having none of it. She continued to bear down on Shae like an angry mother bear. Just as Shae's back hit the wall, Ruby and Granny returned with the coffee.

"Sorry that took so long, Granny already dumped all the coffee, had to brew a fresh pot." Ruby was explaining.

The sound of glass shattering made them all jump. The pot of fresh coffee had slipped out of Granny's hand.

"You." She snarled, staring daggers at Shae.

"Granny." Shae muttered with a nod.

Granny ducked behind the counter for a moment. When she reappeared, she was holding a crossbow, the arrow pointed straight at Shae.

"Granny, no!" Ruby shouted.

"That thing is NOT welcome in my diner!" Granny roared furiously.

Granny pulled the trigger, and the arrow flew toward its mark, straight into Shae's shoulder, pinning her to the wall.

Shae howled in pain. Emma leapt to her feet and ran over to Shae, as Ruby wrestled the crossbow out of her Granny's hands.

"Oh my god! Shae, are you ok?" Emma exclaimed.

"No, I'm not fucking ok!" Shae growled through gritted teeth.

Emma took a step back as the skin around the arrow in Shae's shoulder started to sizzle, emitting wisps of black smoke.

"What the hell?" Emma exclaimed. "What is going on?"

"It's a silver arrow." Ruby explained as she marched over to Shae.

"Silver?" Asked Emma.

"Vampires are weak against silver." Henry explained, looking worried. "Werewolves are too. It's like poison to them."

"Oh my god! Should we take her to the hospital?" Asked Emma in a panic.

"No, she'll be fine." Ruby said, grasping the shaft of the arrow. "Ready?"

Shae nodded, clenching her jaw. Ruby then ripped the arrow from the wall, and Shae's shoulder. Shae grunted and groaned, leaning forward and clutching her wound. She glanced up at Granny, her eyes filled with rage.

"What the hell is wrong with you, lady?" She snarled. "Silver arrows? Those are dangerous for Red too, you know."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I keep them around, in case the wolf gets out of hand." Granny replied with a sneer. "Or if YOU decided to show your face again."

"What is your problem? Are you really still holding a grudge after all this time?" Shae spat furiously.

"Is this all because she used to work for Regina?" Asked Emma.

"She didn't just work with her-" Granny began.

"Don't you dare!" Shae shouted, rushing toward the old woman.

"She was her lover!"

A deafening silence fell over the diner. Shae stood rooted in her spot, her clenched fists shaking slightly.

"What?" Emma whispered.

Shae turned around slowly, staring down at her feet. Emma stomped over to her, stopping right in front of her, her face barely a few inches from Shae's.

"Tell me that's not true." Emma demanded in a furious whisper. "Tell me that Granny is full of shit."

Shae didn't respond, continuing to stare down at her feet, avoiding Emma's gaze. Emma grabbed the front of her jacket, pulling Shae in closer, their faces almost touching.

"Look at me!" Emma shouted. "Say it's not true!"

Shae finally turned her gaze up, meeting Emma's eye. "It's true." She whispered, with a tone of immense sadness.

Emma immediately let go of Shae, shoving her away, as if she was thoroughly repulsed by even touching her.

"Oh my god… I-I can't believe this…" Emma stammered.

"Emma, listen, I know this is a lot, but that was a long time ago." Snow said gently. "In the end, Shae ended up betraying Regina and helping us."

"Oh sure, but does that really make up for all the times that she followed The Queen's every order like the pet she was?" Granny protested hotly. "All the times she tried to kill you?"

"You tried to kill my mother?" Emma asked Shae.

"Well, technically I tried to kidnap her so Regina could kill her." Shae replied. "But the important thing is that I never succeeded, right?"

"Wrong." Emma snarled.

"Look, I didn't come back here to be reminded of all my mistakes, alright?" Shae said bitterly. "Regina has something of mine, and I was going to ask for your help to get it back, but it's obvious that I'm not going to get it. So, if you'll excuse me."

Shae pushed past Emma and stomped toward the door, but was stopped when Snow grabbed onto her arm.

"Shae, wait, please!" Snow pleaded. "This all got out of hand really fast. Let's all just calm down, and talk about this."

"Absolutely not!" Granny protested. "Get that THING out of my diner."

"Will you stop calling me a thing? I'm a fucking person!" Shae shouted.

"No you're not, you're a monster!" Granny shouted back.

"So are we, Granny!" Said Ruby. "We're werewolves! Well, at least I am, and you were. You can't judge her just for being a vampire."

"That's not what makes her a monster." Granny replied darkly. "It's all the times she climbed into bed with The Evil Queen."

"SHUT UP." Shae screamed, her eyes filled with rage.

"Enough! Everyone just calm down." Charming shouted.

"I am calm." Shae said in an even voice. "I'm also leaving. I'll deal with Regina myself if I have to."

Shae then stomped over to the door and shoved it open furiously. Snow, David, Emma, and Henry all hurried after her into the night.

"Shae! Shae, wait!" Snow called out, quickly grabbing Shae's arm.

Shae stopped and turned to face her. "What, Snow? What?" She snarled, fixing Snow with an icy glace. "Look, it's obvious I'm not wanted here. I'll just go get what I came for and be out of your hair."

"You can't! If you go up against Regina alone she'll kill you!" Cried Henry.

"I'm a vampire, kid. I'm already dead." Shae replied with a smirk.

"Yeah, but there are ways to, you know, actually kill you." Henry said. "And she knows all of them. Please, you can't go alone."

"Henry's right." Agreed Snow. "We need to get you off the street. If she sees you she'll kill you on sight."

Shae hesitated for a minute, chewing on her lip ring nervously. She looked down at Henry, who was watching her anxiously. She then sighed, giving them a nod.

"Fine, let's go." Shae said.

Snow White led the group to her and Emma's apartment. Once inside, they all sat together, and Snow made them all some hot chocolate.

"You don't like hot chocolate?" Henry asked when Shae refused her cup.

"Well, you see, as a vampire, I have heightened senses, taste included." Shae explained. "Hot chocolate has too much… Stuff in it, and I can taste all of it. I prefer simpler things."

"You said you were a vegan." Said Emma.

"I also said I was an albino. Humans in this world are super gullible." Shae responded

with a shrug. "Did you seriously never notice that I didn't have a heartbeat?"

"Well, I mean, I just… Ugh, nevermind." Emma stammered, heaving a heavy sigh. "So, I'm gonna try and not think about the whole you slept with Regina thing."

"That's a good idea. I try not to think about it too." Shae said with a weak smile.

"So, what exactly did you do to make her hate you so much?" Emma asked.

"Well, like I said, Shae betrayed Regina to help us." Replied Snow, smiling fondly at Shae. "She saved us. Or rather, she made it possible for YOU to save us."

Emma looked at Shae with wide eyes. "Seriously?"

"Yes." David confirmed. "If it wasn't for Shae, I would have never made it to the wardrobe with you. Regina would have cut me down herself."

 **XXXXX**

Shae stood on the balcony of Snow White and Prince Charming's castle, watching the rolling black clouds moving ever toward the castle. It wouldn't be long now before they were all consumed by The Queen's evil curse. She glanced down at the battlements, watching as The Queen's soldiers stormed the castle. She wasn't worried about them, Snow and Charming had enough soldiers of their own to keep them at bay. She was waiting for Regina herself to appear. Shae was certain she would come, come for her, and her heart.

Shae dug her nails into the balcony, trying to swallow the hard lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. It was Regina, she had finally appeared. Shae watched for a few moments, staring down at the woman she loved, storming through the castle gates, somehow stunningly beautiful, but hauntingly evil.

Shae pushed away from the railing, whirling around and sprinting off down the hallway. She kept a normal pace, wanting to save her strength for the battle that she was sure was about to come.

As Shae rounded a corner, she ran smack into the Prince. Shae stepped back, and was startled to see that Charming was carrying a baby.

"W-What are you doing?" Shae asked, trying to quell the fear bubbling up inside her. "She's here, Regina's here! T-The curse is almost upon us, we're… We're out of time."

"I know, I'm taking the baby to the wardrobe." Charming replied with a solemn nod. "She's our only hope."

Shae swallowed hard, then nodded. "Right, ok. I'll go with you. Stay behind me, and keep that baby safe. Regina's soldiers are already in the castle."

The Prince nodded, and he and Shae set off toward the nursery, where the magical wardrobe was kept. As they made their way quickly down the long hallway, Shae's mind spun wildly. It was all happening, it was all over. All she could do now was do everything in her power to ensure that Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter made it safely away from the curse.

Shae and Charming stopped in their tracks when they heard the sound of footsteps and shouting from behind them, and watched as several of the Queen's soldiers rounded the corner at the end of the hall.

"Here! Your Majesty, here, they're here!" One of the soldiers shouted.

"Shit! She's here already." Shae breathed.

"Now what?" Charming asked her, fear in his eyes.

Shae thought for a moment, tapping her fingers against her leg nervously. She then turned to Charming, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Go, I'll hold her off." Shae told him sternly.

"She'll kill you!"

"Yes, well, I think we all saw that coming, didn't we?" Shae said with a sad grimace. "Just don't let it be in vain, alright? Get your baby to that damn wardrobe."

Shae drew in a sharp breath when her extra sensitive hearing picked up footsteps, footsteps that were all too familiar.

"She's coming. Go, NOW." Shae shouted at the Prince.

Charming grasped Shae's hand, squeezing it tightly. "Thank you." He whispered.

He turned away, drew his sword, and sped off down the hallway. Shae watched him go for a moment, but then turned around to face her inevitable fate.

Shae balled her hands into fists and clenched her jaw tight as Regina rounded the corner, more soldiers following behind her. When The Queen spotted her, she stopped where she stood, a wicked sneer spread across her face.

"Hello, Regina." Said Shae with a fierce scowl.

"Well, well, well… Shae. Who would have thought you would be the one standing in the way of me and my revenge." Regina replied, still sneering at Shae.

"You've got your revenge." Shae snarled. "Your curse is coming, we're all doomed. Go back to your castle and leave Snow White and Prince Charming's baby alone, she's done nothing to you."

"Not yet, maybe, but she will." Regina replied, her sneer falling into an angry grimace. "That wretched little girl is going to be my undoing, and I can't let that happen."

"And I can't let you kill her."

"Kill her?" Regina cried, seemingly offended. "Oh, Shae, do you really think I would kill an innocent little girl?"

"You tried to rip out the heart of someone who loved you."

Regina opened her mouth to retort, but closed it again, glaring at Shae, her eyes full of malice. "Correction, someone who I thought loved me."

"I do love-" Shae began shouting, but stopped short, her throat suddenly very dry. She ran her hands through her jet black hair, trying to quell the pain that she felt deep in her heart.

"All this talking is pointless." Shae growled.

"I quite agree." Replied Regina. "Men, kill this creature, and make it quick."

Regina's soldiers all began to advance towards Shae, swords at the ready.

"Come now, gents, you know me, you know what I am." Shae pleaded with the soldiers. "This will only go poorly for you."

The soldiers didn't hesitate for a second, advancing slowly forward still. Regina let out a wicked laugh.

"You no longer have any power here, Shae." She sneered. "And I made sure all my men were armed with silver swords."

"Yes, well, they won't be for much longer."

Shae closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were glowing a bright, neon red. She outstretched her open palm, then clenched it into a fist, using her powers to rip the soldier's weapons from their hands. The swords hung in mid air for a moment, until Shae shoved her hand forward, and the swords buried themselves in the hearts of their owners.

When all her men fell lifeless to the ground, Regina laughed once again in the dark and evil way that she often did.

"Well, well, I didn't think you would waste your precious energy on them." Regina said with a chuckle.

"I've got plenty left to keep you at bay." Shae snarled.

"We shall see."

Regina sent a stream of fire barrelling toward Shae, but the vampire reacted swiftly. She used her power to split the stream, the flames shooting past her on both sides. Regina then summoned a ball of dark energy into her hand and hurled it at Shae. Shae dodged the energy ball, then used her power of inhuman speed to rush at Regina.

Somehow, Regina was even faster. Just before Shae was upon her, she sent her flying backward with a telekinetic blast. Shae grunted as she hit the wall, then fell to the floor. She propped herself up on her elbow, glaring at Regina.

"Not doing so well, are we?" Regina called out with a cocky smirk.

Shae let out a roar of rage, and once again charged at top speed at Regina. This time, Regina was not fast enough. Shae grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the wall. She held her there for several long moments, staring into her eyes, searching for something, anything there that might tell her that there was some small shred left of the woman that she had fallen in love with.

Regina lips curled up into a grin, and she choked out a laugh. "You can't kill me, can you? You don't have it in you."

Shae glanced away from Regina, squeezing her eyes shut as a tear rolled down her face. There was nothing left, Regina was truly lost. She let go of The Queen's throat and took a few steps back.

"No, I don't, I can't." Shae whispered miserably. "Even after you tried to rip it out of my chest, my heart still belongs to you, Regina."

As Regina stared at Shae, her gaze suddenly softened. She stepped up to Shae, placing her hand gently on her cheek. Shae let out a gasp at her touch, and drew her in close, kissing her deeply. Regina smiled against her lips, kissing her back, wrapping her arms around Shae's neck and gripping a fistful of her hair.

They remained locked in their embrace for several long, passionate moments. When they broke apart, Regina placed her hands on either side of Shae's cold, pale face.

"Oh, Shae…" Regina whispered, smiling up at her and gently stroking her cheek. "My mother was right."

"What?" Shae asked, looking quite confused.

Regina's face fell, her smile twisting into a dark and dangerous grin. "Love is weakness."

Shae was sent flying back through the hallway, and she let out a cry as she was pinned to the wall, cracks forming in the stone from the impact. Regina kept one arm outstretched at Shae, keeping her pinned to the wall, and slowly raised the other. Several swords from her fallen soldiers rose into the air, their tips pointing straight at Shae.

"No… NO!" Shae screamed.

Regina sent the swords shooting at Shae, and every single one of them buried themselves into her body, straight through into the wall.

Shae screamed, her wounds burning and smoking. Shae continued to groan with pain as Regina slowly sauntered over to her, laughing all the while.

"So, what now, Your Majesty?" Shae asked through gritted teeth. "Will you leave me here and let the silver poisoning take me?"

"Oh no, my dear, the curse will take you long before you die." Regina replied with grin.

"So you'll kill me in this new world then, eh?"

Regina let out a laugh. "No, no, no, I'm not going to kill you. No, I have something far worse than death planned for you."

Shae coughed painfully, the veins in her neck starting to turn black, the silver poisoning spreading rapidly. "And what is that exactly?" She asked, letting out another cough. "I won't remember, right? So what's the harm in telling me now?"

"I'm actually not sure what's in store for you yet." Regina admitted with a small shrug. "But I'm sure I'll come up with something. I'll have plenty of time, after all."

With that, Regina swept off, down the hallway in the direction of Prince Charming and his daughter. Shae started to laugh. After everything that's happened, after all she had been through, this was how it was going to end. She was doomed to whatever cruel, and evil fate Regina had in store for her.

 **XXXXX**

Emma stared down into her mug of cocoa, her head spinning. "Wow… Well, I guess I should thank you." She said to Shae.

"Eh, it was nothing." Shae said with a shrug.

"No, it was definitely something." Snow insisted. "Not many betray The Evil Queen and

live to tell the tale."

"So what did she do to you to make you betray her like that?" Asked Emma.

Shae didn't respond right away. She stared silently down at her feet, chewing on her thumbnail nervously.

"That's a long story." She finally said. "And I'm sure you can read all about it in the kid's book if you want."

"I'd rather hear it from you." Emma said. "I think you at least owe me that."

Shae opened her mouth to speak, but shut it again, and everyone else exchanged a curious glance. They collectively decided to stay silent. This seemed to be something between Shae and Emma alone.

"Did you love her?" Emma asked quietly.

Shae glanced down at the floor, rubbing her chin. "Yeah, I did." She answered in another immensely sad tone.

Emma snorted, rolling her eyes irritably. "Of course you did."

"I'm sorry, what exactly is going on here?" Asked David, looking puzzled.

"When we were… Together, I told Shae that I loved her, and she didn't say it back." Emma explained, giving Shae a furious and accusing look. "Then she just up and disappeared, like the entire year we spent together meant nothing."

"Technically your exact words were, 'I think I'm falling in love with you.' Big difference there." Shae replied.

"Shae couldn't love you back, she doesn't have a heart!" Henry cut in before Emma could retort.

"Henry, that's not nice." Emma scolded her son.

"No, I mean literally. The Evil Queen stole it. Look!" Henry said, pulling out his book again.

He opened his book and once again started flipping through the pages. When he finally found the one he was looking for, he turned the book around for them all to see. On the left side page, there was a drawing of what was clearly Shae being held by her throat against a stone wall by The Evil Queen. In The Queen's other hand, was a glowing red heart.

"What?" Exclaimed Emma.

"It's true." Snow confirmed sadly. "I was there, I saw it happen."

 **XXXXX**

Snow White sat sobbing on the floor of her daughter's nursery, holding her husband in her arms as blood slowly dripped onto the floor from his wound. The Evil Queen stood before her, a triumphant grin spread across her face. She had won. Her curse was almost here, and Prince Charming lie nearly dead before her. She had just finished gloating, rubbing salt into Snow White's wound one last time before she was taken by the curse.

Regina whirled around when she heard shuffling from behind her, and her grin turned into a snarl. Shae was leaning heavily in the doorway, barely able to stand on her own two feet. Her body was covered in various gaping stab wounds, and her complexion no longer a pale gray, but a sickly green. Her cheeks and eye sockets were sallow and sunken, like a corpse, and the veins in her neck, face, and arms were bulging and black.

"Well, well, looks like you managed to free yourself." Sneered Regina. "Not looking so good, are we?"

Shae ignored Regina, turning her blood red eyes onto Snow White, and then the wardrobe. "The baby?" She managed to choke out.

Snow White smiled through her tears. "Gone, and safe."

Shae breathed a sigh of relief. When she glanced at Regina, she started to laugh. It started as a low chuckle, then grew and grew into a racious, maniacal cackle.

"What, pray tell, is so funny?" Regina shouted over Shae's laughter.

"You've lost!" Shae replied, still shaking with laughter.

"I've lost? My curse is cast, and there's no way to stop it." Regina snarled.

"Aye, you may have won this battle, but we'll win the war." Shae snickered. "The baby is safe, and she'll be our savior, you said so yourself."

Regina clenched her fists, glaring furiously at Shae, who continued to laugh at her.

"She'll come for us, one day!" Shae went on, a triumphant smile on her face. "She'll come for us and break your curse, and there's nothing you can do to stop her!"

The Queen let out a roar of rage, grabbing Shae by the throat and slamming her against the wall. Shae cried out, gripping Regina's arm weakly, the silver poisoning riddling her body with pain.

"Stop it, Regina! Just leave her alone, you've won!" Snow pleaded desperately.

Regina glared furiously at Snow White, then back at Shae, who was still smiling mockingly at her. Regina continued to glare at Shae for a moment, but then she leaned in, placing a kiss roughly on Shae's lips.

Shae gasped as she felt a sharp, white hot pain in her chest. Regina pulled her face away, and Shae glanced down just in time to see Regina tearing her heart right out of her own chest.

"Shae!" Snow cried out, more tears streaming down her face.

Shae looked back up at Regina, her eyes filled with fear and shock. It was Regina's turn to laugh now.

"No… W-Why?" Shae choked out as she slid down the wall and to the floor.

Regina knelt in front of her, holding up Shae's glowing heart. "I'm only taking what's mine." She replied innocently. "You said yourself that it belongs to me, remember?"

The Queen glanced at the heart in her hand, then looked back at Shae with surprise. "Well would you look at that? Not quite as black as it used to be."

Shae's heart was mostly clouded over with blackness, but right in the center, was a small circle of bright red.

Regina suddenly grabbed Shae by the front of her shirt, drawing her in close. "I think I've finally decided what to do with you in my new world." Regina whispered darkly. "I will use your heart to make you my puppet, and you know what the best part is?"

Shae didn't respond. She squeezed her eyes shut as tears rolled down her face. Regina tugged on her shirt, pulling her even closer, their lips almost touching.

"You will never love again."

Regina shoved Shae back against the wall. She stood, took one last look at Snow White and Prince Charming, and disappeared in a column of purple smoke.

Shae sat forward with a painful groan, trying to ignore the gaping emptiness that had formed inside her. She dragged herself over to Snow, still holding Prince Charming in her arms. Shae hung her head, more tears rolling down her face.

"Shae… What's going to happen to us?" Snow asked desperately.

"I-I don't know." Shae answered miserably.

"Charming, is he going to be ok?"

"I don't know, Snow. I'm sorry."

Snow glanced up suddenly and let out a gasp, staring behind Shae's head. Shae turned her body around, and saw a wall of black smoke rushing into the room. Snow grabbed Shae's hand as she turned back around.

"Thank you." Snow breathed.

Shae nodded, squeezing Snow's hand tightly. Snow White and The Prince were lost from her sight as they were consumed by the smoke. Shae opened her mouth to cry out to them, but then, everything went black.

 **XXXXX**

Emma stared down at Henry's book in total shock. She then glanced over at Shae, who was sitting in her chair arms folded, her eyes a million miles away.

"When she took my heart, Regina told me I'd never love anyone ever again." Shae said quietly. "And she was right. I wanted to love you, Emma, but-"

"You couldn't, because you don't have a heart." Emma finished for her.

Shae nodded sadly. "Exactly. I've broken a lot hearts over the last twenty eight years because of my missing one."

"That's why you've come back, isn't it?" Snow asked. "To get your heart back."

Shae nodded silently. "But you said you need our help." David said. "Why? Do you not have your powers?"

"Powers? You have powers?" Emma asked, eyebrows raised.

"Well, yeah." Shae replied simply. "Being a vampire doesn't just give you red eyes and a bad complexion."

"What kind of powers do you have?" Pressed Emma.

"Telekinesis, super speed, super strength, teleportation, impervious to damage, except for silver and fire, and immortality." Henry listed off proudly.

"You forgot the whole, 'look into my eyes and be charmed into doing my bidding,' thing." Shae told him.

"Oh yeah!" Said Henry.

"Please tell me you're joking about that last one." Emma said, looking concerned.

"Only a little." Shae admitted. "I CAN do that, but it only works on lesser beings. It wouldn't work on you, or anyone in this room, really."

"Well, that's good to know, I guess." Muttered Emma.

"So, uh, anyway, I do still have my powers." Shae continued. "But… Magic is a lot different here. They're weaker. I can only teleport like… Once, then I'm totally drained."

"Drained?" Asked Emma.

"Yeah. Vampire powers are directly connected with our body's energy, and the blood we need to stay alive." Shae explained. "The more powers I use, the more energy I drain, and the weaker I get. And the weaker I get, the more blood I need."

"Magic always comes with a price…" Emma muttered.

"Exactly." Shae agreed. "And some of my powers take more energy than others. Moving stuff around with a wave of my hand is pretty easy, but teleporting, that's a lot harder, especially the farther away I have to go. But here, in this world, even levitating a book across the room takes a lot. I'm not nearly as powerful as I was back home."

"So that's why you need our help, in case you have to fight Regina." Said Snow.

"Exactly, and Henry's right, I won't survive against her on my own." Shae replied glumly.

"Well, we already know that Regina's powers are pretty weak too." David said. "We need to find the heart fast before she figures out a way to make herself stronger."

"But I don't have any idea where she put it." Shae replied.

Emma suddenly grabbed on to Shae's arm. "I think I do!"

"Really?" Asked Snow.

"Yeah! Graham went looking for his heart in Regina's father's mausoleum just before he died." Emma explained excitedly.

"Who's Graham?" Shae asked.

"An old friend." Snow answered sadly.

"He was The Huntsman." Henry told Shae.

"The Huntsman…" Shae murmured. "Hey, I knew him! He was at Regina's castle back home. He warned me never to betray The Queen, or she'd steal my heart. I probably should have listened to the guy."

Emma suddenly leapt to her feet. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get your heart."

"What? Now?" Shae asked, surprised.

"Yes, now! It's our best shot." Emma replied impatiently.

"She's right." Agreed Snow. "Regina's magic is weak, and she's probably asleep by now anyway."

"Exactly! Now come on, we'd better hurry." Emma insisted.

"I'll go with you!" Snow said. "Henry, you stay here with David, ok?"

Henry nodded and Emma, Snow, and Shae all raced out of the apartment and down to Emma's car.

 **XX**

A little while later, they had finally arrived at the Storybrooke cemetery. Emma led the way with a flashlight, Snow and Shae following along behind her. Emma finally stopped, pointing at the mausoleum.

"It's this one." Emma told them.

They hurried up to the doors and Emma pushed one open. Once inside, they found nothing but a stone casket that read, 'Henry Mills, beloved father.'

"It's here, it's definitely here, I can feel it." Shae breathed.

"Yeah, but where? There's nothing in here." Snow replied.

"Graham said he thought there was something underneath the mausoleum, but we never found anything." Emma said.

"There's gotta be some kind of switch, or a lever, or something." Shae insisted.

They all looked in silence for what seemed like an eternity, running their hands over all the surfaces, and picking up the objects that were stored on the shelves. They all froze when they heard a voice from outside.

"Hello? Who's in there?"

The three women stared at each other, eyes wide as saucers. "It's Regina!" Snow said in a panicked whisper.

"Shit! How'd she get here so fast?" Emma swore.

"I know you're in there, come out!" Regina called out again.

"Stay here, we'll handle this." Emma whispered to Shae.

Shae nodded, and Emma and Snow stepped out of the mausoleum, stopping right in front of the door. Regina was standing just outside with a flashlight, looking quite irritated.

"Well, well, Snow White and Miss Swan." Regina said bitterly. "May I ask what exactly you're doing in my father's mausoleum?"

Emma exchanged a glance with her mother, who gave her a small shrug. "I, uh, got a call that someone was trying to break in." Emma replied, a little uncertainly.

"I see, and you decided to bring your mother with you for, what, backup?" Regina asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"That's right." Emma replied.

"Well may I go inside? I need to check and see if they took anything."

"No!" Snow blurted out. "I-I mean, we already searched it, nothing's missing. You should just go home."

"There's someone else in there, isn't there?" Regina demanded, eyeing Emma and Snow suspiciously.

"What? No, of course not." Emma replied.

"Fine, then let me in." Regina demanded again.

"Um, uh, well…" Stammered Emma.

"You see, um…" Stammered her mother.

"It's alright, you guys."

Emma and Snow both jumped when they felt hands on their shoulders. Shae pushed them apart and stepped past them, stopping in front of them to face Regina.

"Hello, Regina." Shae said. "I'm loving the power pantsuit, it's a good look for you."

Regina stood rooted in her spot, silently gaping at Shae. Her look of shock then twisted into an enraged snarl.

"You."

Emma and Snow both cried out in alarm as Regina sent a jet stream of flames at Shae. Shae raised her arms, using her powers to stop the flames in their tracks.

"Get back!" She shouted at them, her eyes glowing bright red.

Emma and Snow retreated back inside the mausoleum, watching from the doorway as a furious Regina continued to shoot flames at Shae, which Shae continued to block. Regina eventually stopped, her chest heaving with rage.

"I see you still have your powers." She snarled.

"That's right, my memories too, I've had them all along." Shae replied with a smirk. "Your little curse didn't work on me."

"How is that possible?" Regina asked, her body shaking with rage.

"Just another perk of being undead, I guess." Shae replied, shrugging her shoulders.

Regina howled with rage, launching a fireball. Shae dodged it this time, and Emma and Snow leapt back as the fireball crashed into the doors of the mausoleum. Faster than anyone could blink, Shae rushed at Regina, grabbing her by the throat and lifting her into the air.

"WHERE IS IT?" Shae roared.

"What?" Rasped Regina.

"My heart, where is it?" Shae asked again, dropping her voice to a low growl.

Regina choked out a laugh. "I'll never tell you."

She let out a strangled cry as Shae squeezed harder on her throat. Regina then placed her hand on Shae's chest and, before the vampire could react, her hand burst into flame.

Shae screamed, letting go of Regina, who crashed to the ground. Shae stumbled backward and fell to the ground, clutching her chest and howling with pain.

Regina got to her feet, and stood over Shae with a wicked smile, another fireball in her hand. "I'm glad you came back, Shae. Now I get to watch you die."

"No! Regina, stop!"

Emma drew her gun and pointed it at Regina, slowly walking towards her. "Back away from her, Regina."

Regina laughed. "Or what? You'll shoot me?" She asked. "I don't think you have it in you, Miss Swan."

"Oh yeah? Try me." Emma replied.

Regina hesitated for a few moments, glancing from Emma to Shae, who was still groaning on the ground, clutching her burnt chest. She then extinguished the fireball, and stomped off without another word.

Emma kept her gun pointed at Regina's back, as Snow ran out of the mausoleum toward Shae and knelt down beside her.

"Oh my god! Shae, are you ok?" Snow asked concernedly.

Shae sat up with a grimace. "I've had worse." She said through gritted teeth.

"I thought you guys were weak." Emma breathed, holstering her gun and kneeling down at Shae's other side.

"Yeah, well, magic is tied your emotions." Shae explained with another painful grimace. "Regina's was rage, and mine was, well, mine was pretty much the same, with a little fear thrown in."

Emma glanced over her shoulder, just to make sure Regina was actually gone, then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wow, she really hates your guts." Emma said with a small laugh. "What the hell did you do to her?"

"Ever heard the saying, 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?'" Shae asked. "Well, I scorned her, I scorned her bad."

 **XXXXX**

Shae crept silently down the long tunnel into the dark and damp mines. When The Queen's curse had failed, she told Shae that she needed to pay a visit to her old tutor and creator of the curse, Rumplestiltskin.

As The Queen's sworn protector, Shae had insisted that she come along, but Regina adamantly refused.

"He doesn't know you." She had said. "And once he does, once he knows your name, he has power over you. No, it's best if you stay here, far away from him."

Shae couldn't quite shake the feeling that there was something off, something wrong. So she decided to secretly follow her Queen down into the mines, where The Dark One was being held prisoner.

"Why didn't it work?" She heard Regina ask as she crept closer.

Shae spotted Regina as she peered around a corner, standing in front of a cell, with Rumplestiltskin inside.

"What kind of heart did you use?" The Dark One asked.

"The heart of my finest steed." Regina replied.

The Dark One giggled impishly. "Oh no, dearie, for this curse you'll need a heart far stronger than just some horse."

"What kind of heart do I need, then?"

"The heart of the one you love most."

Shae's brow furrowed. The heart of the one she loved most? Did that mean…

"Fortunately for you, dearie, you have two possible candidates." Rumpelstiltskin went on with another giggle. "Your father, or your lover, the vampire. Shaeogora, wasn't it?"

Shae gasped, turning away and pressing her back against the wall. She couldn't hear the rest of the conversation due to the sudden ringing in her ears. Regina had to choose between sacrificing her, or her father, to cast her curse, and exact her revenge.

Surely Regina wouldn't go that far. It was over, the choice she was left with was too impossible. Surely this would mean the end of the curse.

Shae sidled to the side, deeper into the shadows, as Regina swept past her. She remained hidden for a little while, just to make sure she was far enough away.

"Quite the choice your Queen has to make, isn't it?"

Shae's eyes widened, and she swallowed hard. The Dark One knew she was there…

"You can come out now, dearie! I know you're there."

Shae stepped out of her hiding spot, walking slowly up to the cell, hands in the pockets of her black overcoat.

"Well, well, well, whatever shall you do?" The Dark One asked her, giggling all the while. "I suggest you run, dearie, if you value your life."

"I'm not going anywhere." Shae said sternly.

"Well, then, you'll surely die!" Rumple replied. "Do you really think The Queen would sacrifice her beloved father over you?"

"She doesn't have to sacrifice anyone."

"No? She needs a heart to cast her curse."

"I understand that, but even Regina wouldn't go that far." Shae muttered desperately.

Rumplestiltskin curled his fingers around the bars of his cell, pressing his face against them. "Are you sure about that, dearie?"

"Yes, I am." Shae insisted. "I can talk to her, convince her that she doesn't need to do this."

The Dark One burst into another fit of giggles. "Well, good luck with that, dearie. Our dear Regina isn't one to give up easily, especially when it comes to revenge."

Shae clenched her jaw nervously. She knew Rumplestiltskin was right, Regina wouldn't give up easily at all, but she had to believe that Regina would never harm her father or the woman she loved, even for revenge on Snow White.

Shae turned on her heel and marched away from the cell.

"Where are you going, dearie?" Rumplestiltskin called after her.

"To have a talk with my Queen."

Later that night, Shae was seated in front the fire in Regina's castle's study. She stared into the flames, searching and wishing for answers that never came. Her extra sensitive hearing picked up footsteps, and she clenched her hand into a fist.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you." Came Regina's voice from the doorway.

"Why? So you can take my heart?" Shae asked, without turning around.

When she was met with silence, Shae spoke again. "You needn't bother, it's been yours for some time now."

"You… You followed me, didn't you?" Regina demanded hotly.

"I did."

"Why?"

Shae got up from her chair and turned to face Regina, shoving her hands into the pockets of the black overcoat that The Queen had given her.

"Does it matter?" She asked, her eyes full of sorrow. "Have you made your choice?"

Regina folded her hands, staring at the ground. She wandered over to the fire, staring into the flames, just as Shae had been.

"No." She finally whispered. "Oh, Shae, I don't know what to do."

"I do." Shae replied. She stepped up to Regina, and took both her hands in her own. "Come away with me."

"What? Where?"

"I don't know." Shae admitted. "Away, far away. We can leave this world behind us and start a new life somewhere, together."

Regina fixed her lover with a shocked and angry stare. She ripped her hands out of Shae's heatedly. "You would deny me my revenge?"

"I would never deny you anything, you know that." Shae pleaded with her gently. "But, trust me when I say, that revenge doesn't taste as sweet as you think. It's… Sour, and bitter, like rotten fruit."

"You only say that because you've had your revenge." Regina snarled at her.

"I know, and you helped me to get it, and I will be forever grateful for that." Shae said, her tone still gentle. "But I still feel the pain, and the heartache of what that man took from me. Revenge changed nothing about it."

"How do you know my revenge will be the same?" Regina asked. "Mine will be sweet, I know it."

Shae sighed, running a hand through her hair. "You're right, I don't know. But I do know that you don't have to make this impossible choice."

Regina turned her back to Shae, tears beginning to form in her eyes. Shae placed her hands gently on Regina's shoulders.

"Regina, please, don't do this." Shae begged her.

Regina reached back and took Shae's hands, pulling her arms around her. Shae held her tight as she choked out a sob. Shae placed a gentle kiss on Regina's neck.

"I just want to be happy." Regina whispered, tears rolling down her face.

Shae spun Regina around to face her, and placed her cold hand gently on Regina's cheek, wiping away the tears with her thumb.

"Don't I make you happy?" Shae asked her.

Regina nodded slowly, taking Shae's hand from her cheek and kissing it gently. Shae took Regina's face in both her hands, staring deep into her eyes.

"Am I not enough for you?" Shae whispered, searching Regina's eyes. "Is my love, our love, not enough for you? Because it's everything to me. You're everything to me."

Regina squeezed her eyes shut, more tears rolling down her cheeks. Shae pressed her forehead to Regina's, tears starting to leak out of her eyes as well.

"Regina, I love you."

Regina smiled, gently stroking Shae's cheek. "And I love you, Shae." She whispered. "I love you, so much."

Shae placed her hands on Regina's hips and pulled her against her own body, kissing her deeply. Regina sighed, wrapping her arms around Shae's neck as their lips parted.

The entire outside world melted away as the two lovers kissed. Regina slid one hand down to Shae's chest, and she broke away from their embrace.

"I'm sorry."

Shae gasped as she felt a white hot pain where Regina's hand was, and glanced down to find Regina's hand had disappeared, inside her own chest.

"NO!" Shae screamed.

She gripped Regina's army tightly, and they struggled for a moment as Shae tried to pull Regina's hand out of her and off of her heart.

Shae finally succeeded, using her full strength and yanking Regina's hand out of her, hitting The Queen in the face in the process. Regina spun to the ground, and Shae stumbled back into the table, her chest still burning as if it were on fire.

Regina propped herself up on her elbow, the side of her lip bleeding profusely. Shae took a step toward her out of concern, but stopped, remembering that she just tried to rip her heart out. Shae turned away from Regina, running her hands through her hair, tears streaming down her face.

"I LOVED YOU." Shae screamed furiously as she turned back around.

Regina didn't say a word. She simply stared up at Shae, a vengeful glare on her face.

"I loved you, Regina." Shae cried, her eyes continuing to stream with tears. "You were everything to me."

Regina continued to silently glare at Shae, and Shae wildly paced the length of the room, trying to quell the pain.

"You were everything." Shae whispered, finally coming to a stop. "And now, now I have to stop you."

"What? No!" Regina cried out, but Shae had disappeared in a cloud of blood red smoke.

Shae reappeared in Regina's bedchamber. She hurried over to the mirror, undoing the buttons on her overcoat, then the laces of her shirt. She pulled the shirt aside, and let out a shocked gasp at what she saw. Over her heart, was a hand print, bright red, as if it had been branded into her flesh.

Shae fell to the ground on her knees, then bent over, pressing her forehead against the cool stone as she sobbed. She covered her head with her hands, squeezing fistfuls of her hair as the sobs racked her body.

She remained there on the floor for quite some time, sobbing uncontrollably as wave after wave of pain washed over her. For a moment, she contemplated just letting Regina take her heart, then maybe she wouldn't feel the pain of her betrayal anymore.

Shae pushed herself up onto her knees, taking several deep, soothing breaths. No, Regina had to be stopped.

Shae lept to her feet and started rummaging through the drawers of The Queen's vanity. After a long few moments of frantic searching, she finally found what she was looking for. A small, black leather satchel.

A cloud of purple smoke in the mirror behind her caught Shae's eye, and she spun around just in time to see Regina step out of it. When she saw the satchel in Shae's hand, Regina's lips curled into a sneer.

"Stealing that won't stop me." She snarled at Shae.

"I know that, but it'll at least buy me some time." Shae replied.

"Time for what? There's nothing you can do to stop me."

"Maybe not, but I at least have to try." Shae said determinately. "Goodbye, Regina."

There was another whirl of blood red smoke, and Shae was gone.

The next morning, Prince Charming and Snow White had gathered some of their friends and allies around the great round table in their war room to discuss what to do about The Evil Queen's threat of a curse.

"I say we fight!" Charming was saying.

"Fighting is a bad idea." Replied Jiminy Cricket. "Giving in to one's dark side never accomplishes anything.

"How many wars has a clear conscience won?" The Prince demanded. "We need to take The Queen out before she can enact her curse."

"Can we even trust Rumpelstiltskin?" Asked the dwarf called Doc.

"I've sent men out into the woods, everyone is abuzz with The Queen's plan. This is going to happen unless we do something." Charming insisted.

"There's no point. The future is written." Snow White said miserably.

The Prince looked down at his wife, appalled. "No! I refuse to believe that. Good can't just lose!"

"Maybe it can." Muttered Snow.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

Everyone gathered around the table leapt to their feet as Shae stepped out of the shadows. Granny swiftly pulled out her crossbow, firing an arrow straight at the vampire. Shae caught the arrow just before it struck, and tossed it casually over her shoulder as she sauntered over to the table.

"Now, that wasn't very nice." Shae scolded the old woman.

"What are you doing here?" The Prince snarled, drawing his sword.

Shae sighed, flicking her hand to the side, sending Charming's sword shooting from his hand. She took the black satchel off of her shoulder and dropped it onto the table.

"It seems, I'm joining the good side."

"What the hell is that?" Growled Grumpy the dwarf.

"The ingredients Regina needs to cast her curse." Shae replied.

A sudden hush fell over the room, and a few members started muttering amongst themselves.

"You stole them?" Charming asked.

"Why?" Asked Red, when Shae nodded.

Shae opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again, a hard lump forming in her throat. "I-I, well, she…" She stammered.

"She broke your heart, didn't she?" Snow asked quietly.

"She didn't just break it…" Shae replied darkly. "She tried to rip it out of my chest!"

Shae undid the buttons of her overcoat and pulled aside her shirt, revealing the burning red hand print over her heart. There was a collective gasp from the table as they all stared.

"What did she want your heart for?" Granny asked.

"Her curse." Replied Shae. "She needs the heart of the one she loves most."

"Well, she didn't get your heart, right?" Asked Grumpy, prompting another nod from Shae. "Then we're saved!"

"Afraid not." Shae said grimly. "Regina had two choices; Me, or her father."

"You don't think she'd kill her own father, would she?" Gepetto asked, his eyes wide.

Shae didn't respond, she only gave the old man a dark and knowing glance.

"Well, without her ingredients she can't cast her curse, right?" Asked Sneezy.

"No, she can get more, but it'll take her a while." Shae replied. "Especially since she'll once again have to gather locks of hair from the blackest hearts in the land, and she'll have to find another to replace me."

"What do you mean, again?" Charming asked.

"She's tried to cast the curse already, hasn't she?" Asked Snow, her eyes wide with fear.

"Yes, but it didn't work because she didn't have the right heart." Shae replied. "But she will soon, if she hasn't taken her father's already."

"So she's still going to cast the curse? We're still doomed?" Grumpy asked heatedly. "Great! So you've really done nothing to help us."

"Not true! I've bought you time." Shae snarled at the dwarf. "Time to make preparations for the baby, the savior."

Charming and Snow exchanged a worried glance. "Yes, I know about the baby." Shae went on. "Which means-"

"So does Regina." Breathed Snow.

"Afraid so." Shae said sadly.

Suddenly, the doors to the war room swung open, and several soldiers entered, dragging a large tree trunk behind them.

"What the hell is this?" Asked Charming.

"Our only hope of saving the child." Replied The Blue Fairy, as she fluttered in behind the soldiers. When she saw Shae, she narrowed her tiny eyes at her. "What is that thing doing here?"

"Helping." Shae snapped back. "Are you saying that the fate of the savior, our fate, rests on a tree?"

When The Blue Fairy nodded, Shae barked out a laugh. "Ha! Yeah, I think you should go back to talking about the fighting thing."

"This tree is enchanted. If fashioned into a vessel, it can ward off any curse." Blue explained. "Gepetto, can you build such a thing?"

Gepetto nodded earnestly. "Yes! Me and my boy, we can do it."

"How much time do we have to do this?" Snow asked of Shae.

"I dunno, weeks, probably." Shae replied with a shrug.

"'Probably?'" Asked Charming.

"Hang on, are we really going to trust the word of The Evil Queen's… Undead paramour?" Granny spat furiously.

Shae laughed loudly. "'Undead paramour?' I've been called a lot of things in my lifetime, but not that." She told the old woman. "Thanks for that, Granny, I quite like it!"

"Yes, we are going to trust her word, because I trust her." Snow cut in before the angry Granny could retort. "Now, let's get to work, we have a lot to do and not a lot of time."

The members of the table all nodded their agreement, and got up from their seats. Snow got up as well, and walked up to Shae, taking her by the hand.

"Thank you, for what you did today. You may have just saved all of us" She said, smiling up at the vampire. "I know betraying Regina couldn't have been easy."

"Yes, well, don't thank me yet." Shae replied with a sad smile. "There's still a lot of work to be done."

"Yes, I know, and we will be happy to have more of your help to do it." Snow said.

"Wait, you mean-"

"You can stay here, with us. I'll have a room prepared for you as soon as possible." Snow said with another smile.

Shae nodded and watched as Snow White returned to her husband's side, and they both left the war room. Shae heaved a heavy sigh, sinking into a chair and burying her face in her hands. She only hoped that what she had done had been enough.

 **XXXXX**

The sun was shining brightly in the morning sky as Emma, Snow, Charming and Henry, all left their tiny loft for breakfast at Granny's. They found Shae's bus still parked outside, and as they drew nearer, they heard the sound of a guitar being strummed. They found the back doors of the bus open, and Shae sitting inside. Shae had removed the back seats from her old VW, leaving a single bench seat against the left wall. She had installed shag carpeting, which was littered with clothes and various papers. Shae was sitting on the bench seat, playing an acoustic guitar and singing softly:

"Couples on their backs, in the park

Lay on blankets bought,

On a date the day before,

A routine I've been longing for.

I can't help but to glance,

From the corner of my resentful eyes.

I guess it's all perspective but,

It's you I never get enough.

We're always far apart,

We've got a vicious love,

We mix our tears with blood.

No clock will stop for us,

It ticks by,

We fight as hard as we love.

We've got a vicious love."

Shae stopped suddenly, pulling a pen from behind her ear and scribbling something on one of the sheets of paper by her feet.

"Nice song." Emma commented with a smirk.

Shae jumped, finally noticing the group gathered outside of her bus. "Oh! Uh, thanks. Just a little something I've been working on."

"It's pretty good." Snow said, smiling knowingly. "Is it about Regina?"

"What? No! Of course not." Shae replied defensively.

"Oh, come on! 'Vicious love?' That's you and Regina in a nutshell." Snow said with a laugh.

"I-It's… I mean, it's just…" Shae stammered, then sighed irritably. "Just… What? What do you guys want?"

"Wow, someone's not a morning person." Charming said with a chuckle.

"Right, sorry, let me switch gears here." Shae replied, putting on a cheesy and obviously fake smile. "Hi! Hello, good morning! Lovely day, isn't it? Did I mention that my heart's been missing for twenty-eight years?"

"Yeah, alright, I guess I'd be cranky too." Muttered Charming.

"I'm sorry we didn't find it, Shae." Snow said sadly.

"Yeah, me too." Emma agreed.

"Don't worry, I'll find it." Shae replied with a dismissive shrug. "I've been waiting twenty-eight years, what's a little longer, right?"

Just then, a large, black crow swooped over their heads, and into Shae's bus. Shae pressed herself against her seat, staring wide eyed at it as it cawed loudly at her.

"Uh, friend of yours?" Quipped Emma.

"Look! There's something on it's leg!" Henry announced, pointing at the slip of paper that was tied around the bird's foot.

"Uh, ok, nice birdie, don't peck me, please." Shae muttered at the bird as she reached slowly toward it.

The crow let out another caw, but then held unnaturally still as Shae carefully untied the string around it's leg. As soon as she was done, the bird cawed again, then took flight, swooping out of the bus.

Shae unrolled the slip of paper, and read aloud:

"You want your heart, let's talk. My house, eight o'clock.

-Regina."

Everyone exchanged a nervous glance with each other. "What the hell is this, Hogwarts?" Shae muttered, still staring down at the note in her hands.

"You can't go, it's a trap!" Cried Henry.

"Henry's right, she'll probably just kill you as soon as you cross the threshold." Agreed Charming.

"No, I don't think so." Shae replied quietly, rubbing her chin as her mind worked. "If she wanted to kill me, she would have crushed my heart to bits last night. No, she wants something from me, I can tell."

"She already has your heart, what more could she want from you?" Snow asked.

Shae thought silently for a moment, continuing to stare down at Regina's note. "Not sure." She replied with a shrug. "Guess I'll just have to go find out."

 **XX**

Night had fallen over Storybrooke once again. Emma stopped her car outside of Regina's house, Shae chewing on her thumbnail anxiously in her passenger seat.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Emma asked her.

"Do I want to? No, not really, but I think I have to." Shae quipped back.

Emma sighed. "Always gotta be a sarcastic asshole, don't you?"

When Shae gave her an offended glance, Emma heaved another sigh. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to not being mad at you." She admitted. "Ever since you left, I've been imagining punching you in the face if I ever saw you again."

"Well, I can't really blame you for that." Shae replied sadly. "I wish I could have told you, but I really doubt you would have believed that The Evil Queen stole my heart, and that I was actually a vampire from another world."

"Yeah, I'm still getting used to THAT too."

Shae chuckled. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm still getting used to it too, and I've been a vampire for over two hundred years."

"You're two hundred years old?" Exclaimed Emma.

"One hundred and thirty six, give or take a few years since I've changed worlds twice now." Shae told her with a shrug.

"Twice? You mean, you're not from The Enchanted Forest?"

"No, my homeland it's… Well, it's a long story, and I really should go. Regina isn't exactly the patient type."

"Yeah, you're right about that." Emma agreed. "Just be careful, alright? Call me if anything goes wrong."

"Got it, thanks." Shae replied with a nervous smile.

She then got out of Emma's car, and slowly made her way up the driveway to Regina's house. Her stomach churned anxiously. What exactly had she gotten herself into this time?

Shae rang the doorbell, and her stomach gave another lurch. She hadn't vomited in over two hundred years, but her anxiety was making her quite nauseous.

The door finally swung open, and Regina was on the other side. She gave Shae a warm smile, which the vampire felt was very suspicious.

"Shae, good to see you." Regina said, still smiling. "Please, come in."

Regina stepped aside, and Shae entered the house slowly, silently glancing all around her, looking for some sort of trap.

"I'll get us some drinks." Regina said from behind her, causing her to jump.

"Uh-huh." Shae muttered.

Shae wandered into Regina's living room, still searching around her carefully, but found nothing but a completely ordinary, tastefully decorated living room. Somehow, this made her even more anxious. What exactly was Regina up to?

Shae jumped again at the sound of Regina's footsteps. She whirled around to find Regina carrying two glasses with a brown liquid in them. She held one out to Shae, who took it and gave it a careful sniff. Whiskey, the good kind too, but nothing else.

"To old friends." Regina said with another smile, clinking her glass against Shae's.

"Right, 'old friends.'" Shae repeated, taking a sip of the whiskey. "Well, this is definitely a change of pace from last night."

"Yes, well, I suppose I did react a bit harshly." Regina replied, taking a seat on her couch and gesturing for Shae to sit next to her.

Shae chose the armchair across the room instead. "Harshly? You set me on fire."

"Yes, but, I knew there would be plenty of game in the forest for you to feed on and heal yourself with, so no harm done."

Shae snorted, but then stopped short when she noticed the framed picture on the table next to her. "Why do you have a picture of you and Henry?" She asked, confused.

"He's my son."

"I thought he was Emma's son."

Regina grimaced, seemingly offended by that remark. "Miss Swan is his birth mother, but she abandoned him. I adopted him when he was a baby."

Shae laughed, looking baffled. "Hold up a minute, you adopted Snow White's grandson? Technically your step-great-grandson?"

When Regina only continued to grimace silently, Shae let out another laugh. "Wow, ok, I don't think you need me to tell you how weird that is."

"It certainly wasn't something I foresaw happening, but that doesn't mean I don't love him any less." Regina said. "It does make things a bit… Complicated, though"

"I bet THAT'S the understatement of the century."

"I didn't ask you here to discuss Henry."

"Right, then why am I here exactly?" Shae asked, leaning forward in her chair. "What do you want, Regina?"

"All in due time." Regina replied, waving her hand dismissively. "First, I'd like to know why exactly my curse didn't work on you."

"No idea." Shae replied with a shrug. "I'm guessing it has something to do with the whole vampire thing. I kept my powers, and my memories. All your curse managed to do was bring me to this world. Which I really should thank you for."

"Is that so?" Regina asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yes! I've really come to like this world, I think it's my favorite so far." Shae said with a grin. "The technology here is AMAZING. I love watching internet videos of cats doing stupid stuff. It's awesome."

"I see, well, I'm glad you're liking it here so much." Regina replied dryly. "So what exactly happened to you? How did you leave Storybrooke?"

Shae gave another shrug. "I dunno, I just left. This new land was much different than The Enchanted Forest or my homeland, so I mostly just kept the woods and observed the people of Maine for a while. Eventually, I figured out how to function in this world, and I started travelling around, exploring as much of it as I could. Wales was my favorite, I think. I was able to blend in a lot better there. Turns out the accent I developed in my homeland was very similar to a Welsh one."

"I see." Regina muttered. "So why come back now?"

"Well, you see, twenty-eight years without a heart really takes it's toll." Shae replied darkly. "And with magic being much weaker here, I knew I would need some help getting it back. With Snow White and her Prince under the curse, they were completely useless to me. Once I found out the curse had been broken, I knew all I had to do was ask and those goody-two-shoes would be happy to help. Turns out, they're still basically useless."

Regina chuckled. "Yes, I'd have to agree."

Shae drained the rest of her whiskey in one gulp and leaned forward in her chair once again, fixing Regina with an intense stare. "Well, that's the short version of my story, I won't bore you with all the details." She went on. "Now, why don't you tell me what you want already."

Regina's lips curled into a sinister grin. "Oh, it's not about what I want, dear, it's what YOU want."

Shae narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the former Queen. "My heart."

"Precisely. I'd be inclined to give it back to you, for a price."

"What are you, the new Dark One?"

Regina laughed. "No, Rumplestiltskin still holds onto that power."

"Alright, then what's your price?"

"I wish to return you to your old position."

Shae looked confused. "What position?"

"My protector, of course." Regina replied, getting up from the couch and meandering over to the mantle above her fireplace. "Wherever I am, I want you by my side, to protect me from whoever might wish to harm me."

Shae nodded slowly, pondering Regina's words. "You know my powers aren't nearly as strong as they used to be, right?"

"Yes, neither are mine, unfortunately." Regina admitted sourly.

"And that's why you need protection."

"Yes, I see we're understanding each other."

Shae went silent again, continuing to turn everything Regina was saying over in her mind. "So, then, if I agree to this, all I have to go on is your word?"

"Yes."

"Your word is garbage to me."

"That's your problem. My word is all I have to offer."

Shae suddenly got up from her chair, stepping up to Regina, bringing her face dangerously close to the former Queen's. "Swear it." She said in a dark whisper. "Swear it on your father's grave."

Regina narrowed her eyes angrily at Shae, who had obviously struck a nerve. "I swear on my father's grave." She spat bitterly.

Shae held Regina's furious gaze for a moment, then took a step back, folding her arms across her chest. "Fine." She said in agreement. "So, all I have to do is follow you around and ward off your angry townsfolk?"

"Exactly." Regina affirmed. "And, perhaps, I can think of a few… Other things you could do for me."

Regina leaned in close, gently tracing a finger along Shae's strong jawline. Shae grinned, placing her hands on Regina's hips, drawing her in closer. Regina's eyes fluttered closed, and, just as their lips were about to touch, Shae suddenly grabbed onto Regina's wrist, pulling her hand away from her face.

"Never." Shae snarled viciously against Regina's lips. "I'd rather lick a slug than ever kiss you again."

Regina wrenched her arm furiously out of Shae's grip, glaring at her, her lips curling into a snarl. "What if I make it part of our deal?"

"Then forget it, I'll find my heart myself." Shae replied with a smirk. "If there's anything I've learned from my immortality, it's patience. I'll find it eventually."

Shae then started toward the door, but stopped when Regina called out to her.

"Wait!"

Shae turned slowly back around, hooking her thumbs into her belt loops, still smirking.

"Fine." Regina muttered in defeat. "Your protection for your heart, nothing more."

"We've got a deal, then." Shae said with smile.

Regina walked up to the vampire, holding out her hand, which Shae shook. "Meet me at Granny's in the morning, eight o'clock." Regina told her as they shook hands. "Spend tonight with old friends, while you can."

Regina pulled on Shae's arm, drawing her in close and whispering darkly in her ear. "Starting tomorrow, you belong to me."

"I belong to noone." Shae snarled back.

Shae then turned away from Regina, threw her front door open, and stepped out into the night. After she had walked a few blocks, she stopped, breathing out out a sigh. She ran shaky hands through her hair, muttering to herself.

"This better be worth it."

 **XX**

The next morning, Emma, Henry, Snow, and Charming all once again found Shae at her bus, which was still parked just outside of Granny's diner. This time, however, she was leaning against the side of the VW, a lit cigarette hanging out of her mouth.

"Hey, I thought you quit those!" Emma said accusingly.

"Yeah, well, I've been a bit stressed lately." Shae muttered, taking a drag from her cigarette.

Before she could finish, Snow yanked the cigarette out of her mouth, threw it on the ground, and stomped it out angrily.

"Hey! What the hell?" Cried Shae.

"No smoking in front of my grandson!" Snow commanded, jabbing a finger into Shae's chest.

Shae looked down at Henry, rubbing the spot Snow had prodded. "Right, uh, smoking is bad, Henry. So are drugs and alcohol, stay in school, all that jazz."

"You're gonna make such a great parent one day." Emma said sarcastically.

"So, uh, how did everything go at Regina's?" Charming cut in before Shae could retort. "We waited up for you, but you never came back."

"Er, well, Regina and I talked, and then I just, you know, explored the town for awhile." Shae said with a small shrug.

"Is she gonna give you your heart back?" Asked Henry.

"Well, no, not exactly. Not yet." Shae answered, her eyes shifting nervously.

"What do you mean, 'Not yet?'" Snow prodded.

"I'm not really sure." Admitted Shae. "I'm supposed to meet her here at Granny's this morning to talk about it more, I guess."

The group gathered in front of Shae all exchanged a nervous and shocked glance. "What?" Charming exclaimed. "Here? Half the town is inside, they'll kill her!"

"Yeah, well, they'll have to go through me first." Shae replied, a bit sourly.

"What are you talking about, Shae?" Emma asked, brow furrowed.

Shae heaved a heavy sigh, then proceeded to tell them all about what her and Regina had talked about last night, and about their deal.

"No! No way! You can't do this." Emma said heatedly when Shae had finished her story.

"Making a deal with The Evil Queen is like making a deal with Rumplestiltskin, it always goes wrong!" Cried Henry.

"Yeah, well, I don't have much of a choice here, kid." Shae muttered in reply. "Besides, it's not the first time Regina and I have made a deal like this."

 **XXXXX**

The Evil Queen was seated on her throne, waiting patiently for her guards to bring the prisoner before her. Just a short while ago, she had been travelling through a small village on her way back to her castle. It was in this tiny speck of a village, that she had come across a woman, a woman she had hoped to come across again, one day, but had never expected to.

Her name was Shae, and her and Regina had first met many years ago, before she had married the poor excuse of a King that was her late husband. Shae had told her that she was a vampire, and Regina couldn't help but be intrigued by this creature.

The doors to The Queen's throne room burst open, and Regina watched as a group of her soldiers marched in. Just behind them, were two more guards, and between them was the prisoner she had been waiting for.

Shae had been stripped of her weapons and the black leather armor she had been wearing, which was replaced by a sackcloth shirt and breeches, along with iron shackles on her wrists. Despite her predicament, the vampire had a wide grin on her face.

The Queen's soldiers stopped before her, holding on to Shae by her elbows.

"Hello, Regina." Shae said, still grinning.

"It's 'Your Majesty,' now." Regina corrected her, with a grin of her own.

"Ah, right, sorry, 'Your Majesty.'" Shae went on. "I must thank you for saving me from those scum back in that village. I have to say, though, the dungeon cell and the shackles, awfully rude of you."

"They are simply a precaution, given your nature." Regina replied dismissively.

"Right, I suppose I misspoke." Shae said, her grin disappearing. "By 'rude,' I mean incredibly stupid."

Before Regina could reply, Shae the vampire disappeared in a puff of blood red smoke. Regina leapt to her feet and her guards all drew their swords, searching frantically all around them.

There was a whistle from across the room, and her guards whirled around. Shae was standing by the doors, dangling the shackles in front of her. She dropped them onto the floor, and crossed her arms over her chest, smiling triumphantly.

"Guards! Kill this insolent creature." Regina commanded.

The dozen or so guards gathered in her throne room formed a protective line in front of their Queen, advancing slowly toward the vampire.

"Now that's not very nice." Shae said, pouting her lips.

There was a blur of motion, and Shae was suddenly upon the soldiers. She clocked one in the side of the head with her fist, seemingly unaffected by his metal helmet. As the unfortunate man dropped to the floor, two more of her soldiers rushed at the vampire, only to crash into each other as she disappeared in another column of smoke.

Shae appeared again a few feet to Regina's right, now armed with two swords.

"Looking for these?" Shae taunted the soldiers, holding up the swords.

Shae threw one sword to the ground, examining the other carefully. "Nice steel, a bit drab for my taste, though." She said, shrugging at The Queen. "What can I say? I'm a flashy type of gal."

There was another blur of movement as Shae set upon the guards, sword in hand. Regina watched in amazement as four of her men dropped their weapons, clutching their throats as blood leaked out of them.

Shae made quick work of the rest, tossing her sword away casually as Regina's remaining guards fell lifeless to the ground. Only one remained, the man that Shae had struck in the head with her fist. He had finally recovered, staggering to his feet only to be struck down by the vampire's fist once again.

"Always leave one alive to tell the tale." Shae said as the man slumped to the ground.

As Shae stood among the carnage that was her guard, Regina smiled. She started to clap her hands slowly, stepping down from her throne and sauntering toward the vampire.

"You weren't trying to kill me at all, were you?" Shae asked with a knowing smile. "You just wanted to see what I could do."

Regina gave her a silent smirk, coming to stand before her. "Oh, that's clever, very clever indeed." Shae told her with a laugh. "What I don't understand, though, is why?"

"Well, you're the only vampire I've ever come across, and I got to see very little of your abilities the last time we met." Regina replied. "I was simply… Intrigued."

"I see. You find me intriguing, do you?" Shae asked, grinning coyly.

"Oh, very much so."

"Well then, Your Majesty, it seems to be that you're in luck." Shae told her, slowly pacing among the bodies of Regina's guards. "I find myself in your debt. You saved my life today, which isn't something most people would do for someone like myself."

"It's a good thing I'm not like most people." Regina said, following Shae's movements carefully with her eyes.

"Indeed." Agreed Shae. "Seems to me you're much more intelligent. You see opportunity where others wouldn't, and that's why I think we can help each other."

Regina raised her eyebrows. "Is that so?"

Shae smiled, giving her a small nod. "I expect someone of your position has many enemies, including those men that you saved me from today. They won't easily forget how you stole me away from their clutches. They've been hunting me for years."

"What is it you're proposing, exactly?" Regina demanded, crossing her arms impatiently.

Shae stopped her pacing, and bowed low. "Allow me to become your royal protector." She said, straightening up again. "Wherever you shall go, I'll be by your side. You've seen my skills for yourself, so you know that no one will lay a finger on you."

Regina pondered the vampire's words for a moment. "Yes, I suppose having someone of your considerable strength by my side could prove most useful." She eventually replied. "But you said we could help each other, yes? What exactly is it that I would do for you."

"Ah, yes, well, as you saw, those men that captured me are not to be trifled with, even for someone with, as you say, my considerable strength." Shae went on. "But I would be safe from them behind your strong castle walls. And when we do venture out, they would think twice before coming after me in your company. With my skills and your's combined, I think it would be safe to say that no one could lay a finger on either of us."

Shae stepped up to the Queen, taking her hands in both of hers and fixing her with an intense stare. "Together, Your Majesty, we'd be unstoppable!"

Regina stared into Shae's blood red eyes for a moment, a wicked smile stretching across her face. "I quite like the sound of that." She breathed.

Shae smiled back, dropping Regina's hands and taking a step back. "I thought you might." She said with a wink. "So, do we have a deal?"

"Indeed we do." Regina replied. "I'll have a room prepared for you, as well as some suitable weapons and armor. The woods around the castle are ripe with game for you to hunt as you wish. I can assure you, you will want for nothing."

Shae let out a small laugh, then fixed The Queen with a playful and wanton grin. "Oh, I'm sure there will be plenty of things I'll want for."

Regina smiled, stepping up to Shae and placing one hand on her chest, the other on her cheek. Shae's grin broadened, and she leaned in closer. Just before their lips were about to touch, Regina placed her fingers against Shae's lips.

"Then you'll be left wanting." She whispered.

Shae couldn't help but laugh as Regina patted her cheek, then pushed her away, sauntering toward the doors that led deeper into her castle.

"Have one of my guards show you to a room." Regina called out as she walked away. She then turned back, giving Shae a coy smile. "Good night, my protector."

Shae watched her go for a moment, a wistful smile on her face. When the doors shut behind The Queen, she shook herself, clapping her hands together.

"Right! You heard The Queen-" She began, then frowned down at the dead soldiers. "Oh, right, you're all dead. Better go find some more."

 **XXXXX**

Emma folded her arms crossly, and was about to argue with Shae more, but stopped short when she saw Mr. Gold approaching.

"What are you doing here, Gold?" She asked pointedly.

"Well, good morning to you too, Miss Swan." Gold replied sarcastically. "I had heard news of a newcomer in town, who would have thought it would be our Queen's former lover?"

"Ah, if it isn't Frumpybuttskin." Shae said with a grin.

"Rumplestiltskin." Gold corrected, narrowing his eyes irritably at the vampire.

"Right, that was it." Shae replied. "You're looking better these days. I see your skin problem cleared up. You've gotta tell me what kind of moisturizer you use."

"I've also heard tell that you've made yourself a deal." Gold went on, ignoring Shae's sarcastic commentary.

"I have, but not with you." Shae responded.

"Oh, see, that was quite a big mistake you made, dearie."

"I don't think so. I'd rather deal with Regina, at least she's slightly predictable."

"Regina? Predictable? You're kidding, right?" Asked Snow.

"Nope. You piss her off, she gets revenge. That's kind of her thing." Shae replied.

Snow opened her mouth to retort, but then stopped, pondering for a moment, then shrugged. "Yeah, ok, you've got me there."

"Nevertheless." Gold continued. "Should you decide you want that heart of yours back sooner rather than later, come see me. I'll help you get it, for a price."

Gold gave them all a curt nod, then limped away, leaning on his cane.

"Ok, you do know that making a deal with Gold is even stupider than making a deal with Regina, right?" Emma said, turning to Shae.

"Of course, I'm not an idiot." Shae replied with a snort.

"How does he even know already?" Asked David, seemingly baffled.

"He's Rumplestiltskin, he knows everything." Henry said with a shrug.

"Seriously though, Shae, don't do this. We can help you find your heart. You don't have to go through with this deal." Emma pleaded with the vampire.

"We've already tried it your way, remember?" Shae replied.

"We can try again." Emma insisted. "You'll be with Regina tonight, right? All you gotta do is make sure she's actually asleep, then sneak out and meet me at the cemetery."

"As if it'll be that easy." Shae snorted.

Emma was about to reply, but once again stopped short. Regina had finally made her appearance.

"Good morning, everyone." She greeted them chipperly.

"Regina." Emma replied hesitantly.

Regina looked down at Henry, smiling warmly at him, but her smile disappeared when both Snow White and Charming stepped in front of him, blocking her son from her view.

"Come, Shae, we're going inside." Regina commanded, then turned and marched up the sidewalk toward the diner.

Shae followed behind her obediently, glancing back over her shoulder uncertainly. Emma looked to Snow and Charming.

"David, get Henry out of here. This might get messy." Emma told her father.

"But-" Henry started to protest.

"No 'buts,' go, now!" Emma commanded.

Charming took Henry by the hand led him back toward Emma and Snow's apartment. Emma then glanced at her mother, who gave her a nod. They walked toward Granny's, and when they entered, they found Regina standing in the center of the small diner, Shae close behind her, hands in the pockets of her leather jacket.

It was dead silent in the diner, and the residents gathered inside were all staring daggers at their former Queen.

"What are you two doing here?" Granny asked furiously.

"I've simply come to relay a message." Regina replied, grinning in a very unsettling way.

"What kind of message?" Asked Grumpy, getting up from his barstool.

Regina turned around and grabbed Shae by the arm, pulling her forward to stand next to her. "You all remember Shae, don't you?" She asked. "Shae, say hello."

"Hello." Shae muttered uncertainly.

"For those of you who don't already know, Shae is a vampire, a very powerful one." Regina went on, reaching out and gently stroking Shae's cheek.

Shae jerked her face away, shooting Regina a disgusted look, but Regina was not at all bothered. "She is once again under my employ." She continued. "And she's come here with me today to show you what she'll do to anyone who tries to harm me."

Regina turned to Shae expectantly, and the residents of Storybrooke all watched with bated breath. Shae shifted her eyes around at everyone, then turned her head to Regina, looking confused.

"What?"

"Show them, dear." Regina repeated, a little irritably.

"Show them what?"

" _Show. Them_." Regina snarled at Shae.

Shae continued to look puzzled, but then her eyes shone with understanding. Her face fell into fierce glare.

"I don't think that's necessary." She said to Regina in a low voice.

Regina brought her face dangerously close to Shae's. "Well, I say it is, and you will do as I say." She whispered menacingly. "Or need I remind you what exactly it is that I have of yours, and what I could do to it?"

Shae clenched her fists, and a few moments passed as she and Regina silently glared at each other. Shae then let out a sigh, closing her eyes and hanging her head.

There was a collective gasp as Shae's eyes opened again, her irises glowing like a red neon sign. Shae drew her hand up slowly, and all the silverware in the diner rose into the air, their points turning in the direction of their users.

Shae pushed her hand outward, and there were many cries of fright as the silverware all shot forward, stopping just a hair's breadth away from the people's faces.

Regina let out a low, menacing laugh. "You see? If anyone so much as lays a finger on me, well, I think you all understand what will happen, yes?"

Shae dropped her arm, her eyes fading back to their normal blood red, and the silverware all clattered back onto the tables. Shae leaned heavily onto the empty chair in front of her, seemingly exhausted from the effort.

"I think I've made my point." Regina announced. "Come, Shae."

Regina turned on her heel and marched out the door. Shae turned to follow, only to stumble into Emma, who gripped her tightly by the arms.

"Tonight, cemetery, lets do it." Shae whispered in her ear.

Emma gave her a silent nod, and Shae followed hurriedly after Regina. Emma let out the anxious breath that she had been holding in, turning to Snow White.

"We've gotta get Shae's heart back."

 **XX**

Later that night, Emma was waiting in the shadows along the side of Regina's mausoleum. She had been there for over two hours already, and was starting to wonder if Shae was even going to show up.

Just when she was about to give up hope and go home, she heard footsteps. She peeked around the corner, and saw Shae walking through the rows of headstones toward the mausoleum.

"What took you so long?" Emma asked in a whisper.

"Regina took fucking forever to go to sleep." Shae muttered in reply.

"Couldn't you cast a sleeping spell or something?"

"I'm a vampire, not a witch. I can't cast spells."

"Ugh, nevermind, we gotta hurry before anyone sees us."

Emma and Shae once again entered the mausoleum, and found it in the exact same

condition as before.

"There's gotta be something here, something we missed." Emma insisted.

Emma shined her flashlight around as Shae once again examined the walls and shelves, looking for some kind of switch. Emma then turned her flashlight onto the floor as something strange caught her eye.

"Look at this!"

Shae turned around, looking at the floor where the beam of Emma's flashlight was pointing. She crouched down, running a hand over the cold stone.

"Drag marks." She muttered.

"Here, help me push this."

Shae stepped around to the other side of the coffin next to Emma. They both pushed on it, and, amazingly, it started to shift. There was a gap underneath it, with a staircase leading down.

Emma and Shae exchanged an excited glance, and Shae led the way down the steps. Shae turned to the right and examined the mirror hanging on the stone wall. Emma chose the left, finding a small room with various strange objects in it.

"What is this place?" Emma breathed.

"No idea." Shae replied as she felt along the edges of the mirror.

"Wait, quiet, did you hear that?" Emma suddenly said.

Shae whirled around, and stared silently at Emma as they both listened carefully. There was nothing for a few seconds, but their eyes both widened when they heard a very eerie, but familiar, thump, thump.

Emma and Shae both walked up to the yellow curtains that were hanging on the wall. They each grabbed a side, and drew them back. They gasped. The wall was covered with small, gold plaques, each with names inscribed on them.

"Holy shit! It's Regina's vault, she brought it with her." Shae breathed in wonder.

"Her vault?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, it was originally her mother's, but Regina held onto it."

"So, these are all-"

"Hearts, yeah."

Emma shivered as a chill ran up her spine. "Ok, well, yours has got to be here

somewhere, right?"

The pair stood silently as they ran their eyes over all the names. Emma let out a gasp, placing a finger on one of the plaques.

"Here it is!" She exclaimed. "How do we open it?"

"Well, it is Regina's vault, so I'm guessing with magic." Shae replied. "Stand back."

Emma took a large step back as, once again, Shae's eyes started to glow. She outstretched her hand toward the plaque with her name on it, and, for a moment, nothing happened. Emma waited silently, then jumped as the plaque popped open.

Shae gave Emma an excited smile, and they both stepped up to it, peering down inside. Emma's heart sunk. It was empty.

"What? No!" Shae cried.

"Looking for this?"

Emma and Shae both whirled around in alarm. At the top of the steps, was Regina, sporting a wicked grin, a glowing red heart pulsing in her hand.

Shae and Emma remained silent as Regina slowly descended down the steps. "Did you really think I would leave it here after what happened the other night?" She asked. "How stupid do you think I am?"

Shae stepped in front of Emma as Regina neared them, fixing her with a defiant glare. "Alright, Regina, you've caught me." She said. "This was my idea, Emma was only trying to help, leave her out of this."

"Oh, don't worry, there's nothing I can to do her without harming my son." Regina said, still grinning. "But you, well, all I have to do is squeeze."

Shae let out a strangled cry as Regina clenched her grip on her heart. Emma grabbed on to Shae's arm as she fell to her knees, grunting in pain.

"Shae? Shae!"

Shae howled with agony as Regina clamped down even harder on the heart in her hand. Shae toppled over onto her back with another strangled scream, clutching her chest.

"Enough!" Emma shouted desperately. "Regina, that's enough! Stop!"

Regina sneered as she watched Shae writhing on the ground, and gave her heart one last squeeze. Shae's body lurched, her back arching as she screamed.

"REGINA!"

Shae stopped her screaming as Regina's iron grip loosened. She grabbed onto Emma's shoulder for support as she sat up, still clutching her chest.

"You're a monster." Emma whispered, glaring up at Regina with tears in her eyes.

Regina let out a low, menacing chuckle. "Oh, you have no idea." She sneered. "Now, get out of my mausoleum."

Regina turned to Shae as Emma stood. "Let this be a lesson as to what will happen if you cross me again."

Shae didn't respond, silently glaring at Regina as she got unsteadily to her feet. Regina turned back to Emma. "Didn't you hear me, Miss Swan?" She asked indignantly. "I said, get out!"

Regina threw her hand out toward Emma, and Emma was sent flying up the steps, and out onto the grass in front of the mausoleum, the doors slamming shut behind her.

Emma leapt up, chest heaving with rage. She stomped back to her car, resting her head against the steering wheel once inside. There was nothing else she could do. Shae was in Regina's control now, and there was nothing she or anyone else could do to stop her.


	2. Chapter 2, Only Power

**(Author's Note: Wow! Thank you so much to everyone who has favorited, followed, and left reviews. I'm mostly writing this story for myself because I love writing, but it makes it so much more worth it to know that there are people out there who are enjoying my story, and I appreciate you all so so much. I hope you all enjoy Chapter 2. I will try my hardest to post a chapter once a week, if my schedule allows it. The song featured in this chapter is The Death of Me by City and Colour.)**

CHAPTER 2

Noone in Storybrooke had seen hide nor hare of Shae or Regina since the day they threatened the folks at Granny's diner. Emma and her family didn't really have the time to worry about their vampire friend. They were still attempting to keep the peace in Storybrooke. The residents were still scared, confused, and, most of all, angry.

Emma knew that at least one person was posted outside of Regina's house day and night, waiting for Shae to leave so they could finally make their move on The Evil Queen. Emma wasn't too terribly worried about them. She knew that they wouldn't go anywhere near Regina with Shae around, and she was sure that Regina wasn't about to let Shae leave her side.

However, Emma's concern's were about to come to light. It was early in the morning, and she was standing on the sidewalk outside of her apartment, talking with her parents and Leroy, aka Grumpy, when Archie, aka Jiminy Cricket, ran up to them, looking panicked.

"There you are! I need your help." He said in a huff. "Dr. Whale has everyone in a frenzy. Apparently he saw Shae leaving Regina's house, and he's leading a mob over there now. T-They're going to kill her!"

"Great! Let's go watch." Grumpy said excitedly.

"No, we've gotta stop them!" Henry cried out. "Please! She's still my mom!"

Emma nodded in agreement. "Henry's right, come on, let's go."

XX

Regina was seated at her kitchen table, engrossed in an old spell book that she had brought with her from The Enchanted Forest. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. She took the book with her as she walked toward the door, finally glancing up as the door swung open.

"Hello, Your Majesty." Snarled Dr. Whale.

The book fell from Regina's hand as Whale grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against one of the pillars on her front porch. The mob gathered on her lawn cheered and yelled angry threats at her.

"Your little bodyguard isn't here to save you this time, is she?" Whale asked with a triumphant sneer.

"So, what now? You're going to kill me?" Regina rasped out.

"Eventually, but first you need to suffer." Whale replied, tightening his grip on her throat.

Regina choked out a laugh. "Listening to you babble on is suffering enough."

Whale's eyes flashed with rage, and he used his free hand to smack her across the face, causing another rousing cheer from the mob. Regina laughed again as she tasted blood.

"Stop it! Let her go!"

Emma was pushing her way through the crowd, Snow and Charming close behind her. Emma rushed up the steps, shoving Whale away from Regina.

"Why the hell should we listen to you?" Whale asked of Emma.

"Because I'm still the sheriff." Emma answered sternly.

"And because she saved you! She saved all of us." Charming said, stepping up on the bottom step of Regina's porch, turning to the mob.

"And because no matter what Regina has done, it does not justify this." Said Snow, standing next to her husband. "We are NOT murderers here."

"Yeah, well, we're not from this world." Whale retorted.

"You're in it now, pal." Emma snarled at him. "Alright? So back off, you're done."

"So, what, you're protecting The Queen now too?" Granny called out, once again armed with her crossbow.

"Look, all we're trying to do here is make sure this town doesn't go to hell in a handbasket." Charming replied. "We have a lot to figure out, and this just isn't the way."

"Regina's death won't give us any answers." Snow pleaded with the mob. "If anything, she should be locked up, for her own safety, and more importantly, ours."

"I don't think so!"

The mob turned around, and there was a collective gasp when they found Shae standing on the sidewalk behind them, a paper bag filled with various groceries under her arm.

Shae walked slowly forward, a menacing scowl on her face. The members of the mob all parted for her, their eyes filled with fear.

"Hold that for me, will ya? Thanks." Shae said as she shoved the bag of groceries into David's hands.

Shae pushed passed him and Snow, and stepped up onto the porch. When she saw Regina's bloody and already swollen lip, she stood rigid in her spot, her knuckles cracking as she curled her hands into fists.

"Who did this?" She growled, glaring at Emma.

When Emma didn't respond, Shae whirled around, her enraged snarl causing Emma and her parents to back up off the porch.

"Who the FUCK did this?" She shouted furiously, pointing at Regina.

The mob remained dead silent, and Shae turned to Regina, who inclined her head at Whale. Shae pointed at him, stepping toward the man.

"This guy? Oh, ok." She said, turning her back to him with a shrug.

Shae immediately spun back around, hitting Dr. Whale square in the face with her fist. The mob cried out as he hit the ground, and Snow and Charming rushed over to him.

"What the hell, Shae?" Emma exclaimed.

"What? An for an eye, right? I know I feel better now." Shae replied as she adjusted her leather jacket, then turned to Regina. "Don't you feel better?"

"Much." Regina replied with a grin.

"We were just trying to tell everyone that violence is not the answer." Snow snapped as her and Charming helped a woozy Dr. Whale back to his feet.

"See, I disagree. I find that violence is almost always the answer. Especially when an angry mob is involved." Shae replied in the joking and sarcastic way that she almost always did.

As Snow looked upon Shae, her eyes suddenly grew very sad. "What the hell happened to you, Shae?" She asked quietly. "I thought you were good."

Shae barked out a laugh. "Good? Me? Oh, Snow, you think just because I did one good thing almost thirty years ago, that makes me… Good?"

"It was definitely a start." Snow replied.

Shae laughed again, stepping back up onto the porch and turning to the crowd. "Let me let you all in on a little secret." She said loudly. "The world isn't as black and white as you all think it is. There is no good or evil, there is only power."

The members of the mob all began muttering amongst themselves. "That's right, power." Shae went on. "And there are those that have it, and those that don't. And since you all fall under the category of those that don't, I suggest be on your way, before I rip your lungs out and feed them to you."

When nobody moved, Shae took an angry and forceful step toward them. "You heard me! FUCK OFF!" She bellowed.

The mob dispersed quite hastily after that, shoving each other as they retreated. "Yeah, that's right! Run from the scary monster!" Shae shouted after them with a laugh.

"Your damn vampire isn't going to around forever, Regina." Dr. Whale spat furiously through bloody teeth as Charming and Snow led him away from the house, Emma close behind them.

"Sure I will! Don't you know what immortal means? Look it up sometime!" Shae shouted back.

Shae waited on the porch for a few moments, watching the backs of the mob as they hurried away from Regina's house. "Idiots." She muttered as she scooped up her bag that David had left abandoned on the porch.

Regina and Shae retreated inside, and Shae dropped the bag on the kitchen table. "I told you going grocery shopping was a bad idea."

"Yes, well, unlike you, I require food to survive." Regina replied bitterly.

"Right, right." Shae muttered, frowning as Regina wiped blood from her lip. "That looks pretty bad. Are you alright?"

"Oh, so now you're concerned about me?"

"You know, a 'thank you' would be nice. I just saved your sorry ass."

Regina opened her mouth to argue, but then shut it again with a sigh. "You're right, thank you." She relented. "And I'm fine, it's just a scratch."

Shae gave her a nod, then went to the sink, running a clean washcloth under the cold tap. "Still, better get it cleaned up."

The vampire stepped up to Regina, placing her hand gently under her chin and tilting her head up. Regina winced in pain as Shae dabbed at her swollen lip with the rag. They stood in silence for a few moments, Shae continuing to clean Regina's wound. For such a powerful being, Shae had a surprisingly gentle hand.

Regina found herself reminiscing about times long ago, times when she had basked in the delight of Shae's gentle touch. She remembered how, even though Shae didn't actually sleep, she remained by her side all through the night, every night. Every morning Regina would wake up in Shae's arms, and she would always press a tender kiss on her lips. She remembered the first time that Shae had kissed her, and what it felt like to have someone want her again.

XXXXX

Queen Regina pulled her robe tighter around her body, her slippered feet carrying her aimlessly through the castle as her mind wandered. She didn't sleep well anymore, so she often walked the castle halls alone late at night.

Her thoughts were on Shae, as they so often were ever since fate had brought the vampire back into her life. There was something about her that Regina found… Enticing. Perhaps it was her carefree and sarcastic demeanour, or her quirky smile. Or maybe, it was her sharp and witty humor. Shae was the only person that was able to make her laugh in a very long time.

Maybe it was the fact that her and Regina seemed to be kindred souls. They both had dark and troubled childhoods, both had suffered a painful loss, and both their hearts were clouded over and blackened with their lust for revenge.

Regina's silent musings were suddenly brought to a halt as she heard the sound of music being played. She decided to follow the sound, and as it grew louder she realized it was coming from the old and abandoned ballroom.

When she slowly pushed the door to the ballroom open, she found Shae sitting on the steps leading up to the stage, strumming on an old lute. Regina noticed that Shae's feet were bare, and she was garbed in simple black cloth breeches, a matching black shirt, and a black felt vest. She found it strange to see her without her standard black leather armor.

Regina stopped at watched as Shae plucked away at the strings of the lute, her fingers moving deftly up and down the neck of the instrument. It seemed that Shae was quite a skilled musician. Regina's breath then caught in her throat as the vampire started to sing. Her voice was a bit deep and gravely for a woman's, but it was also smooth, silky, and altogether mesmerizing.

"So here's to living life miserable,

And here's to all the lonely stories that I've told.

Maybe drinking wine will validate my sorrow,

Everyone needs a muse and mine could be the bottle.

Maybe then I could sleep at night,

I wouldn't lie awake until the morning light.

This is something that I'll never control.

My nerves will be the death of me, I know.

Finally, I could hope for a better day,

No longer holding on to all the things that cloud my mind.

Maybe then the weight of the world wouldn't seem so heavy,

But then again, I'll probably always feel this way.

At least I know I'll never sleep at night,

I'll always lie awake until the morning light.

This is something that I'll never control,

My nerves will be the death of me, I know."

Shae suddenly stopped, setting the lute down next to her and burying her face in her hands. As Regina drew closer, she heard her sniffling softly.

Shae picked her head up, and leapt to her feet when she noticed Regina. "Your Majesty! W-What are you doing up so late?" Shae asked, hastily wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"I usually go for a walk around the castle when I can't sleep." The Queen explained. "When I heard music, I followed it here. Is this how you spend your sleepless nights?"

"Uh, yes, for the most part." Shae replied with a shrug. "I'm terribly sorry if I disturbed you."

"Not at all, you're quite talented." Regina told her with a smile. "Where did you learn to play?"

"Oh, here and there." Shae said in reply. "Mostly self taught actually. When you have as much time on your hands as I do, you tend to pick up some skills."

"I imagine that's quite true." Regina said with a nod. "That song you were singing, it was… Beautiful. Was it about-"

"Yes, yes it was." Shae cut in, smiling sadly.

"I see." Regina replied slowly, sensing that Shae didn't want to speak about her song further.

Shae ruffled her already messy black hair and got to her feet. "This is quite a nice hall you've got here." Shae commented with a smile. "I imagine you've thrown some grand balls in here."

"To be honest, I can't remember the last time I attended a ball." Regina muttered in reply.

"Yes, me either. It's been quite a long time."

"You've been to a ball?" Regina asked, eyebrows raised in shock.

"Of course! I told you that I used to serve a Count. He threw lavish parties in his castle fairly often." Shae replied matter-of-factly.

Regina tried to stifle a laugh. "I'm sorry, I'm just having a hard time imagining you waltzing in a ball gown."

"Well you should be, it never happened!" Shae replied indignantly. "I told you before that I've never worn a dress in my life, and I meant it. The Count provided me with the finest breeches and doublets that he could find. And I was taught how to lead a waltz, not be twirled around like some… Some… Frilly little princess in a tiara."

"So you DO know how to waltz?" Regina asked with another amused chuckle. "I was only joking."

"Of course I do! I was quite good, too." Shae replied with one of her cheeky smiles. "Im sure you were taught as well, yes?"

"Well, yes, but it's been ages. I don't even think I remember how."

Shae smiled, glancing around her and spreading her arms wide. "Well, we are in a ballroom. Come on, give it a go."

Shae held her hand out to Regina, who turned away, her face suddenly flushing. "I would rather think not."

"Oh, come on! The world isn't going to end if The Evil Queen dances."

Regina let out a frustrated sigh. "There isn't even any music to dance to."

"I believe I can fix that!" Announced Shae, pointing a finger at the lute sitting on the stage.

Regina turned around and watched as the lute rose into the air, and began to strum out a melody all on its own. When she turned back around, Shae was holding her hand out to her once again, smiling another dazzling smile.

"Fine." Regina relented, rolling her eyes.

"Excellent!"

Regina stepped up to the vampire, taking her hand. Shae cupped her hand in her's, then placed her other hand on her waist, Regina's on her shoulder.

Shae led the dance, as she said she knew how, and Regina tried to follow along, a bit awkwardly. After a few moments of clumsy staggering, the two fell into the rhythm of the music, and were soon gliding gracefully around the dancefloor.

"See? You do remember." Shae said, smiling down at her.

Regina smiled back. "Yes, it appears so."

Shae drew her in closer as their dancing went on, her arm curling around her waist, her hand coming to rest on the small of her back. Regina leaned into her, snaking her arm around her neck. Regina's heart began to flutter as their faces drew closer, almost touching. She breathed in Shae's scent, and it was intoxicating. It was mixture of sage and a hint of mint, her breath sweet, as if she had just bitten into an apple.

Regina gasped audibly as Shae suddenly grabbed her by the hips, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around in a circle. The Queen found herself giggling like a little girl. Shae laughed with her, setting her down gently as the song drew to a close.

They remained where they stood, their arms still wrapped around each other as silence fell over the ballroom. Regina stared into Shae's blood red eyes, and suddenly found herself gently tracing the vampire's strong jawline with her finger. Regina bit her lip, fighting off the immense and powerful urge to kiss her.

Shae somehow knew exactly what she wanted, and she leaned forward, closing the small distance that remained between them. When their lips touched, Regina felt a surge of emotion rush through her body. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before, and the whole rest of world seemed to fade away. Regina sighed, wrapping her arms around Shae's neck, melting in her strong arms.

Shae's lips were cold, but not unpleasantly so, and they were soft, softer than Regina could have even imagined. She drew in a sharp breath as their lips parted and Shae's tongue brushed lightly against her's. A soft moan escaped her lips, and she grabbed fistful of Shae's hair as their embrace deepened, Shae's arm's snaking up her back.

Regina suddenly broke away, shoving Shae roughly away from her. She raised her hand, and a loud smack resonated across the ballroom as Regina's open palm made contact with the vampire's cheek.

"How dare you!" Regina snarled.

Shae's face was plastered with silent shock as she rubbed the cheek that Regina had slapped. Regina straightened out her robe and drew herself up, fixing Shae with an icy glare.

"I am your Queen. Don't ever presume to touch me again." She commanded hotly.

When Shae continued to gape silently at her, Regina stormed off without another word, slamming the ballroom door shut behind her.

XX

The Queen tried to fall back to sleep, but try as she might, she couldn't. Every time she closed her eyes, Shae's face swam before her. She couldn't stop thinking about her, about her eyes, her smile, her intoxicating smell. She kept relieving their embrace over and over again, kept remembering how soft her lips were, how gentle her touch was.

Regina sat up in her bed, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She hadn't felt anything like this, anything this intense in a very long time, not since Daniel. She never imagined she would ever again feel something for someone like she did for Shae. It confused and frightened her.

Yet The Queen could not ignore the longing she felt in her heart, longing for Shae to kiss her again. It was such a different feeling than with her Huntsman. Shae had kissed her because she wanted to, not because she was forced to. Regina bit her lip hard, trying to ignore the throbbing ache she felt between her legs.

She let out a frustrated huff, throwing the covers off of her and climbing out of her bed. She donned her robe once again, and went over to her vanity, tousling her long, dark hair in the mirror. She was going to find Shae, apologize for slapping her, and tell her how badly she wanted her.

She marched determinedly over to her door, and when she threw it open, she gasped. Shae was already standing on the other side, her fist raised, about to knock on her door.

"Oh! Uh, I-I was just, um, well…" Shae stammered awkwardly.

Regina stepped up to her, placing a finger on her lips. She took Shae by the hand and drew her into her bedchamber, shutting the door behind her. Regina turned back around, cupped Shae's face in her hands, and kissed her deeply. She felt Shae's lips vibrate against her own as the vampire let out a soft moan.

Shae placed her hands on Regina's hips and slowly drew them up her torso, gently exploring her body. Regina drew back with a gasp when Shae's hands reached the sides of her breasts, gently brushing her thumbs across her already firm nipples. She stared hungrily into the vampire's blood red eyes, eyes that were filled with desire.

Their lips crashed together again, and Regina began to tug urgently at the buttons of Shae's vest. Without breaking their embrace, Regina slid the vest off of Shae's shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. When she started on her shirt, Shae suddenly stopped her, grabbing her hands and pulling away.

"Wait… I-I should warn you…" She whispered, seemingly nervous. "Um… I-I, uh, well, just… Here."

Shae stopped her stammering and pulled her shirt off over her head, dropping it onto the floor with her vest. Regina couldn't help but let out a shocked gasp at the sight of Shae's torso. She had just assumed this whole time that Shae had very small breasts, but that was not the case. Her breasts were completely missing, in their place were dozens of long, deep, knotted scars. The majority of them were centered on the left side of her chest, which was sunken in directly over her heart. The scars looked to be made by claws; long, sharp claws.

Some of the scars stretched all the way down the vampire's stomach, and Regina gently traced one of them with her fingers, following it around to her side. Shae slowly turned around, and Regina placed a hand over her mouth in shock. Shae's entire back was covered in even more scars.

"What happened?" She breathed, lightly touching the scars on her back.

"A werewolf." Shae replied turning back around. "Werewolf attacks are normally fatal for a vampire, and vice versa, but I managed to survive. Not without some, uh… Damage, though."

"And these?" Regina asked, brushing her fingers along the scars on Shae's face.

"From the same attack, yes."

"I'm… So sorry." Regina said quietly.

Shae took Regina's hands in her's with a small smile. "That was a long time ago. I'm more concerned with the here and now."

Shae placed her hands on either side of Regina's face, pulling her in close and kissing her again. Regina sighed, once again melting in her arms. Shae pulled away from her lips, placing a kiss on her cheek, then moved down to her neck. Regina moaned softly as Shae gently nibbled on the tender flesh of her neck. Somehow, Shae knew exactly how to make her squirm.

Regina's robe fell to the ground as Shae swiftly undid the knot of the belt around her waist. Regina drew in a sharp breath through her teeth, then moaned again as Shae switched to the other side of her neck, biting down harder this time.

Shae pulled back as she undid the laces of The Queen's sheer, silk nightgown, and drew back a step as she slipped it off her shoulders. Shae gazed upon Regina's naked body for a moment, her eyes filled with wonder.

"My god, you're beautiful." She whispered.

Regina smiled, her heart fluttering again. It had been so, so long since anyone had called her beautiful. She then let out a sharp gasp as Shae placed her cold hands on her sides, her skin instantly breaking out in goosebumps.

"Oh! Oh no, I-I'm sorry." Shae stammered, removing her hands.

"No, it's alright." Regina told her with a smile.

Regina reached out and took Shae's hands, drawing her back in and pressing her palms onto her breasts. Shae gasped, her eyes filled with longing.

"Oh, Regina." Shae whispered, leaning in to her once again.

Their tongues vigorously explored each others mouths as they kissed with passionate urgency. Regina wound her hands up Shae's back, and Shae's wandered down to her buttocks, which she squeezed firmly. They broke their embrace momentarily as Shae gripped the back of her thighs, lifting her into the air. They kissed again, and Regina wrapped her legs tightly around Shae's waist as the vampire walked her over to the bed.

Shae laid her gently down onto the bed and climbed on top of her, pressing her cold torso against Regina's breasts, kissing her again. Regina suddenly realized that Shae's breeches were still on, and she reached her hands down, fumbling with the laces. Shae broke away momentarily, pulling them off and tossing them roughly aside.

Regina placed her hands on Shae's mangled chest, stopping her from leaning in for another kiss. "Shae, I must confess I… I don't… I'm not really sure how-"

"How to make love to another woman?" Shae finished for her. "Don't worry, I know exactly what I'm doing."

Shae then leaned forward, whispering seductively in The Queen's ear. "Pleasing you will please me."

Regina felt her whole body flush with heat at the vampire's words, and suddenly the coldness of Shae's own body was a welcome comfort. Her back arched as Shae took one of her nipples into her mouth, rolling her tongue around the hard, swollen tip.

"Oh! Oh, Shae." She moaned loudly.

Shae switched to her other breast, sucking the nipple into her mouth roughly. Regina moaned again, digging her nails into Shae's back. Shae let out a moan this time as she let go of Regina's nipple, arching her back against Regina's body as she raked her nails down her back.

Regina smiled, biting her lip as Shae began to press gentle kisses down her torso, stopping just below her belly button. She aquirmed with impatience as Shae kissed along her hip bones. She then placed her hands on the back of Regina's knees, drawing her legs up and gently pushing them apart. Regina shivered with anticipation as the vampire pressed more kisses down the inside of her thigh.

The Queen cried out in delight as Shae plunged her face between her legs, placing a kiss on the center of her womanhood. A wide smile spread across her face, and she ran her fingers through Shae's hair as she slowly and gently licked her from end to end.

Regina couldn't stop herself from moaning louder and louder with pleasure as Shae's tongue worked wonders on her womanhood. She grabbed a fistfull of Shae's hair, pushing her face deeper inside her. She dug her nails into Shae's scalp, her voice raising higher and higher in pitch as the vampire focused her attention on The Queen's clitoris, working it with her tongue faster and harder.

Regina felt the climax coming almost immediately, and her breath caught in her throat. Her back arched, and she gripped her silk bed sheets with one hand, and Shae's hair with the other as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her. Shae pressed her face deeper between her legs as she came, licking it all up happily.

Regina let out the breath that she was holding in with a deep, satisfied moan, and lie still, her heart hammering with exertion. Shae finally surfaced, grinning as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"God, you taste good." Shae whispered, leaning forward and burying her face in Regina's neck, kissing it gently.

"How did you get so good with your tongue?" Regina asked her breathlessly.

"Years and years of practice." Shae replied, pulling away from her neck and smiling coyly into her eyes. "Not needing to come up for air helps quite a bit too, I think."

Regina laughed, wrapping her arms tightly around the vampire as she kissed her neck again. "Mmm… Oh, Shae, that was… That was wonderful."

"I live to please you, my Queen." Shae whispered lustily in her ear.

Regina grinned as Shae pulled back again. Shae leaned in to kiss her lips, stopping just before they touched. "But I'm not nearly done yet, and neither are you."

Regina gasped as Shae slid her hand down between her legs, snaking her finger between her folds and lightly brushing it along her now hard and swollen clitoris.

Regina moaned into Shae's mouth as they kissed, the taste of her own arousal on her tongue. Shae gently massaged her sensitive womanhood, causing Regina to writhe and squirm beneath her.

Without warning, Shae suddenly rolled onto her back, sitting forward and pulling Regina onto her lap. Regina drew in a sharp breath, and it caught in her throat as Shae's fingers slipped deep inside her. She placed her mouth around one of her nipples, gently rolling it round with her tongue.

"Oh! Oh, Shae! Yes!" Regina gasped as Shae began to thrust her fingers deeper inside her.

Regina gripped another fistful of Shae's hair, digging the nails of her other hand into Shae's back. Shae seemed to like that very much, releasing Regina's nipple and throwing her head back, moaning loudly.

Shae gripped Regina's long black hair with her free hand, and Regina gasped as she tugged her head back. Shae slid her tongue slowly up her throat, gently biting down on her chin. Regina brought her head back down as Shae released her hair, shoving her tongue into the vampire's mouth.

Their tongues battled back and forth as they kissed furiously. Regina began to buck her hips against Shae's fingers, coaxing her on. Shae suddenly pulled back from their kiss, biting her lip and grinning deviously at her.

"What are you- Oh! Oh god!" Regina began to question, then cried out in part shock and part pleasure as Shae inserted a third finger.

Regina moaned into Shae's mouth as their lips crashed furiously together again. The Queen's moans of pleasure grew louder and louder as Shae thrust harder, faster, and deeper inside her. Shae moved her lips to Regina's neck, biting into it and giving Regina some much needed air.

Shae felt the muscles of Regina's womanhood clench around her fingers, and she leaned back, watching as The Queen's head snapped back, her mouth gaping open silently and her back arching as she climaxed again. Shae gasped as Regina dug her nails hard into her shoulders, smiling as she felt an immense, warm, wetness in her hand.

Regina once again let out the breath she was holding, her whole body quivering as she moaned softly, settling back down into Shae's lap. Shae smiled up at her, running her hand through The Queen's long, luxurious hair, her other hand still inside her. Regina smiled back, placing her hands on the vampire's face, kissing her tenderly.

"My god, you're good at this." Regina whispered against her lips.

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet." Shae whispered back with another devious grin.

Regina gasped in shock as Shae removed her hand from inside her, grabbing her by the hips and flipping her over. Shae grabbed the back of her knees, once again pulling her legs up and spreading them wide. She leaned forward, and Regina moaned, wrapping her arms tightly around her as they kissed.

Shae didn't waste any energy on being gentle this time. She thrust three fingers deep inside her, smiling as the Queen let out a great, shuddering gasp. Shae began to thrust hard into her, and Regina bit down savagely on the skin of Shae's neck. Shae moaned at the pleasure of the pain, and began pumping her fingers vigorously.

"Oh! Oh, god! Yes, Shae! YES!" Regina began to scream with pleasure.

Her screams grew louder and more high pitched as Shae thrust faster and faster, her fingers so gloriously deep inside her. Regina wound her legs tightly around Shae's waist, digging her nails deep into Shae's back, screaming with pleasure around the skin of the vampires shoulder in her mouth.

Regina's back arched high into the air, and she let out one last, long, quavering cry as she came vigorously. Shae wound her arm around Regina's lower back, holding her there as her hand was once again covered in The Queen's sweet, gushing arousal.

Regina collapsed back onto the bed, her breathing hard and ragged, her body flushed and covered in a layer of sweat. Shae laid down beside her, watching silently as her Queen continued to shiver with pleasure.

"You are so stunning, my Queen." Shae whispered to her, smiling as she gently caressed her right breast. "Truly the fairest in all the land."

Regina smiled back, turning on her side and kissing Shae deeply. They remained there for a long while, kissing softly, gently exploring each others bodies. Regina's breathing finally began to even out, and her eyes began to grow heavy. She rolled onto her other side, completely and totally spent.

Shae pulled the blankets up over their naked bodies, and tucked them between them, so Regina didn't have to feel the coldness of her body against her bare skin. Shae laid back down, wrapping an arm around her and pressing a gentle kiss on her shoulder.

"You don't sleep." Regina said, turning slightly to give Shae a puzzled look.

Shae propped herself up on her elbow, smiling down at her. "You're right, I don't." She said in reply. "But I'll stay here with you tonight, if you'll have me."

Regina smiled, placing her hand gently on Shae's cheek. "I'd like that."

Shae nodded, leaning in and placing one last, tender kiss on her lips. Regina rolled back over, and Shae placed her arm back around her, holding her tightly against her body. Regina fell asleep almost instantly, and, for the first time in a long time, she slept peacefully all through the night, no nightmares plaguing her dreams while in the arms of her protector.

XX

A beam of sunlight fell across the bed as the morning sun rose in the sky. Regina woke slowly, her eyes fluttering open when she felt something cold pressed against her cheek. She realised that the something cold was Shae's chest. She tilted her head up and found Shae lying still with her eyes closed. Regina started to panic for a moment when she realized that she wasn't breathing, but then she remembered that Shae didn't ever breathe.

Regina brushed her fingers over the many scars on Shae's mutilated chest. "He was trying to get to my heart." Shae explained quietly, her eyes now open, watching Regina run her hand along the crevice over her heart.

"Why?" Regina asked her.

"He said he was going to tear it out, roast it on a spit, then feed it to me."

Regina grimaced. "That's rather gruesome."

Shae laughed lightly. "Yes, he's a rather gruesome fellow."

"I see. So it was-"

Shae nodded solemnly. "Yes, yes it was, though that was long before he followed me here to this world."

"Well, I'm certainly glad he didn't roast your heart and feed it to you." Regina told her with a smile.

"As am I." Shae agreed, smiling back at her. She rolled onto her side, wrapping her arms around Regina and pulling her in close. "If he had, then I wouldn't be here, lying next to you, kissing you."

Regina's smile widened against Shae's lips as she kissed her. She placed her hand gently on Shae's cheek as the vampire caressed the soft skin of her bare back, gasping audibly as her hand ran down the curve of her backside. Shae grinned, and Regina let out a soft moan as she slipped a finger between her legs, gently stroking her womanhood.

Suddenly, there was a loud clanging noise and they both sat bolt upright in bed. One of Regina's servants was standing in the doorway of her bedchamber, a platter of food lying spilled on the floor.

"Oh! Your Majesty, I-I'm terribly sorry." The woman stammered, staring wide eyed at Shae. "I didn't know, didn't realize that, you… A-And she were, well-"

"OUT." Regina shouted furiously, pointing a commanding finger at the door.

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty. So sorry." The servant woman replied, bowing low and retreating back out the door, closing it carefully behind her.

"Now, where were we?" Shae said with a grin, leaning in for another kiss.

Regina turned her face away, climbing out of bed and once again donning her robe. "You need to leave." She said with her back to Shae.

"What?" Shae asked. "Regina, I… Is there something wrong?"

The Queen whirled around, fixing the vampire with a cold stare. "First of all, you will address me as Your Majesty." She commanded. "Second, this was a one time ordeal. I got what I wanted from you, and it shall never happen again. Do I make myself clear?"

Shae's face fell into a disappointed frown. "Yes, Your Majesty." She replied, a bit sourly.

Regina turned away again as Shae got out of her bed, swiftly pulling on her shirt and breeches. She stopped in the bedchamber doorway, looking back at The Queen with a coy grin.

"Well, should you ever change your mind, you know where to find me." She said, then stepped out the door, swinging it shut behind her.

XX

Regina tossed and turned in her bed that night, once again unable to sleep, once again unable to stop thinking about Shae. Thoughts and memories of the previous night swam in her head. Every part of her longed for her protector, longed for her gentle touch, the scent of her skin, the softness of her lips. She ached for Shae to be by her side, to hold her and pleasure her until she once again fell peacefully asleep in her arms.

She threw the blankets off of her furiously, pulling on her robe and stomping toward the door. She was The Queen, she could do what she wanted, including take a lover, no matter who or what she was. She wanted Shae, and Shae wanted her, that was all that mattered.

Regina threw the door open, and was one again shocked to find Shae standing on the other side, her hand raised, about to knock. Shae didn't speak this time, only smiled a warm and gentle smile. The Queen threw herself into the vampire's arms, kissing her passionately.

"You came back." She breathed, smiling as Shae held her tight.

"I always come back." Shae whispered.

Regina once again wrapped her legs around Shae's waist as she lifted her into the air. They fell onto the bed together, curling their arms around each other as they kissed. Just as they did the night before, they spent the entirety of the night making passionate love. Every night after that, Shae spent by Regina's side, wrapping her Queen in her cold, but lovingly warm embrace.

XXXXX

Regina snapped back to reality, and found her face was flushed with heat. She looked up into Shae's blood red eyes, and found the vampire staring hungrily at her lips.

Regina gasped as Shae placed her hand on the back of her neck, pulling her against her body and kissing her fiercely. A stinging pain shot through Regina's lip, but she didn't care. She wrapped her arms around Shae's neck, tangling her fingers in her black and red hair. Shae's cold but soft lips felt so welcome and familiar against her own. Regina had almost forgotten what it felt like to have someone want her.

Shae broke their embrace momentarily as she spun them both around, lifting Regina up onto the kitchen counter. Regina moaned softly against Shae's lips and wrapped her legs tightly around her waist. Their tongues circled around each other as they continued to kiss ferociously, Regina's breaths coming shorter and quicker with each passing moment.

Shae broke away again, pulling off her leather jacket and tossing it aside. She leaned in again, but this time moved her lips to Regina's neck, who let out a moan as she bit gently into her tender flesh. Regina slipped her hands underneath Shae's shirt as she switched to the other side of her neck. She moaned again, louder this time, digging her nails into Shae's back as she bit down hard.

Shae pulled away from her neck, pressing her forehead to Regina's, listening to her deep and ragged breaths.

"Oh, Shae." Regina whispered softly.

"Regina…" Shae whispered back.

Shae placed her hand on Regina's cheek, leaning in to kiss her again, but stopped when the doorbell rang. They stared wide eyed at each other, staying rigidly still, waiting to see if the unwelcome visitor would go away.

They didn't, and Shae stepped back as the doorbell rang a second time. "Maybe I should see who it is this time?" She said.

Regina nodded silently, trying to even out her breathing. Shae wiped Regina's saliva from her mouth and straightened out her shirt as she walked toward the door. When she opened it, she was shocked to find Rumplestiltskin, aka Mr. Gold, on the other side.

"You… What are you doing-" She started to ask, but stopped when Gold blew a handful of glittering, yellow powder into her face.

"Sleep now, dearie." He said, stepping around her.

Shae turned to follow, to stop him, but found her legs felt like they were suddenly made of jelly. She grabbed on the nearby end table for support as the world spun wildly around her, only to bring it down with her as she crashed to the floor. Her last thoughts were of Regina's lips, then everything went black.

XXXXX

It was well into the early morning hours, the full moon casting a pale light through the windows of The Evil Queen's bedchamber. Shae smiled, pulling Regina's naked body against her own as they kissed.

"I love you." Regina whispered, gently brushing back a stray lock of Shae's hair.

"You're not just saying that because I just made you cum, are you?" Shae asked with a cheeky grin.

"Well, that might have a little something to do with it." Regina admitted, laughing as Shae kissed her again.

The two lovers lie there silently for a long while, kissing softly and tenderly. Shae couldn't remember the last time she had been this happy, this content. She had fallen so deeply in love with Regina, and she finally felt facing eternal life was worth it again, as long as she could spend as much of it as possible with her Queen.

Regina pulled back, her normal fearsome and angry scowl always turning into a smile when they were alone. "I'm so glad you came to this world, into my world." She whispered softly.

"As am I." She replied, smiling back at her.

Shae laughed as Regina rolled on top of her, and her eyes fluttered closed as she kissed her deeply once again. She opened her eyes again as Regina leaned back, then let out a gasp. It was no longer Regina that was in bed with her.

"Emma?"

"I think I'm falling in love with you, Shae." Emma told her, placing her hands on Shae's chest.

"W-What? What's going on?"

Shae cried out as she felt a very intense and familiar white hot pain in her chest. She looked down, and watched in horror as Emma ripped out her heart. When she looked up again, it was no longer Emma, but Regina again, grinning wickedly down at her, holding her glowing red heart in her hand.

"You will never love again." Regina whispered in her ear.

"No… NO!"

XXXXX

"NO!"

Shae let out a great, shuddering gasp, sitting bolt upright. She glanced down and noticed a mostly broken, wooden end table laying in her lap.

"What the fuck?" She muttered, brushing bits of wood off of her pants.

"Are you alright?"

Shae jerked her head to the side, and found Regina kneeling beside her. She let out a yelp, scrambling to her feet, backing away from Regina and into the wall.

"W-What's going on? What happened?" She stammered. "W-Where's Rumplestiltskin?"

Regina sighed, rubbing her forehead. "That is a very long story." She replied. "What did he use on you, some kind of sleeping powder?"

"I-I dunno, it was yellow and all… Sparkly." Shae replied uncertainly.

"Damn that bastard." Regina snarled under her breath.

"What the hell is going on?" Shae asked once again, still very confused.

Regina sighed again. "Come sit down, a lot's happened since you've been out."

Regina led the way into her living room, and once they were both seated, she began to recount the events of the last several hours. Shae listened intently, her eyes growing wider and wider as her story went on.

"Ok, so, basically, Rumplestiltskin summoned a wraith to kill you, and you used Jefferson's hat to send it back to The Enchanted Forest." Shae summarized when Regina had finished. "But Emma and Snow White got sucked in, and now they're in The Enchanted Forest too?"

"Yes, exactly." Regina replied.

Shae nodded silently, her mind spinning with everything Regina had just told her. "Wait, so, The Enchanted Forest... Its still there?"

"Yes, as it so happens, it is." Regina admitted, a little sourly. "I expect you'll want to go back home?"

"Eh." Shae replied with a shrug.

Regina raised her eyebrows in shock. "Really?"

"I mean, The Enchanted Forest wasn't really my home." Shae replied. "I've honestly never even had a home, unless you count the orphanage where I grew up. Which I don't, since it was a rat infested shit hole. I guess the only time I've ever felt at home was when we-"

Shae stopped suddenly, glancing away from Regina, chewing on her lip ring anxiously. She got up from her chair agitatedly and paced over to the fireplace.

"We need to talk." She said, turning back to face Regina. "About, you know, earlier."

"Ah, yes, that." Regina muttered in reply.

"Never do that again. EVER." Shae commanded, pointing an accusing finger at Regina.

Regina gave her a shocked and offended glace. "Excuse me? You're the one who kissed me!"

"I did not!"

"You did so!"

"Alright, well, maybe, I-I just…" Shae stammered. "Look, regardless, it will never happen again. I meant it when I said I'd rather lick a slug than kiss you."

"Really, now? You seemed to enjoy it at the time." Regina replied with a grin.

Shae opened and shut her mouth several times in an attempt to retort, but came up with nothing. She placed her hands over her face, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"Ok, obviously being around each other again has dredged up some… Stuff." She eventually said, dropping her hands and shoving them in her pockets. "But it can NOT happen again, understand? Our deal was my protection for my heart, nothing else."

"Yes, I understand that."

Shae nodded, folding her arms across her chest. "Good, glad we're on the same page." She said with a note of finality. "So, what are we going to do?"

"About what?"

"Emma and Snow. Shouldn't we, you know, try and help them or something?"

"There's nothing we can do, they're gone." Regina replied simply. "Besides, I'm sure Snow White will find a way back to her Prince. Those two always seem to manage to do so."

"Yeah, they're pretty good at that." Shae muttered in agreement.

They sat in silence for a moment as Regina pondered her next move. Shae felt a chill run up her spine as a devious grin suddenly spread across the former Queen's face.

"What you said earlier, about there being no good or evil, only power, do you really think that's true?" Regina asked quietly.

Shae shrugged, leaning casually against the wall. "Well, I didn't actually come up with that by myself. It's a quote from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." Shae explained. "Pretty good, right? Kinda pulled it out of my ass in the moment, but, yeah, I think it's pretty damn true."

Regina nodded slowly. "I see… Power…" She mumbled to herself.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Asked Shae.

Regina's grin broadened as she slowly rose to her feet. "I think it's time I regain my full power." She announced, then marched into the kitchen.

"How exactly are you planning on doing that?" Shae asked as she followed along behind her.

"With a little help from my mother." Regina replied, scooping up a small book from off the kitchen table.

"Your mother? But she's dead." Shae said as she continued to follow Regina out into the back yard.

"Yes, I'm well aware of that, but I do have her spell book."

Regina stopped underneath her black and rotted apple tree. She opened the book and began flipping through the pages, Shae watching her silently. Once she found the page she was looking for, she blew on it gently. The words floated off the page, forming a cloud of black dust in the air before her. Regina inhaled deeply, the dust rushing into her nostrils. Her eyes glowed bright for a moment as she felt the power surge through her body.

She placed her hand on the trunk of her apple tree, and watched as the wood began to turn from black to its normal brown. The leaves once again flushed a brilliant green, and the apples hanging from the branches were once again red and ripe as ever.

Shae smiled in wonder, plucking an apple from one of the branches and tossing it lightly into the air, catching it in her other hand.

"Cool." She breathed, grinning at Regina.

Regina snapped her mother's spell book shut. She then summoned a fireball into her hand, grinning back at Shae as she did.

"Now, that's much better." She said with a contented sigh.

"Right, so, now that you're back at full strength again, you don't need me any more." Shae offered. "So, our deals done then?"

Regina smiled, sauntering up to the vampire and placing a hand gently on her cheek. "I don't think so." She whispered.

Shae swatted her hand away irritably. "Why not?"

Regina gave a small shrug. "I still might have some use for you." She replied. "No, I'm not done with you yet."

Shae clenched her fists, her eyes flashing with rage. Before she could do or say anything, several large vines sprouted from the apple tree, shooting at Shae and wrapping around her body. The vines lifted her in the air, then shot her forward, her face only inches away from Regina's.

"I'm sorry, dear, did you say something?" Regina asked sarcastically.

Shae let out a muffled cry from around the vine across her mouth, and Regina laughed in the dark and evil way that she often did.

"Now listen carefully." Regina said, gripping Shae's chin. "Crossing me now is even more dangerous than it was before, so you will continue to do as I say. Our deal isn't over until I say it's over, do I make myself clear?"

Shae didn't, and couldn't, reply. She only silently seethed at Regina, her eyes filled with malice.

"I'll take that as a yes." Regina said, releasing Shae's chin and snapping her fingers.

Shae crashed to the ground as the vines released her, retreating back into the tree. She got to her feet, brushing herself off and adjusting her jacket.

"So what now, 'Your Majesty?'" Shae asked in a mocking tone.

Regina grinned another one of her wicked and devious grins. "Now, I get my son back."

XX

The next morning, almost the entire town of Storybrooke was gathered in the town hall. Charming had called the meeting, and promised the town that he would come up with a way to get them all home to The Enchanted Forest. However, The Prince had yet to show up, and those gathered inside the hall were growing restless.

"Come on, Gramps, pick up." Henry muttered at the cell phone in his hand.

"Everyone just stay calm!" Ruby shouted over the din of the angry and confused townsfolk. "I'm sure he'll be here any minute!"

Ruby then noticed her Granny wandering around among the townsfolk, her crossbow loaded and at the ready. "Granny, do you really need that thing?"

"This is a lawless town now, Ruby. Damn right I need it." Replied Granny with a stern nod.

Ruby heaved an exasperated sigh, and rushed over to Henry. "Anything?" She asked desperately.

"He's not picking up!" Henry replied.

"Just keep trying, ok?"

Suddenly, there was a loud bang as the doors at the back of the hall burst open. The townsfolk all turned, and fell dead silent as Regina sauntered in, Shae close behind her, hands casually in the pockets of her black leather jacket.

"My, my, what a nice turnout." Regina said, sneering at them all. "No need to make a fuss, it's just little old me."

The crowd silently gaped at her, and parted hastily as she walked slowly toward the front of the hall, Shae trailing along behind her, looking a bit sullen.

"Regina, think about what you're doing." Archie pleaded as he stepped forward toward her.

"Silence, bug." Regina snarled.

She flung her hand out in front of her, and the townspeople let out a collective cry of shock as Archie was sent careening across the room.

"Hey!" Shouted Leroy, stomping toward Regina, fists's clenched.

Regina flung her hand out again, and Leroy went flying as well. Granny fired off a bolt from her crossbow at Regina, but Shae stepped in front of her, catching it by the shaft just before it struck.

"Really? Enough with the crossbow already." Shae chided, tossing the bolt aside. "You're really going to hurt somebody with that thing someday."

Granny swiftly loaded up another bolt as Shae was talking, and fired again. Shae was too busy being her normal sarcastic self to catch it this time, and she drew in a sharp breath as it stopped in mid air, inches away from her face.

Shae swallowed hard, taking a step back and turning to find Regina with her arm outstretched at the bolt. "Whew, that was a close one." She breathed.

"You're welcome." Regina said, turning the bolt into a fireball with a flick of her wrist.

The townsfolk all screamed, ducking and falling to the floor as Regina sent the fireball hurtling at them. The fireball then took a sharp turn, flying back around the room, and into the town crest hanging above Regina's head, setting it aflame.

"What do you want, Regina?" Ruby shouted fiercely as she stepped forward.

"Me! She wants me!"

Henry pushed his way to the front of the crowd, and walked right up to Regina, looking scared, but mostly determined.

"I'll come with you, ok?" Henry pleaded with his mother. "Just leave them alone."

Regina smiled down at her son, a warm and loving smile, a smile that Shae hadn't seen on her face in many, many years.

"That's my boy." She said, gently stroking his hair.

Regina placed her arm around Henry's shoulders, and led him toward the doors. "Come, Shae, we're leaving." She called over her shoulder.

Shae shoved her hands back in her pockets and followed after Regina and Henry, shoulders hunched.

"Think she'll give you a biscuit when you get home?" Granny sneered at Shae.

Shae stopped in her tracks, fists clenching inside her pockets. Before she could react, Ruby reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Shae… Just, keep Henry safe, ok?" She said quietly.

"Shae! Now!" Regina commanded irritably from the doorway.

Shae held Ruby's gaze for a moment, then nodded solemnly. She then turned and followed Regina and Henry as they left the hall, the doors slamming shut behind them.

XX

"Now, I don't want you to think things are just going to go back to the way they used to be." Regina was telling her son when they stepped through the front door of her house.

Henry wasn't listening. He immediately ran toward the stairs. "Henry? Henry!" Regina called after him.

The boy ignored her, stomping up the steps, slamming his bedroom door shut. Shae chuckled, folding her arms across her chest.

"That went just about as well as I expected." She said sarcastically. "You can't force him to stay here, you know."

"Of course I can. I have magic now." Regina replied irritably.

"Alright, sure, I guess you CAN force him, but you shouldn't."

"Being here with me where I can protect him is what's best for Henry."

"You might think that, but you know who really knows what's best for Henry?" Shae asked, taking an angry step toward Regina. "Henry."

"Oh, please, he's only a child, he has no idea-"

"Shh!" Shae suddenly said, holding up a finger.

Regina scoffed. "Did you just shush me? How dare you, I am-"

"Your son is escaping out his bedroom window." Shae told her pointedly.

"What?" Regina asked in shock. "Well don't just stand there! Go get him!"

"Regina, I really don't think thats-"

"NOW, Shae." Regina commanded furiously.

Shae glared silently at her a few moments, then heaved a defeated sigh. She stomped out the door, returning a few moments later with Henry slung over her shoulder.

"Stop it! Let me go!" Henry was shouting, pounding his small fists into Shae's back.

Shae was unbothered, and she set him gently back down on the ground. "Sorry, kid." Shae said with a sad smile.

"So how long am I gonna a prisoner here for? Till I grow up?" Henry asked his mother angrily.

"Henry, I rescued you because I love you." Regina said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Henry swatted her hand away. "So I'm a prisoner because you love me? That's not fair!"

"You know where I come from, Henry, what I've been through." Regina continued in the same gentle tone. "That was REALLY not fair. Of all the places I've seen, this is the fairest of them all."

"You ruined lives! You sent Emma and Mary Margaret away!" Henry cried.

Regina drew back a step, looking shocked and hurt. "T-That was an accident."

"The way you treated me wasn't an accident!" Henry said, tears welling up in his eyes. "You made it so nobody would believe me. You made me feel like I was crazy!"

Regina knelt down in front of her son, taking his hands in her's. "But that's all going to change now! You can know all the secrets. You can live in a house with magic. Here, look what I can do!"

Regina then held out her hand, and a large, chocolate cupcake with blue frosting and sprinkles appeared in the palm of her hand. Henry seemed unimpressed.

"I can teach you." Regina went on desperately. "You can do this and so much more."

Henry glared at his mother. "I don't want to be you." He replied scathingly.

Regina let go of him, shock plastered to her face as Henry ran back up the stairs and into his room. Regina stood, shooting a furious glare at Shae, who had been silently leaning against the wall.

"What? No witty remarks from you this time?" Regina spat irritably.

Shae shrugged. "Nothing at the moment, no."

Regina rolled her eyes, stomping into the kitchen, Shae following along behind her. "Whatever. Henry will see that this is what's best for him in time."

"Can I give you a piece of advice, Regina?" Shae asked.

"No." Regina replied.

Shae frowned at her for a moment, then shrugged again. "Well, I'm gonna give it to you anyway."

"Of course you are." Regina muttered under her breath.

"If you hold onto something too tight, you'll either break it, or it'll pop right out of your hand, far, far away from you." Shae went on. "And once it's gone, or broken, there is very little chance that you'll ever get it back."

Regina narrowed her eyes at Shae. "Very insightful, thank you, Shae." She replied with heavy sarcasm.

"What can I say? My insightfulness knows no bounds." Shae replied with a quirky smile.

"Where are you going?" Regina asked when the vampire turned to leave.

"To talk to Henry." Shae replied with a sigh. "He's obviously upset, and maybe I can help."

"What could you possibly do to help him?"

Shae shrugged. "Not sure, but it can't hurt to try."

Shae then left the kitchen, making her way up the stairs to Henry's bedroom. Once there, she knocked lightly on the closed door.

"Go away!" Henry called out in reply.

"Henry, it's Shae, can I come in? Please?" Shae pleaded. "I just want to talk."

There was silence for a moment, but then Shae heard Henry's footsteps. There was a click as Henry unlocked the door. He opened it for her, then went back over to his bed, sitting down on the edge of it, looking miserable. Shae sighed, sitting down next to him.

"Hey, kid, I know everything sucks right now, but it's gonna be ok, I promise." Shae told him gently.

"How? I'm The Evil Queen's prisoner." Henry asked sullenly. "And Emma and Mary Margaret they're… Gone."

"Yeah, but they'll be back, don't you worry." Shae said confidently.

"How do you know?"

"Because Emma and Snow White, they're grade A badasses." Shae replied with a smile. "They'll look out for each other, and they'll be back before you know it."

When Henry remained silent, Shae went on. "As for your mom, well, she's just… She's complicated."

"What do you mean?" Henry asked.

Shae shifted in her spot, turning to face the boy. "Regina, she just, she doesn't know how to love, at least not in the right way." Shae explained. "Look at everything that's happened to her. Her mother was a monster, her father was a good man, but he was a spineless jellyfish. He was powerless to stop her mother from treating Regina like she was nothing but a… A pawn in some stupid game. The only other person she ever loved besides me was Daniel, and her mother killed him."

"And YOU betrayed her." Henry said.

Shae glanced down at her hands folded in her lap. "Yeah, yeah I did." She said quietly. "I guess what I'm trying to say, is that even though she goes about showing it completely the wrong way, she does love you, Henry. Like, a lot."

"So? She's The Evil Queen." Henry replied.

Shae fell silent for a moment, glancing over at the door when her hypersensitive hearing picked up the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. She heaved another heavy sigh.

"You're right, Henry. Your mom is The Evil Queen." Shae went on. "And she's done a lot of bad stuff in the past, I should know, I helped her do a lot of it. But I know for a fact that there's a lot of good in her too. The proof is right here."

Henry glanced all around him, looking confused. "Where?"

"Here, dummy!" Shae replied with a smile, poking Henry in the center of his forehead.

"Me?" Henry asked.

"Yeah, you! Regina might not have given birth to you, but she did raise you. So if she was truly and totally evil, well, you'd be one evil little twerp. But you're not, you're a good kid, I can tell."

"But my mom, my real mom, Emma, she's good. She's the savior! She's probably the reason I turned out to be good."

Shae nodded slowly. "Alright, well, think about this; What if Emma had been raised by evil parents, and had been taught to do bad things all her life? Do you think she would have still turned out good?"

Henry thought silently for a moment. "I mean… I dunno, I guess not."

"There's your answer, kid." Shae said with another smile. "See, people aren't born good or evil. Babies, toddlers, children, they're all just squishy little balls of clay, molded and changed by the hands of the people and the environment around them. Your mom, she was a lot different when she was young. But a lot of really bad things happened to her, and she was surrounded by a lot of really bad people. She wasn't born The Evil Queen."

"I think I get it." Henry said, finally cracking a hopeful smile. "So, there really is still good left in her."

"Absolutely." Shae agreed with a nod. "She just… Just…"

"Lost it?" Henry offered.

Shae grinned, poking Henry in the shoulder. "Exactly! You're one smart kid, Henry."

Henry smiled again. "So, how do we help her find the good in her again?"

"Well, I doubt there's anything I can do, but you can definitely help."

"How?"

"Love." Shae replied simply. "Love is the most powerful force there is, it can fix anything, even break otherwise unbreakable curses. I know she's done a lot of bad things, and she's a little crazy, but you do still love your mom, right?"

Henry nodded earnestly. "Yeah."

"Good. Then if you really want her to change, to be good, it's up to you to help her."

"But I don't know how." Henry replied with a frown.

Shae smiled, ruffling the boy's hair as she stood up. "You're a smart kid, you'll figure it out."

"Hey, Shae?" Henry said as the vampire made for the door.

"Yeah?" Shae asked, turning back around and shoving her hands in her pockets.

"Did you really love her, you know, before?" Asked Henry.

Shae glanced down at her feet, nodding slowly. "Yeah, I did, a lot."

"Do you think you'll still love her? I mean, once you get your heart back?"

Shae thought silently for a moment, still staring down at the ground. "I don't know." She replied sadly. "Even if I did, you wouldn't want me around her, not if you want her to be good."

"How come? You're good."

Shae laughed sourly. "I'm really not, kid."

"Yes you are! You helped Snow White and Prince Charming. You saved Emma!"

"Henry, that was one good thing I decided to do a long, long time ago." Shae replied. "My story in that book of yours, I read it, and it doesn't mention all the other terrible things I've done in my life."

"So? My mom did a lot of terrible things too, but you still think there's good in HER." Henry replied stubbornly.

"That's… That's different."

"No, it's not." Henry insisted. "I think you're wrong. There is good in you, but you lost it too, just like my mom."

Shae opened her mouth to argue, but shut it again, smiling fondly down at Henry. "Maybe you're right, kid. Maybe I'll work on trying to find it."

Henry smiled, nodding in a satisfied way. Shae smiled back, then turned and left Henry's room, pulling the door shut behind her.

"Eavesdropping is really rude, you know." Shae told Regina, who was standing just to the side of Henry's doorway.

Shae made to go back down the stairs, but when she received no angry retort from Regina, she turned back around. She found Regina still standing in the same spot, a silent tear running down her face. She stepped up to Shae, taking the vampire's cold hand in her's.

"W-What are you-" Shae started to ask.

"Just… Just… " Regina stammered.

She then placed her arms gently around Shae's neck, wrapping her in a tight and grateful hug. Shae hesitated uncertainly for a moment, but then wrapped her arms around Regina. She held her silently for a moment, closing her eyes as she breathed in sweet smell of her perfume. Regina's embrace was warm, welcoming, and familiar.

"Thank you." Regina whispered softly.

Shae cleared her throat, removing Regina's arms and stepping back. "I-I didn't do it for you, I did it for Henry."

The two of them jumped as a loud bang resonated throughout the house. Regina rushed down the stairs to investigate, Shae hurrying along behind her. When they reached the bottom, they found David stomping furiously down the hallway, armed with a sword.

"Where's Henry? I want to see him!" He demanded.

Shae stepped around Regina, and, quicker than anyone could blink, knocked the sword out of David's hands and grabbed it up in her own. She shoved David against the wall, pressing the edge of the sword to his throat.

"Now, that wasn't very smart, was it?" She snarled at him.

"Shae, that's enough." Regina said gently.

Shae shot her a puzzled glance, but then obiediently released David, taking a step back. Regina took the sword out of Shae's hand, and handed it back to its owner.

"You won't be needing that." Regina told him, then called up the stairs. "Henry, can you come down here, please?"

Henry came running down the stairs almost immediately, and his face lit up with joy when he saw his grandfather.

"Henry, you're going to go home with David." Regina told her son once he reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Really?" Henry asked, glancing excitedly up at David, who was eyeing Regina suspiciously.

"Really." Regina replied with a smile. She then knelt down in front of Henry, taking his hands in her's. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought you here. It wasn't fair."

She then glanced over at Shae, who gave her a small smile. "I just… I don't know how to love very well." Regina went on. "And, I've been thinking a lot about something Shae told me earlier. She said that if you hold onto something too tight, you'll either break it, or you'll lose it. I don't want to lose you Henry, and I certainly don't want to break you. I want you to be here because you WANT to be here, not because I forced you, and not because of magic. In fact, I won't even use it if you don't want me to."

"You mean it?" Henry asked his mother.

Regina nodded. "I mean it, I promise. I want to redeem myself."

Henry smiled, throwing his arms around his mother. Regina hugged him tight, a few more tears escaping from her eyes. She looked up at Shae, who was still smiling, nodding silently.

"Now, go get your things." She told Henry.

Henry nodded, then rushed back up the stairs. Regina stood, hastily wiping her eyes with her sleeves.

"You really want to redeem yourself to Henry, then prove it." David said sternly, stepping toward Regina.

"How?" Regina asked him.

"The Enchanted Forest, our land, does it still exist?"

Regina exchanged another glance with Shae, then nodded. "Yes, but I have no idea how to get back there."

A wide smile suddenly spread across David's face. "I see I just launched you on a heroic quest." Regina said, "Just be sure you also take care of my son."

David nodded. "That I can do."

Henry came pounding down the stairs once again, his backpack slung over his shoulder. He ran over to Shae, throwing his arms around her.

"Thanks, Shae." He said, smiling up at her.

Shae smiled back, ruffling his hair again. "Any time, kid."

David took his grandson by the hand, and Regina and Shae watched as they walked out the door. Regina sighed sadly, pulling the door shut behind them.

"So, you're really not going to use magic? You?" Shae asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"I made a promise to my son, didn't I?" Regina said in reply.

"I'll believe that when I see it."

"Believe it, then." Regina said confidently. "Henry is far more important to me than any kind of magic ever will be."

Shae breathed out a laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. "Wow, you've really changed, Regina."

"Yes, I suppose we both have." Regina replied quietly. "What you told Henry, about there still being good in me, do you really believe that?"

Shae leaned her back against the wall, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Yeah, I do." She answered with a small smile.

"Perhaps it's true for the both of us."

"I sure hope so, because one things for sure," Shae replied, her smile fading slightly. "Bad people, evil people, villains…People like us. They don't get happy endings."


	3. Chapter 3, The Vampire and the Wolf

CHAPTER 3

Even though The Evil Queen's curse had been broken, the residents of Storybrooke still found themselves trapped in a world that wasn't theirs, with seemingly no way back home. With little other choice, they decided to carry on with their day-to-day lives. The shops, restaurants, and bars once again opened their doors, while the dwarves began to mine for fairy dust, and Prince Charming continued to desperately search for a way to bring his wife and daughter back.

Shae was beginning to get stir crazy. With Regina continuing to keep her promise to Henry to not use magic, and an entire town of angry people out for her blood, her and Shae had barely left the house for days.

"Come, Shae. We're leaving." Regina suddenly announced one day as she retrieved her coat from it's hook by her front door.

"Oh, oh! Let me guess where we're going judging by your face." Shae said excitedly as she joined Regina by the door.

Regina fixed her with an irritated and impatient glare. "Let's see…" Shae muttered, studying her face intently. "We're going to the mall! No? Ok… We're going to the park!"

Shae then gasped, slapping her hands on her cheeks in mock surprise. "We're going to Disney World!"

Regina sighed heavily, rubbing her already aching forehead. "Why are you like this?"

"I ask myself that all the time." Shae admitted with one of her quirky smiles.

"Well, please do let me know when you come up with an answer." Regina replied with heavy sarcasm.

They got into Regina's car and a short while later, Regina parked it outside of Granny's diner. Shae glanced worriedly over at her from the passenger seat.

"Granny's?" Shae asked in surprise. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"It's fine, this won't take long." Regina replied as she got out of the car.

Shae sighed, trailing along behind Regina as they entered the diner. It was mostly empty, save for a handful of residents and Mr. Gold, who was seated in a booth at the back of the diner. Granny and Ruby were both missing, both tending to things in the back kitchen. Everyone except for Gold immediately got up and rushed out at the sight of Regina and Shae.

"Wait at the counter, this will only take a minute." Regina muttered to Shae.

Shae snapped into a mocking salute, prompting an eye roll from Regina. Shae obediently chose a barstool, resting her chin in her hands and letting out a bored and heavy sigh.

"Oh! Hey, Shae!" Ruby said with a smile as she returned to the counter.

Shae was pleasantly surprised by her friendly greeting, and smiled back. "Hey, Red."

"Actually, it's Ruby here." Ruby told her.

"Right, right, Ruby." Shae corrected. "I like it. One of the better names I've heard around here. Like, what the hell is up with 'Mary Margaret?' Who has two first names?"

Ruby laughed, tucking a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. "So, did you finally ditch the old ball and chain?"

"Not exactly." Shae replied glumly, tilting her head over at Regina, who was now seated at the booth across from Mr. Gold.

"Oh." Ruby said, her brow furrowing. "What are they talking about?"

Shae listened in on their hushed conversation for a moment, then chuckled. "Well, she just threatened him, he threatened her back. They're basically measuring magical dick size."

Ruby laughed again, shaking her head slowly. "Great, cuz that's exactly what we need right now."

"I know, right?" Shae agreed.

"Well, uh, do you, you know, want anything?" Ruby asked with a shrug. "I don't really know what vampires eat. Can you even eat food?"

"I can, I just prefer simple stuff like raw fruits and vegetables." Shae explained. "With the whole heightened sense of taste thing, anything more complicated than that just tastes… Gross. I can taste every ingredient separately. I tried to eat pizza one time, it did not go well."

Ruby frowned. "Aww, that sucks, pizza is the best!"

Shae sighed. "Unfortunately not for me." She said sadly. "Honestly, though, I could really use a drink."

"Oh, uh, ok. We've got beer." Ruby offered.

"Ugh! Can't stand the stuff. Got anything stronger?"

Ruby thought silently for a moment, then smiled, holding up a finger. Shae watched as she went into the back again, ogling at her backside as she walked. Ruby was clad in a pair of strikingly short red shorts, which accentuated her long legs and curvy bottom quite nicely. Shae grinned, biting her lip as she did.

Ruby returned a few moments later, a bottle of scotch in her hand. "Granny keeps it around for special occasions." She explained as she poured Shae a glass.

Shae grinned again, leaning back in her barstool. "Oh, am I special occasion?"

Ruby smiled a coy smile, winking as she did. Shae smiled back, raising her glass. "Cheers." She said, taking a generous sip.

"You know, Ruby, I think you're my only friend in this town." Shae went on. "Besides Regina, and she hates me."

Ruby laughed again, and Shae couldn't help but notice what a gorgeous smile she had, her full, ample lips a shade of bright red. "Well, us monsters have to stick together, right?" Ruby said, giving the vampire another wink.

Shae laughed too, nodding slowly. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Besides, I know why you're doing what you're doing." Ruby went on. "David told me all about the deal you made with Regina. Do you really think she'll give you your heart back?"

"Yeah, I actually do." Answered Shae. "Regina may be evil, but she always keeps her word."

"Well, if you're sure." Ruby said with a shrug. "I would say you could ask Gold for help, but it looks like they're on the same side, for now."

Shae suddenly picked her head up, her eyes wide with a sudden realization that had popped into her head. Ruby wasn't paying attention, she was busy watching Regina and Gold talking quietly in their booth.

"Gold… Rumplestiltskin… Ruby, that's it!" Shae said in an excited whisper.

"Huh? What's it?"

"Shh! Quiet!" Shae said, and Ruby's eyes widened as she reached out and clamped a hand over her mouth. "I have half an idea… I'm putting it together…"

They sat in silence for a moment as Shae stared down at the counter, her mind working. "Ok, I now have a complete idea." She announced, removing her hand from Ruby's mouth.

"Come, Shae. We're done here." Regina commanded as she got up from the booth and walked toward the door.

Shae suddenly grabbed Ruby by her shoulders, pulling her forward and planting a kiss on her forehead. "Muah! Ruby, you're a goddamn genius!" She said excitedly. "I'll be back tonight. Have some more of that scotch ready for me."

Ruby watched as Shae followed Regina out the door, her brow furrowed in confusion. She gently rubbed the spot on her forehead that Shae had kissed. "W-What did I say?"

XX

Later that night, Regina was seated on the couch in her living room, engrossed in the book sitting in her lap. Her reading was suddenly interrupted by the sound of Shae's heavy boot steps heading toward the front door. Regina got up from the couch curiously, and found Shae ruffling her hair in the mirror hanging on the wall by the door.

"Where are you going?" Regina asked her.

"Out." Shae replied simply.

"Did I say you could go out?"

"No, but I'm gonna do it anyway."

Regina glared viciously at Shae, unable to believe what she was hearing. "Well, then, perhaps I'll just crush that heart of yours into tiny bits."

Shae suddenly stopped adjusting her hair, turning slowly to Regina, a devious grin on her face. "No, you're not gonna do that."

Regina let out a laugh. "Oh, is that right? You sound pretty confident about that."

Shae's grin got bigger. "Yeah, I am. Want to know why?"

"Oh, do tell."

Shae hooked her thumbs into the belt loops of her jeans, slowly walking toward Regina. "See, I realized something earlier." She explained, still grinning from ear to ear. "You're back to your full power, right? If any of these idiots around here even so much as looked at you wrong, you could turn them to dust with a snap of your fingers. Hell, you could level this entire town if you wanted to."

Shae stopped just in front of Regina, folding her arms across her chest. "So, who exactly am I supposed to be protecting you from, hm?" She asked, fixing the former Queen with a knowing smile. "Who's the one person more powerful than either of us combined? Who's the one person that you're actually afraid of?"

When Regina only silently glared at Shae, the vampire leaned in close, her face inches away from Regina's, her grin broader than ever.

"Rumplestiltskin."

Regina scoffed. "He doesn't scare me."

Shae barked out a laugh. "Then you're dumber than I thought! He scares the shit out of me! He's probably the only person that could actually kill me with magic."

"What exactly is your point here, Shae?" Regina asked irritably.

"My point, my dear, sweet Regina, is that you don't give a rat's ass about your angry townsfolk." Shae went on. "You're only keeping me around just in case old Rumple decides to pay you another visit."

Shae leaned forward again, smiling mockingly at Regina. "Which means… You. Need. Me." She said, gently tapping the end of Regina's nose with each of her words.

Regina swatted her hand away furiously. "Fine, yes, I need you."

"Finally! You admit it. Ugh, it felt like my life was buffering for minute there." Shae breathed, rolling her eyes dramatically.

"Just what the hell are you getting at?" Snarled Regina.

"I'm amending our deal." Shae announced.

"Is that so?"

"Indubitably!" Shae said with another quirky smile. "I'm guessing all the wards and spells you've cast on this house are strong enough to keep even The Dark One out, right?"

"Yes, I believe so." Regina answered slowly. "Why?"

"Good! So here's what's going to happen." Shae went on, stepping up close to Regina again. "When you leave this house, I will be by your side, protecting you from whatever you need protecting from. BUT, once you're safely behind these walls, I'm going to do whatever and go wherever I want. Got it?"

Regina fixed Shae with a furious glare for a few silent moments. "Fine." She growled eventually.

"Aw! You're so cute when you're mad!" Shae cooed mockingly, pinching Regina's cheek.

Regina swatted her hand away again irritably, crossing her arms as Shae resumed fixing her hair in the mirror. "I'm assuming you're going back to Granny's to see Ruby, yes?"

When Shae raised an eyebrow at her, Regina laughed. "Oh, don't look so surprised. I saw the way you were leering at her earlier."

Shae gave her a small shrug. "What can I say? It's my nature. We vampires are insatiable creatures."

"Oh, trust me, I am well aware of that."

Shae smirked as she smoothed out her shirt. "Oh, I'm sure you are." She replied. "Besides, you can't tell me that you haven't noticed that ass. Cuz DAMN it be fine!"

Regina rolled her eyes at Shae, which prompted another laugh from the vampire. Shae then turned on heel, waving her hand casually. "Anyway… Toodles!"

Shae threw open the door, stepping out into the night, walking briskly down the sidewalk away from Regina's house. She smiled, feeling quite proud of herself. She finally had the upper hand. She was finally free to do as she pleased, within some constraints, but that didn't bother her. She would continue to do what Regina asked, like she promised, but if she happened to find her stolen heart while enjoying her new found freedom, then, all the better for her.

XX

Granny's was packed full that evening. The seven dwarves were scarfing down some of Granny's famous lasagna after a long day of mining, and David and Henry were enjoying some hot cocoa. The lively chatter within the diner came to a screeching halt as the door burst open, and Shae walked in.

"What up, players?" She said in greeting, spreading her arms wide.

"You're back!" Ruby said excitedly.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Snarled Granny, staring daggers at the vampire.

David and the dwarves all leapt to their feet, fists clenched. David stepped in front of Henry protectively, fixing Shae with a defiant glare.

"If Regina wants Henry back, you can tell her to come face me herself." He growled fiercely.

"Calm down, dude, I'm not here for Henry." Shae replied, raising her hands in surrender. "I'm only here to enjoy the atmosphere and maybe have a drink or two."

"Come on, you guys, she's not going to hurt anybody." Henry pleaded with them.

"Of course not! Unless you give me a reason to." Shae agreed with a grin. "Otherwise I'm as harmless and cuddly as a teddy bear."

"You told us the other day that you were going to rip our lungs out and feed them to us." Growled Grumpy.

Shae's face fell into a frown. "Right, yeah, I did say that, didn't I?" She muttered. "Well, I didn't really mean it."

"I don't care! You're not welcome here. So get out!" Snarled Granny.

"Granny!" Ruby chided her grandmother.

"Come on, is that any way to treat a paying customer?" Shae asked.

"You're not a customer, you're a menace!" Shouted Doc.

"Get out of here!" Happy yelled.

The rest of the diners all joined in, rising to their feet and shouting angry threats at the vampire. Shae once again raised her hands in surrender, backing toward the door.

"Alright, alright, I'm leaving!" Shae shouted over the din.

She backed out the door, shoving her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket, stomping down the sidewalk. She stopped momentarily to light a cigarette, taking a long drag and breathing out the smoke, watching it twist and turn in the night air.

"Shae! Wait up!"

Shae turned around and found Ruby hurrying after her, pulling on her coat as she walked. Shae fixed her with a curious glance once she caught up to her.

"I'm really sorry about that." Ruby said sadly.

Shae shrugged. "It's alright. I don't really know what else I was expecting. The Evil Queen's lackey isn't exactly a welcome sight." She replied glumly.

"Yeah, I guess not." Ruby muttered. "They just don't understand, you know?"

Ruby grabbed Shae's cigarette from out of her hand, taking a drag off of it. "Don't tell Granny." She said when Shae gave her a shocked look.

Shae laughed. "Your secret is safe with me."

Ruby smiled, linking her arm through Shae's. "Come on, there's a bar down the street. It's kind of a dive, but at least no one will know you there."

Shae walked arm in arm with Ruby as she led them to the bar called The Rabbit Hole. Once inside, they got themselves some drinks and decided to start up a game of pool.

"I'm surprised you like whiskey." Shae was saying as Ruby racked up the pool balls. "Most girls can't stand the stuff."

"Well, I'm not like most girls." Ruby replied with a wink.

Shae couldn't help but stare as Ruby bent over the pool table, lining up her shot. Her shirt was strikingly low cut, allowing for a view that Shae found incredibly enticing. She glanced away with a smirk when Ruby caught her staring.

"So did you really used to date Emma?" Ruby asked her as she took her shot.

"Nice shot!" Shae exclaimed. "But, uh, yeah I did."

"So is Emma, like, bi or something?"

Shae shrugged. "I don't know, honestly. From what I heard, I was her one and only. Happens a lot, actually."

Ruby laughed lightly. "Oh yeah?"

Shae nodded with a grin. "I think it's the whole androgynous thing. A lot of women find me… Comfortable. Familiar."

"So is that why you dress the way you do?"

Shae gave another shrug. "Honestly, I've just never felt comfortable in womens clothes, or with long hair. I've never even worn a dress, or put on makeup."

Ruby raised her eyebrows in shock. "Really?"

"Really!" Shae answered. "Just try and imagine me in a dress. Go on."

Ruby looked Shae up and down for a moment, then started to giggle. "Yeah, no, not your thing."

Shae laughed, picking up her pool cue and leaning over the table. She closed one eye, staring down the cue at the white ball, carefully lining up her shot. She slowly drew the cue back.

"What about Regina?"

Shae fumbled with the pool cue at the sound of Regina's name, causing the white ball to shoot haphazardly to the side. She frowned, clearing her throat and turning slowly around.

"What about her?" She asked.

"How did you guys even meet, anyway? Aren't you from another world? Other than The Enchanted Forest, I mean."

"Well, yeah, I am." Shae replied, running a hand through her messy hair. "But, uh, I don't really want to talk about Regina."

"Oh, come one, please? I'm just curious." Ruby pleaded, pouting her full, red lips.

Shae smirked again, unable to resist those lips. "Alright, alright." She muttered in defeat. "Uh, well, I actually first met Regina the moment I came out of the portal into The Enchanted Forest. I literally ran into her."

"Seriously?" Ruby asked in shock.

"Seriously." Shae answered with a nod. "That was before she even became Queen. Many years later, we met again. It was a pretty strange twist of fate."

XXXXX

The fallen autumn leaves crunched under Regina's boots as she walked determinedly through the forest. Her mother had just accepted King Leopold's marriage proposal for her, much to Regina's own dismay. She had been desperately searching for a way to escape her mother and the King, so she and Daniel could finally be together. She didn't want to be Queen. All she wanted was her love, her Daniel.

Late the previous night, unable to fall asleep, Regina had happened upon an ancient and curious book in the library. It was a book all about long forgotten magic, and she found one particular chapter to be most interesting. It spoke of different realms and worlds, and how to travel between them. One page spoke of an ancient and magical mirror, said to be a portal to another world, a mirror that happened to be on top of a hill in the forest, just outside her mother's castle.

Regina was determined to find this mirror, and somehow figure out a way to open the portal. She and Daniel could escape to a completely different world, far, far away from her mother.

Regina's heart soared as she spotted a steep, grassy hill in a clearing just ahead. She pulled out the page she had torn out from the book, glancing down at the picture. She looked up again and smiled. The hill she had found looked exactly like the one in the picture.

She marched forward, ascending the hill as quickly as her legs would carry her. The hill was quite steep, and she found her breaths coming shorter and shorter, half from exertion, and half from excitement. When she finally reached the top, she let out an audible gasp. There it was, the mirror depicted in the book.

The mirror was quite large, standing at least a head taller than she was. The forest had overtaken it, covering it in dirt, leaves, and vines. Regina rushed forward and began tearing the vines off of it, brushing the dirt and grime off of the glass.

As soon as her hand made contact with the glass, the mirror suddenly began to glow a bright blue. She gasped again, jumping back. Had she just activated the portal?

She stepped carefully forward, squinting into the blue light. A curious, black mass had begun to form in the center of the mirror, growing larger and larger by the second. Regina watched in wonder as the mass started to take shape. She watched as a head formed, then shoulders, then some lanky arms and legs. She took another step forward, but then stopped when she realized that the figure in the mirror was running, running right towards her.

"WATCH OUT!"

"AHH!"

The wind was knocked out of her as a person suddenly came sprinting out of the mirror, crashing headlong into her. The world spun wildly around her, and her head bounced painfully against the ground over and over again as she tumbled backward down the hill. She could hear cries and grunts of pain as the stranger from the mirror rolled along next to her, but all she could make out was a tumbling black blur.

She finally rolled to a stop, facedown in the dirt at the bottom of the hill, stabbing pains coursing through every part of her body. She picked her head up when she heard a groan, and made out the hazy figure of the person from the mirror lying in front of her. The stranger turned his head toward her, and the last thing Regina saw before she lost consciousness was a pale gray face and blood red eyes.

XX

Regina began to wake slowly, her head pounding with pain. She opened her eyes, and found herself staring up at the night sky, the stars obscured by the tops of the trees. She turned her head to the side, and realized that she was now in a completely different part of the forest.

"Keep searching, you useless pisspots!" She heard a man shouting from nearby. "She's injured, she can't have gone far!"

Regina turned her head to the side, and gasped when she saw a man clad in black leather armor crouching behind a thicket of bushes beside her. The stranger jerked his head to the side as she sat up, and Regina was shocked to find that it was not a man at all, but a woman. She had a messy crop of short, jet black hair, pale skin, and red eyes.

When Regina opened her mouth to speak, the strange woman dove over to her, clamping a cold hand tightly over her mouth. Regina let out a muffled cry, tugging at the woman's arm.

"Shh! Calm down, alright? I'm not going to hurt you." The woman whispered to her. "I just need you to be very, very quiet."

When Regina nodded hastily, the stranger removed her hand from Regina's mouth, turning her attention back toward the bushes, craning her neck up to peer over the top. Regina silently followed suit, and saw a score of men gathered in the clearing a few yards in front of them. They appeared to be knights of some kind, a red sun emblazoned on their white chainmail armor. There was a very large man barking out orders in the midst of them, with long brown hair that was flecked with gray, and a bushy brown beard to match.

"Keep on your toes, men." The man was telling the knights. "This is a new world. There's no telling what manner of dark creatures haunt these woods."

The woman next to her turned to Regina again, placing a finger silently to her lips. She searched the ground for a moment, then picked up a rock. She peered back over the bushes again, then brought her arm back, hurling the rock over the heads of the knights.

"Over here!" One of the knights shouted as the rock landed, snapping twigs in the process.

Regina watched as the men all sped off in the direction of the sound, leaving her alone with the strange woman from the mirror.

"Thank god." The woman breathed, turning around with a groan, resting her back against the trunk of the tree behind her.

"T-There's an arrow in your chest." Regina told her.

The woman glanced down at the arrow protruding from the left side of her chest. "So there is." She said with a chuckle. "That was quite a close call. Almost got my heart."

She then grabbed the arrow by the shaft and ripped it out with grunt of pain, tossing it to the side. She leaned her head back against the tree for a moment, breathing out a relieved sigh.

The woman suddenly let out a cry of pain, pounding her fist into the dirt. Regina gasped as the veins in her hands and neck bulged out, turning black. The woman doubled over in pain, and Regina noticed there were three more arrows lodged in her back.

"Oh my!" Regina exclaimed in shock. "Hold still, I'll get those out."

The woman nodded, and Regina crawled over to her, kneeling behind her. "I-Im Regina."

"Shae." The woman replied, grunting as Regina yanked out the first arrow.

"Shae." Regina repeated, pulling out another arrow. "That's an interesting name."

"It's short for Shaeogora." Shae explained with a painful grimace. "But if you want us to get along you won't ever call me that."

"Oh, I won't, I promise." Regina replied earnestly. She then jerked the last arrow out of Shae's back. "There, last one."

Shae let out a contented sigh, leaning back against the tree again. "Thank you, Regina, you're very kind." She said with a grateful smile.

Regina smiled back, giving her a small nod. "I should probably get you to a healer." Regina said, but then stopped suddenly, examining the wound in Shae's chest. "Hold on, you're not bleeding!"

Shae glanced away from her, her eyes shifting nervously. "Er, well, no, I don't really do that."

Regina's brow furrowed in confusion. "What exactly are you?"

Shae gave her a shocked and offended glance. "Well, that's an awfully rude question." She said indignantly. "I don't go around asking what you are! Though I'm assuming you're some sort of sorceress."

"Sorceress? No, of course not!"

Shae looked surprised. "No? Well, you could be. You have very powerful magic." She replied. "This whole world does, in fact. Where exactly am I?"

"The Enchanted Forest." Regina explained in a rush. "How do you know this world has magic? That I have magic?"

"I can sense it. You're positively radiating with it." Shae explained. "Seems an awful great waste to not use it."

"Yes, my mother says so all the time." Regina replied darkly. "She's been wanting to teach me for years."

"I see. So your mother is a sorceress?"

"Yes, but I don't want to be like her. I won't use magic. Not ever."

Shae let out a chuckle, but then suddenly doubled over in pain again. Her veins pulsed again, the blackness creeping up her neck and into her cheeks.

"A-Are you alright?" Regina asked in concern. "It looks like you've been poisoned!"

"I'm alright, it's just the silver." Shae said through gritted teeth. "I'll be fine as soon as I get some blood."

"Blood? What for?"

Shae suddenly held up a finger to her, staring out into the trees. A bush a few feet in front of them rustled slightly, and a rabbit hopped out of it. When the rabbit saw them, it stood rigid in its spot, nose twitching as it watched them carefully.

"Wait here." Shae breathed to Regina.

Before Regina could question her, there was a black blur of movement as Shae rushed at the rabbit, disappearing through the brush. Regina got to her feet, staring at the spot where Shae had disappeared. She then heard a strange noise, and decided to investigate.

She stepped through the trees, following the sound. She spotted Shae a few yards in front of her, crouching on the ground and holding something to her face. As Regina drew closer, she let out a shocked gasp. The thing in Shae's hands was the rabbit, now dead, blood dripping onto the ground from the wound in its neck.

Shae snapped her head up, and Regina gasped again, tripping over a root and falling to the ground as she tried to back away. Shae's lips and chin were covered in the rabbit's blood, long, sharp, animal like fangs protruding from her mouth.

Shae stood up, then jerked her arms out wide as her body convulsed. Her veins bulged and pulsed again, but this time they ran a deep, blood red, her eyes glowing bright. Shae dropped her arms and rolled her head around on her shoulders, her neck cracking as she did. The fangs disappeared and her eyes returned to their normal color.

"That's much better." She said, breathing out a contented sigh.

"W-What are you?" Regina asked, trying to stop her body from trembling.

"I'm a vampire." Answered Shae. "Are there not any others in this world?"

"I-Im not sure. I've heard stories and legends, but I've never seen a vampire."

"Oh, I see…" Shae muttered. "Well, I'm sure they're around. We tend to keep to ourselves, and not announce our nature quite as spectacularly as I did."

Shae then stepped over to Regina, holding out her hand and smiling down at her. When Regina only continued to eye her warily, the vampire sighed.

"Look, I meant it when I said I wasn't going to hurt you." She said. "Besides, I don't feed on humans. At least, not any more."

"Really?" Regina asked, still suspicious.

"Yes! It's been many, many years." Shae replied. "You humans are much too fatty. I'm trying to watch my figure."

Shae smiled cheekily at her, and Regina hesitated for another moment, but then gingerly took Shae's hand, brushing herself off as the vampire pulled her to her feet.

"Now then, Regina, how well do you know these woods?" Shae asked her seriously.

"Fairly well." Regina answered slowly. "Why?"

"I need to get back to the mirror before anyone else comes through." Shae explained. "Can you take me back there?"

Regina glanced all around her, then nodded confidently. "Yes, I believe I know the way back."

"Excellent! Lead the way then."

Regina smiled, turning around and marching back through the trees, Shae following along beside her. "So, I-I know you likely didn't, but I must ask…" Shae began as they walked. "Did you happen to see a man come through the mirror after me? He's tall, brown hair, pale, red eyes like me."

Regina shook her head. "No, I only saw you, I'm afraid."

Shae sighed heavily. "Dammit, Remus." She muttered under her breath.

"This man, Remus, is he your beloved?"

Shae stopped walking for a moment, fixing Regina with a baffled stare. "My what?"

"Your beloved." Regina said again, also stopping. "You know, the man you love."

Shae continued to gape at her for a moment, then burst out in laughter, doubling over with her hands on her knees. "The man I love? Oh my, that's a good one!" She exclaimed, snorting with laughter.

When she noticed the confused look on Regina's face, she straightened up, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry, you've no idea why that's funny."

"No, I'm afraid I don't."

"See, Remus and I, we're not exactly each other's type." Shae explained, gesturing for Regina to lead on.

Regina continued walking, still eyeing the vampire curiously. "What do you mean by that?"

Shae let out another laugh. "Well, Remus prefers men, and I, well, I'm rather fond of women."

Regina nodded slowly. "Oh, I-I see. I have heard of… People like that."

Shae suddenly frowned. "Don't tell me it's outlawed in this land."

"What? No, of course not!" Regina replied, giving her an appalled glance. "Is it in your land?"

"No, not technically, but it is severely frowned upon. People like me and Remus had to love in secret, or else be publicly flogged, or worse."

"I'm so sorry, that's awful." Regina said sadly. "There are people who frown upon it here too, but people aren't punished for it. I think everyone should be able to love whoever they want."

Shae smiled fondly at her. "Well, that's certainly refreshing to hear."

They walked in silence for a few moments. Regina bit her lip, her mind overflowing with questions for this vampire from another world.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Was the one that popped into her head first.

Shae's brow furrowed in confusion. "Like what?"

"Well, like a man."

"Do women not wear armor in this world?"

Regina shrugged her shoulders. "Not typically, no."

"Hmm, I see." Shae muttered. "Well, I've never quite felt comfortable in dresses and skirts and… Corsets. They're not exactly practical. Neither is long hair, it just gets in the way. I've always kept mine short."

"Well, you're not wrong." Regina replied with a laugh. "Have you ever worn a dress?"

"Only as a child and never for longer than a few moments." Shae answered. "I remember the women who ran my orphanage as a child trying to force me into them. I'd always immediately take it off and go steal some breeches from Remus. Eventually they stopped trying, and I haven't worn a dress since."

"So, this Remus, he's been your friend since you were children?"

"More like my brother." Shae replied with a wistful smile. "We've done nearly everything together. We were raised together, we got turned together, we served Count Dracula together, then we fled together-"

"Dracula… I know that name." Regina muttered suddenly.

"I'm not surprised." Shae replied with a shrug. "He's a very powerful and very ancient vampire. Stories even claim that he was the first one ever created."

"Oh, I see. Is he the one that… That made you?"

"Yes, Remus too. We served in his court for a long time after that." Shae answered, her smile fading.

"Why did you leave?"

Shae's face fell into a dark scowl. "Because he started a war."

"What kind of war?" Regina asked, hanging on Shae's words with bated breath.

"A war on magic."

Regina gave the vampire a confused glance. "Dracula started a war on magic? Don't vampires have powers themselves?"

Shae nodded. "Yes, we do. I supposed it isn't fair to say Dracula started the war. He was the one that gathered forces to defend magic. Van Helsing was the one that started it."

"Van Helsing?"

"Abraham Van Helsing." Shae spat angrily. "He was the man we saw earlier, the big one with the beard."

"I see, and the men with him, are they knights of some kind?"

Shae laughed sourly. "Yes, they call themselves The Knights of the Sun, and Van Helsing is their fearless leader."

"Why exactly does this Van Helsing hate magic so much?" Asked Regina, growing curiouser by the minute.

"It's a bit of a long story, but long ago he was turned into a werewolf by a dark sorceress." Shae explained. "The same one that made Dracula a vampire, or so the story says. Van Helsing despised the creature that the sorceress made him, so he cursed magic, and any man, woman, or creature that has it. He spent many, many years hunting and killing any kind of magical creature he could get his hands on. He eventually started an order of knights to help him, and, when he had a large enough force, he traveled all across the land to every king, queen, lord, lady, duke, and count. I'm not sure if he persuaded or intimidated them, but whatever he did, he caused almost every single noble in the land to turn against magic, to join his cause to destroy it. Many rulers had court wizards and mages, and those that weren't caught and executed went into hiding."

Shae clenched her fists, her scowl growing fiercer as she went on. "When Dracula heard about what Van Helsing was doing, he was furious. He retaliated, gathering his own forces of magical creatures and magic users. Even the werewolves joined his side, which was shocking given that vampires and werewolves are natural enemies. But there were some of us that knew this war would only cause ruin, and we begged Dracula to stop. We found a magical mirror, the one that I came through. We begged him to use it, and we could let the humans have our world, and we could escape to a new one, a better one."

Shae sighed, her eyes suddenly very sad. "But Dracula refused. He didn't want to just fight to keep magic in our world, he wanted to take over, to destroy Van Helsing's forces so magic could reign supreme. He saw humans as lesser beings, as cattle to sustain him and his children so we could have all the power. And many of his magical allies agreed. He promised the mages and sorceresses that they could become kings and queens in his new world, and he promised us and the werewolves that we would have an endless supply of mortals to feed on. He was going to create a magical utopia. I won't lie, it was an enticing offer, but Remus and I, along with a few others, refused him."

"I can imagine he was not pleased about that." Commented Regina.

Shae laughed darkly. "No, he was not. So we went into hiding. Dracula sent men and creatures after us, and many of us were caught and killed, but Remus and I continued surviving, running from place to place to keep Dracula's men and Van Helsing's off of our trail. But, eventually, the war that both sides had promised drew closer and closer, both armies marching off to battle. That was when Remus and I decided to leave, to find the mirror and go to a new world where we could live in peace."

"How did the two of you get separated?" Regina asked.

"I'm still not sure how, but Van Helsing found out we were planning to use the mirror to escape our world. He found us just as we were opening the portal." Shae explained. "We split up, running in opposite directions to draw Van Helsing and his men away. The plan was to get them off of our tails and meet back at the mirror. I lost the men that were chasing me, and waited for Remus for a long time. But Van Helsing showed up instead. Remus and I had promised each other that if one of us fell behind, the other would go on. So… I-"

"You went through without him." Regina finished for her.

"Yes." Shae replied sadly. "I fear something terrible has happened to him. But, I made a promise, and Remus and I have never broken a promise to each other, not ever."

"But, there's a chance that he's still alive, right?" Regina asked, and when Shae nodded, she went on. "Is that why you need to get back to the mirror? To go back and find Remus?"

"No, I'm going to destroy it."

Regina stopped in her tracks. "What?" She exclaimed.

"Van Helsing and his men followed me here. I fear I've unleashed a beast unto your world." Shae replied, stopping as well. "I can't risk any more of his men coming through. It'll be war all over again."

"Can't you just close the portal?" Regina asked desperately.

"I could, but someone else could open it again. No, I'm not risking that."

"But you can't destroy the mirror!" Regina cried. "Daniel and I need to run away to a new world!"

Shae's brow furrowed in confusion. "Who's Daniel?"

"He's… He's the man I love." Regina replied. "King Leopold has proposed to me, and my mother accepted. Daniel is only a stable boy, but I love him! I-I don't want to be Queen! Not if it means I can't be with Daniel."

Shae barked out a laugh, shaking her head slowly. "Oh, so young, so naive." She muttered in amusement.

"Young? You don't look to be very old yourself." Regina replied hotly.

"Oh, I'm much, much older than I look." Shae replied with a grin. "Vampires don't age. Didn't you know that?"

"How old are you, then?"

"A lady never tells."

Regina narrowed her eyes at the vampire, then crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, you can't destroy the mirror. I won't let you." She stated defiantly.

Shae's grin suddenly disappeared, her face falling into a menacing glare. She walked slowly toward Regina, who began to back away, suddenly quite frightened of the vampire.

"And how exactly do you plan on stopping me, hm?" Shae asked darkly, continuing to bare down on Regina. "You may be powerful, but you don't use your magic. And even if you did, there would be very little you could do. You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Regina jumped as her back hit a tree, and Shae stepped up close to her, grinning menacingly. "Do you know what happens to a person when they're drained of their blood?" Shae asked her quietly. "They get all shriveled up, like a prune, except much less appetizing."

"Y-You said you don't feed on humans." Regina stammered.

"No, I don't, but that doesn't mean I can't." Shae answered, still grinning. "See, the blood of animals can sustain us just fine, but there's just something about human blood that is so… Enticing. Humans are much more savory than animals."

Shae leaned in close, and Regina shivered as she gently traced a finger down her neck. "And I bet you, my dear, would be quite… Delicious."

The vampire leaned in even closer, and Regina squeezed her eyes shut as she felt Shae's warm breath on her neck. She swallowed hard, clenching her fists, waiting for the pain.

Regina opened her eyes again when she felt Shae pull away, and she found the vampire giving her another cheeky and quirky smile.

"Really had you going for a moment there, didn't I?" Shae asked with a laugh.

Regina let out the breath she had been holding, trying to stop the trembling throughout her body. "That wasn't funny." She replied irritably.

Shae laughed again. "I thought it was."

Regina sighed, pushing away from the tree and straightening herself up. "Well, I suppose you're right, I can't stop you from destroying the mirror."

"No, you can't." Shae agreed. "Besides, you'll be much better off marrying your King."

"No I won't, I don't love him!" Regina replied incredulously.

"So? You'll have power, wealth, an entire kingdom at your fingertips." Shae said. "Besides, trust me when I say that love will bring you nothing but pain. You're much better off without it."

Regina's face fell. "I see… Did you lose the man- sorry- woman you loved?"

Shae glanced away from her, clenching her fists. "Yes, I did."

"I-I'm very sorry to hear that." Regina replied sadly. "But mine and Daniel's love is everything to me, I can't marry someone else. We're going to run away together, and if we can run away to another world then my mother would never find us. We'd be free!"

Shae let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, fine, run away with your Daniel." She relented. "But I'm telling you that my world isn't where you want to go. Weren't you listening before? There's about to be a war! My world will be nothing but ash soon.

When Regina didn't reply, Shae went on in a frustrated and desperate tone. "Van Helsing may be here now, but his army is still there, and if they win, you'll be killed. Even if you never use magic, someone will eventually find out that you have it. Then they'll kill Daniel for consorting with a sorceress. And if Dracula wins? You'll both be captured and thrown in a dungeon cell, fed on by vampires every day till you die. Or you'll be torn apart by werewolves, or any number of beasts that roam my world. You're much better off running away to somewhere else in this world. At least then you might have a chance."

Regina remained silent for another few moments, but then she sighed. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Your world sounds horrible."

"It is horrible!" Shae heartily agreed. "Now can we please keep going? I've got to get to that mirror before any more of Van Helsing's knights come through."

"Yes, of course, we're almost there." Regina replied, setting off again.

"Good. Now, we'll have to approach cautiously. I have no doubt that Van Helsing has men guarding the mirror, in case I come back."

When they arrived just outside the clearing with the hill, they found that Shae's suspicions had been correct. There were seven men in total guarding the mirror, four at the top of the hill and three at the bottom.

"What do we do now?" Regina whispered to Shae as they peered out carefully at the men from behind some trees.

"Right, I'd really rather not fight these idiots." Shae whispered back. "That rabbit was enough to heal me, but I'm not quite strong enough to take them all down."

Regina nodded sternly. "Alright, I'll draw them away."

"Wait, what? No! Regina!"

Regina ignored her, creeping through the trees around to the side of the hill. Once there, she put on a terrified face, stumbling out of the trees and pretending to be out of breath.

"Help! Please, help me!" She shouted. "There's a vampire, she was chasing me!"

"Where? Where did she go?" One of the men asked as they rushed toward her.

"That way!" Regina replied, pointing into the forest.

"Come on! The vampire, she's over here!" A knight called out to his brothers at the top of the hill.

The men went crashing into the forest, their friends barreling after them. "Don't worry, my lady, we'll make short work of that creature." One of them stopped to tell Regina.

"Hurry, please! She's so scary!" Regina called after them.

Once all the men were gone, Shae krept out of her hiding spot. She made her way over to Regina, looking pleasantly surprised.

"Nicely done." Shae said with a grin.

Regina gave her a modest shrug, and followed as Shae started climbing up the hill. Once at the top, they found the mirror still glowing a bright blue. Shae then pulled a small book out of the satchel on her belt, and started flipping through the pages. Regina stepped closer as she did, and noticed the pages were filled with strange runes.

"What is that?" She asked curiously.

"A spell book, written by the ancient elves of my land." Shae explained. "They're the ones that made this mirror, and others like it. They used them to leave my world centuries ago, but they left some things behind, like this book."

"I see. So you need a spell to destroy the mirror?"

"Exactly." Shae replied. "The elves were very powerful magic users, and the mirrors they made can't be destroyed by any normal means. Aha!"

Shae finally found the page she was looking for. "Stand back. I've never done this before, so I have no idea what's about to happen."

Regina obeyed, taking a large step back as Shae raised her hand toward the mirror. She looked down at the book in her other hand, then started speaking in a strange language. Regina watched silently for a few moments as Shae continued chanting in what Regina assumed was ancient elven. But, nothing seemed to be happening. The mirror stood glowing as bright as ever.

"Dammit, I'm not strong enough." Shae muttered suddenly. She then turned to Regina. "I need your help."

"Me?" Regina asked in shock.

"Yes, you. You have enough magic to make this spell work."

"I told you, I don't know how to use magic."

Shae sighed. "Yes, I know that. But you don't have to. Just, here, put your hand on my arm."

Shae took her by the hand and placed it on her arm, as she outstretched her own at the mirror again. "Now, close your eyes, and imagine magic flowing from your hand and into my arm."

Regina nodded, closing her eyes. She pictured in her mind her hand glowing with a bright, purple light. She then pictured the light flowing down Shae's arm, into her hand, and then out toward the mirror.

"Brilliant! You're doing it!"

Regina opened her eyes, and was shocked to find that what she had been picturing in her mind was actually happening.

"See? I told you you were powerful!" Shae said with a smile. "Alright, here we go!"

Shae began reading from the book again, and Regina felt the ground tremble under her feet. A humming noise started emanating from the mirror, growing louder and louder as Shae continued chanting. Regina gripped Shae's arm tightly as the ground shook violently.

Shae finished the spell, and a pulse wave of magical energy erupted from the mirror, the glass shattering. Shae grabbed Regina and threw herself protectively on top of her as the pulse wave shot toward them.

The ground finally stopped shaking, and the forest grew quiet once again. Shae got off of Regina and helped her to her feet. They turned around, and found only the golden frame of the mirror was left standing, broken glass lying all over the ground.

"I'm sorry, Remus." Shae whispered sadly.

Regina placed her hand gently on Shae's arm. "I'm sorry about your friend."

Shae gave her a small smile. "Thank you. For everything, I mean." She said quietly. "I know you wanted to use the portal to run away with your Daniel but, trust me, it's better this way. And I couldn't have done it without you."

Shae then took her by the hands, and leaned forward, pressing a light kiss on her cheek. Regina smiled, feeling her face flush with heat. "So, um, what will you do now?" Regina asked.

Shae shrugged. "I don't know, really." She replied. "I suppose I'll go explore this world of yours. I know I at least want to put as many miles between me and Van Helsing as I can, for now. He's not a man to be trifled with, and, without Remus, well, I fear my revenge will have to wait."

"Revenge?"

"Yes. Van Helsing took something from me many years ago, something I cherished deeply." Shae replied with a scowl. "He will pay for what he's done. He's weaker here, so it's only a matter of time now."

"There! She's up there!"

Regina and Shae both whirled around at the sound of a man shouting, and Regina's heart sunk. There was a score of King Leopold's men at the bottom of the hill. Amongst them was Cora, her mother.

"It's my mother." Regina breathed, turning quickly to Shae. "You have to go, now!"

"What? Why?"

"She's very powerful, and I have no idea what she would do to you if she finds out what you are." Regina said quickly. When Shae was about to protest, she went on. "Please, you have to go!"

Shae nodded, pulling her into a tight and grateful embrace. She let go, placing her hands on Regina's shoulders. "Good luck, Regina, and thank you. Perhaps our paths will cross again someday."

Regina nodded, and watched as Shae turned around, stepped around the now broken mirror and disappeared into the forest. Regina sighed, turning to face the king's men and her likely furious mother. She felt deep in her heart she would likely never see her strange vampire friend again. But she truly hoped against hope that, someday, she just might.

XX

Regina smiled wistfully as she wandered through the old stables of her mother's castle. It was all the same as she had remembered. Only, this time, Daniel was not there to meet her. He was not there to steal kisses from her in secret. He was gone, forever.

"Regina?"

Regina turned around, and her heart stopped. "Daniel?"

Daniel nodded, and Regina ran toward him, throwing herself into his arms. She kissed him desperately, feeling his arms, his shoulders, his face, unable to believe he was real.

"Oh, Daniel, is it really you?" She asked, tears streaming down her face.

"Of course, it's me." Daniel replied, smiling down at her. "Now, come, lets go!"

"W-What? Where are we going?" Regina asked.

"We're running away, remember?" Answered Daniel, gently wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Oh, Regina, I don't care where we go, as long as we're together."

Regina smiled as he kissed her again, wrapping her arms around his neck, her heart soaring as he held her in his arms.

"I love you, Daniel." She whispered as he pressed his forehead to hers.

Daniel opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly let out a pained and strangled cry. Regina gasped as he fell to the ground. She knelt beside him, and when she looked up, she saw her mother, holding Daniel's glowing red heart in her hands.

"NO!" Regina screamed.

But it was too late. Cora crushed Daniel's heart, the gray, shimmering dust slipping between her fingers. Regina looked down, watching dust slip through her own hands as Daniel's body disappeared before her.

"Daniel, no!" She sobbed, more tears drenching her cheeks.

Suddenly, there was the sound of someone laughing behind her. Regina sprang to her feet and whirled around. There was a woman standing in the doorway of the stables, a woman with black hair, pale skin, and blood red eyes.

"Shae?"

Shae smiled, slowly walking toward her, her boots making no sound at all. "I told you so." She said pointedly.

"W-What?"

"Don't you remember what I told you in the forest, the day we met?" Shae asked.

She stopped in front of Regina, gently brushing away her tears with a cold, pale hand. She then took her hands, leaned forward, and pressed a kiss on her cheek. When she pulled back, she was grinning deviously, large fangs protruding from her lips, her eyes glowing red like flames.

"Love is pain."

XX

The Evil Queen woke with a start, her heart pounding in her chest, her body covered in a cold sweat. She shook herself, gazing out the window of her carriage. Though it had been many years since her love was taken from her, Daniel was still often in her dreams, plaguing her sleep with his memory. However, this was the first time that the vampire from another world that she had met so long ago had appeared in her dreams. She hadn't so much as thought about Shae in years. Why was she suddenly in her dream now?

The Queen was travelling through the forest, on her way back to her castle after another failed attempt to find and capture Snow White. She must have fallen asleep at some point, for now her and her company of armed guards were travelling slowly through a small village.

Regina spotted a large group of villagers gathered in the center of the town, surrounding a wooden platform. She squinted her eyes when she saw that they had someone tied to a stake atop the platform, and a large, bearded man with chainmail armor was standing next to the prisoner on the platform, holding a torch and addressing the crowd. There was a score of armed men all around him, garbed in the same type of armor. They all had a large, red sun emblazoned on their breastplates, a sun that was all too familiar. She turned her eyes back to the person tied to the stake, a person with short, jet black hair.

"Stop the carriage!" Regina commanded loudly.

When the carriage rolled to a stop, Regina stepped out, the captain of her guard and several of his men following behind her. There was a cry from among the villagers as Regina made her way toward them, and they all turned around, their eyes wide with fright. They all parted as she sauntered forward, except for the armored men, who stood defiantly before her, surrounding the platform.

"Just who in the hell are you?" Asked the bearded man with the torch.

"You will mind your tongue when addressing the Queen!" Her Captain called out in response.

The bearded man raised his eyebrows. "Oh, I see, you must be the one that folks around here call The Evil Queen."

Regina spread her arms wide. "Guilty as charged." She replied, grinning wickedly.

"Well, Your Majesty, if you would kindly be on your way, our business with this creature does not concern you."

"Actually, it does concern me." Regina replied. "You see, this 'creature' happens to be an old friend of mine. Isn't that right, Shae?"

Shae's head was bowed, her chin resting on her chest. When she heard her name, she picked her head up, and smiled weakly. "Regina?" She breathed. "Well, well, the years have certainly been kind to you, haven't they?"

Shae grinned at her, looking her up and down. She started to chuckle, but then coughed, crying out in pain as the veins in her neck and face pulsed black, the same way they had years ago when she had been shot with silver arrows.

Regina suddenly noticed that Shae was not actually tied to the stake. She was being held there by several swords that had been shoved through her body, straight through into the stake. She even had a dagger through both her hands, holding them behind her back. Regina looked down, and noticed that logs, straw, and twigs were piled all around the wooden platform.

"Are you planning on burning her alive?" Regina asked in horror.

"Aye, it's the best way to kill these vile creatures." The bearded man replied, who Regina realized was the man that Shae had spoke of years ago, the one named Van Helsing.

"Apart from a silver sword to the heart, that is, but that's a bit too quick for my taste." Van Helsing went on. "I want this one to suffer."

"I think listening to your stupid voice is suffering enough for all of us, don't you?" Shae quipped, joking and sarcastic as ever despite her predicament.

Shae grunted in pain as Van Helsing struck her in the face with his fist. "Enough, you loathsome parasite!" He growled. "I think it's finally time I put an end to you."

Van Helsing's men and the crowd gathered all cheered as he lept lightly down from the platform, lowering the torch toward the logs gathered at the base of the stake.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Regina said menacingly, gesturing to her soldiers, who all drew their swords.

"Do you have any idea what manner of creature has been plaguing your land?" Van Helsing snarled, his own men unsheathing their blades as well.

"Yes, I am well aware of what she is." Regina replied dismissively. "But the only plague on my land has been you, Van Helsing."

When Van Helsing looked shocked, Regina let out a dark and dangerous laugh. "Oh, yes, I know exactly who you are." She said with another wicked grin. "You and your men have been wandering my kingdom, spreading your hatred and malice toward magic."

Regina took a step forward, causing Van Helsing's men to brandish their swords at her. Regina laughed again. "Magic may have been looked down upon in your world, but here, magic is everything, magic is power."

She then summoned a fireball into her hand, causing the crowd to gasp. Shae stared down at her in wonder, choking out a painful laugh.

"You're using magic now, I see." She said with a grin.

"Yes, and you'll be happy to know that you were right." Regina replied, grinning back. "I am very, very… Powerful."

Van Helsing remained silent as Regina sneered at him, his hand clenching around the pommel of his sword.

"This woman is now under my protection." Regina announced to the crowd, extinguishing the fireball. "Anyone who attacks her, myself, or my men will be charged with treason."

"We're not from this world." Van Helsing snarled. "You're not our Queen!"

"Well, you're in my world now, so I suggest you do as I command." Regina replied menacingly.

Van Helsing tossed the torch aside, drawing his sword. "So be it." Regina said with a small shrug. "Kill them."

Her guards all charged at Van Helsing and his men. Most of the villagers decided to flee, but a few remained, armed with axes and pitchforks, and rushed into the fray alongside Van Helsing's knights. Regina used her magic to toss a few knights and villagers aside as she stepped up onto the platform with Shae. She flicked her hand to the side, and all the swords buried in Shae's body flew out of her.

Regina grabbed the vampire by the shoulders as she fell forward, lying her down on the ground and kneeling next to her. Shae cried out in pain again as more blackness crept up her cheeks. Shae was looking much worse than when Regina had seen the last time she had been exposed to silver. Her pale gray skin was a sickly green color, and her cheeks and eye sockets were sunken. If she wasn't awake and talking, she could be mistaken for a several days old corpse.

"Damn, this is good leather." Shae groaned as she glanced down at all the holes in her black leather armor.

"Are you alright?" Regina asked concernedly.

"Yes, or rather, I will be, thanks to you." Shae replied with a grateful smile. "This is some strange twist of fate, eh?"

"Yes, I suppose it is." Regina replied with a smile of her own. "How did Van Helsing and his men capture you anyway?"

"Well, they've been chasing me ever since the day I came out of that mirror." Shae explained, pushing herself up into a sitting position. "And, well, lets just say I made some mistakes."

Regina chuckled. "I would say that's a gross understatement."

"Retreat! Retreat!"

Regina turned her head and saw Van Helsing and what was left of his men rushing into the woods, her soldiers giving chase after them.

"NO!" Shae shouted, grabbing onto Regina's shoulder and getting shakily to her feet. "He can't get away, not again!"

Regina gasped as Shae stumbled forward, tumbling off the platform and landing face down in the dirt. Regina rushed over to her, and Shae groaned as she attempted to get up again.

"Shae, you're weak." Regina said. "Come, I'll take you back to my castle, you can rest and recover there."

"No, I can't, I-I have to-" Shae started to protest.

Regina then placed her hand on Shae's forehead. "Shh, sleep now." She whispered.

Shae's entire body glowed with a soft, blue light, then she slumped unconscious to the ground. Regina stood, beckoning to the captain of her guard.

"Captain, put this woman in my carriage, I'm taking her back to the castle." She instructed. "Once there, put her in a cell. Then, have one of your men slaughter our fattest pig and take its blood to her."

"Blood, Your Majesty?" The Captain questioned. "What does she need blood for?"

"She's a vampire, she needs it to heal herself."

"A vampire?" The Captain asked, staring down fearfully at the unconscious Shae. "Are you sure you want her in your carriage?"

"It's fine, Captain. She's an old friend, she won't hurt me." Regina replied dismissively. "Once she has recovered, put her in shackles and bring her to me, understood?"

Her Captain nodded, and instructed a few of his men to load the vampire into The Queen's carriage. Once Shae was safely slumped in the seat, Regina got in after her, sitting across from the vampire. She leaned forward as her carriage set off again, gently brushing a stray long of Shae's messy black hair off her forehead, muttering to herself.

"A strange twist of fate, indeed…"

XXXXX

Shae and Ruby spent most of the night drinking and playing pool together, only deciding to leave when the bartender told them he was closing up. Shae enjoyed Ruby's company, especially since she was likely the only person in Storybrooke that didn't seem to hate her for working with Regina. Shae had never been bothered by what others thought of her, she was used to being feared and hated. But she had to admit, it was definitely nice to have a friend again.

Over the next several days, Shae took to wandering Storybrooke late at night. She always ended up back at Regina's father's mausoleum. She somehow knew that her heart was still there, but what she couldn't figure out was where exactly.

She was standing in front of the mirror hanging on the wall of the right side of the hallway, when she suddenly heard footsteps. She turned around, expecting to find Regina, but was surprised when she saw Ruby descending the steps.

"Hey! What are you doing down here?" Shae asked her.

"Looking for you." Ruby replied with a smile. "I went to Regina's house but she said I'd probably find you here."

Shae's brow furrowed. "She knows I'm here?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess."

"Hmm, well, I guess it doesn't matter." Shae said with a shrug. "She probably knows that I can't get in."

"Get in where?" Ruby asked, coming to stand next to Shae.

"I'm not really sure." Shae replied. "There's something behind this mirror though, like, a room or something. And I'm pretty sure my hearts in there. But I can't figure out how to get in."

"Did you try breaking it?" Offered Ruby.

Shae nodded gravely. "She's got it magically protected. Probably some sort of blood seal, so only she can get in."

"Oh, I'm really sorry." Ruby said with a frown.

Shae shrugged again, giving her a small smile. "Eh, it's alright." She replied. "So, uh, you said you were looking for me. What's up?"

Ruby bit her lip, fiddling with her fingers nervously. "Well, I, um… I need your help."

Shae raised an eyebrow at her. "Help with what?"

"Well, the full moon is coming up soon, and I haven't, you know, changed since I've been in Storybrooke." Ruby explained. "Now that magic is back, I'm guessing I probably probably will. And I'm just… Worried. Worried that I'll hurt someone."

"Weren't you able to control the wolf before?"

"Yeah, but, it's been so long, I'm afraid that I won't be able to any more."

Shae narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Ruby, folding her arms across her chest. "Is that why you were so nice to me the other day? Cuz you need my help?"

Ruby looked offended. "What? No! I was nice to you because I'm a nice person, and because I like you."

When Shae silently raised another eyebrow at her, Ruby breathed out a relenting sigh. "Ok, well, maybe needing your help had a little something to do with it. But the other stuff is still true, though!"

Shae sighed. "Alright, fine. What exactly do you need my help with?"

Ruby gave her a shrug. "I dunno, you're a vampire. How to do you fight the blood lust?"

"You don't. You feed it."

Ruby's mouth gaped open in shock. "Are you seriously saying that I should kill someone?"

"No, no, no! Not a person, an animal. There's plenty of deer in the woods around here. You need to hunt."

"Hunt?" Asked Ruby.

Shae nodded. "Yeah. Werewolves in my homeland hunted pretty frequently to tame the beast, vampires too. At least, the ones who didn't feed on humans, anyway."

"Did you used to feed on humans?"

Shae bit her lip, staring down at the ground. "Yeah, I did. The man who turned me, he was a Count, and he kept a supply of humans for us to feed on in the dungeons of his castle. After I left, though, I started feeding on animals. And in order to purge myself of human blood, I had to hunt almost every day for a while. Which might be what you have to do to keep your wolf at bay."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Ruby asked exasperatedly. "I only change during the full moon, and I might not be able to control myself."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Shae replied with a knowing grin.

"What?"

"Look, I think I can help you." Shae went on. "Meet me at the toll bridge tomorrow night, eight o'clock."

"What are we going to do?" Ruby asked as Shae walked toward the stairs.

Shae stopped, turning back to Ruby with another knowing and devious grin. "We're going hunting!"

XX

The next night, Shae was waiting at the toll bridge, leaning against the railing, a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. Her supersonic hearing picked up Ruby's footsteps before she saw her.

"Hey, you actually came!" Shae said as Ruby joined her on the bridge.

"What, did you think I wouldn't?" Ruby asked with a smile.

"I just didn't think Granny would let you come out with me again, since you went home drunk last time." Shae replied with a grin.

"Well, I didn't exactly tell her that I was meeting up with you." Admitted Ruby.

Shae gasped, slapping her hands on her cheeks in mock shock. "Lying to your grandmother? You bad, bad girl."

Ruby grinned, stepping up close to Shae and poking her in the chest. "Oh, you have no idea."

Shae grinned back as Ruby leaned against the railing next to her, taking her cigarette out of her hand and taking a drag. "So, what are we doing out here anyway?" She asked.

"Right, follow me!" Shae said, setting off toward the woods.

"Where are we going?" Ruby asked as she hurried after the vampire.

"Into the woods!"

XX

Ruby followed Shae as she led them deeper and deeper into forest bordering Storybrooke, Shae singing raucously as they walked.

"Into the woods!

It's time to go,

It may be all in vain, I know.

Into the woods!

But even so,

I have to take the journey!"

Ruby laughed, shaking her head slowly. "Did you write that yourself?" She asked.

"What? No! It's from Into The Woods. The musical?" Shae said, and when Ruby simply shrugged, she let out a frustrated huff. "Jesus Christ! Did you guys not get any culture from this world in the last twenty eight years?"

"Well, it's not like any of us could actually leave Storybrooke to go to the theater." Ruby replied defensively.

"Alright, I guess I'll give you that one." Shae said. She stopped walking, glancing around her and nodding in a satisfied way. "Right, I think this is far enough."

"Far enough from what?"

"The town, people. I told you, we're going hunting."

"I can't, remember? I can only turn when it's a full moon." Ruby said, crossing her arms impatiently.

"See, I don't think that's true." Shae replied. "All the werewolves I've met had the change forced on them during the full moon, but otherwise they could change at will."

"Well, the werewolves you met were from your world, right?" Ruby asked, continuing when Shae nodded. "So, werewolves from The Enchanted Forest are different. We can't change at will."

"No, I don't think so." Shae insisted. "All werewolves and vampires, no matter what world they're from, came from the same two men, centuries and centuries ago when they were first created."

"You're serious?" Ruby asked, looking shocked.

"You've never heard the story?" Shae asked.

When Ruby shook her head, Shae sat down on a nearby log, gesturing for Ruby to sit next to her. When Ruby was seated comfortably, she went on.

"Well, nobody actually knows what world these two men came from, but from what I heard it was pretty similar to one like The Enchanted Forest." Shae explained. "It was a world full of all kinds of magic, and the people who didn't have any magical abilities were always seeking ways to get them. The first werewolf and vampire were two such people, two brothers, Abraham and Alucard Van Helsing, though you probably know Alucard as his more popular name, Dracula. Which is actually just Alucard spelled backwards."

"Hang on… You're saying that Dracula and Van Helsing… They actually existed?" Ruby asked, mouth gaping open in shock.

"Yeah, I've met them both." Shae replied. "They weren't originally from my world, but they stayed there for a long time. Dracula was the one that turned me."

"You're joking."

"Oh, come on, we came from a world of literal fairy tales." Shae said. "But you don't believe that Dracula is real?"

Ruby thought silently for a moment, then gave a shrug. "Yeah, alright, I guess that's fair."

"Exactly! So, anyway." Shae went on. "Alucard and Abraham hunted down and captured a dark sorceress, or, a witch, or… Whatever you want to call her. They demanded that she give them powers, or else they'd kill her. They both wanted eternal life, and Abraham, he wanted to be the greatest hunter that there ever was. So, the witch gave them exactly what they wanted, with a little twist. Alucard was made one of the undead, cursed to drink the blood of others to sustain his immortality. And Abraham was made half man, half wolf, cursed to turn into a beast any time there was a full moon, ripping apart anyone he came in contact with, friend or foe."

"I thought Van Helsing, or, Abraham, was a monster hunter." Ruby cut in. "Why would he do that if he was a werewolf himself? Or is that not true?"

"Oh, no, it's true." Shae replied. "See, Alucard, he had no problem taking to his newfound power. He even began to enjoy draining the life out of humans, after a time. But Abraham, he hated what the witch had made him. So he swore to only use his beastly power to hunt down monsters like himself, and his brother, and anyone or anything else that had magic. He hated magic after that, said it was evil, impure. He even started a war over it, his brother fighting on the other side. Their armies were marching off to battle when I left my world."

"So, how come Abraham was immortal but we aren't?" Ruby asked. "Granny used to be a werewolf too, but she lost her power, and got old."

"Ah, well, I'm guessing it has to do with the fact that your wolf blood, and Granny's, was passed on, not given to you through magic." Shae explained. "It's different for me too. See, Dracula can't be killed with silver to the heart, or fire. But I can, and so could all the other vampires that Dracula made. I think our power got… Diluted."

"Oh, well, I guess that makes sense." Ruby replied with a shrug. "So what happened to Abraham and Alucard? Who won the war?"

"I'm not sure." Shae said, also shrugging. "Van Helsing ended up following me to The Enchanted Forest, and Dracula, well, I don't know. Nobody has ever found a way to actually kill him, so I'm sure he's still kicking around somewhere."

"Wait, Van Helsing was in The Enchanted Forest?" Ruby asked, looking panicked. "Do you think he's here in Storybrooke somewhere?"

Shae laughed, shaking her head slowly. "No, he's dead now."

"Really? What happened to him?"

"I killed him." Shae replied simply. "Well, technically Regina delivered the final blow, but I did most of the work."

"Regina killed Van Helsing?" Ruby asked, her mouth gaping open again.

"Yes, technically, she did. But that's an incredibly long story, and we've got work to do."

Shae sprang to her feet, holding out her hand to Ruby. Ruby narrowed her eyes at the vampire for a moment, but eventually relented. She took Shae's hand, and Shae pulled her to her feet.

"Right, so, I'm positive that you can change into a wolf any time you want, you just don't know how." Shae went on.

"And I'm guessing you're going to try and show me." Ruby replied, crossing her arms.

"Exactly!" Shae agreed. "Now, the werewolves I've met told me that, right before they change, they feel a sort of heat… Or a pressure, right about…"

Shae stepped up close to Ruby, placing her finger right in the center of her torso. "Here." She finished.

Ruby stared up into the vampire's blood red eyes, breathing in her scent. She smelled like freshly fallen leaves in the forest, and just a hint of lavender.

"Actually, it's more like…" Ruby began, taking Shae's hand and sliding it up slightly, so that the tips of the vampires fingers brushed against her breasts. "Here."

Ruby grinned, biting her lip in a coy and tantalizing way. Shae stared down at her for a long moment, but then drew back a step, clearing her throat awkwardly.

"Right, ok, good, t-that's good." She stammered. "So, um, what you need to do is focus on that spot, and that heat, that pressure. And think of something that makes you angry."

"Angry?" Ruby asked, looking confused.

"Yeah, magic in any form is all based on emotion." Shae explained with a nod. "From what I learned about werewolves, they're all about rage. I heard that they could trigger a transformation if they got too angry."

"Ok, so, focus on the spot and get mad. Got it." Ruby summarized with a nod.

"Pretty much, yeah." Shae replied. "So, what makes you angry?"

Ruby thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I dunno, Granny pisses me off a lot."

Shae shook her head. "No, you gotta dig deeper than that."

Ruby nodded, thinking silently again. "I'm pretty pissed at Regina for cursing us and taking us from our homes."

Shae shook her head again. "No, 'pretty pissed' won't cut it. You need something that really, really enrages you. It's probably something that you don't ever want to think about, because just thinking about it for a second hurts too much, makes you crazy."

Ruby stared down at the ground, fists clenched. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling tears starting to well up in her eyes. Then, she felt it. The pain, the heat, bubbling deep in her chest.

"Oh, I-I feel it!" She gasped.

"Good! Don't lose it, keep going." Shae said excitedly. "Tell me about it. What happened?"

Ruby gritted her teeth, trying to stop the tears from coming. "There was this guy, back home, Peter… He… He was the love of my life."

"And? What happened to him?"

"Snow and I, w-we thought HE was the wolf. So, one night, during the full moon, I snuck out to meet him." Ruby said, her voice shaking with emotion. "I-I chained him to a tree, so he wouldn't hurt anyone when he changed. But, he wasn't the one that changed…"

"You were." Shae finished for her.

Ruby nodded, tears leaking out of her eyes now. She doubled over in pain, the heat deep in her chest getting worse.

"What happened to him, Ruby? What did you do?" Shae prodded.

Ruby shook her head, her face streaming with tears. "It wasn't my fault…" She sobbed.

"What wasn't your fault? What happened? Say it!" Shae shouted at her.

"The wolf… The wolf ripped him apart!" Cried Ruby.

"No!" Shae shouted back. "It wasn't just the wolf. It was you, Ruby! You did it!"

"No! It wasn't… I didn't…"

"Yes you did! It's your fault!"

"FINE!" Ruby screamed. "I KILLED HIM!"

Ruby cried out in pain, falling to her knees as the heat spread all throughout her body. "That's it, Ruby! Don't fight it!" Shae told her, crouching down in front of her. "You gotta let go! Give in to the beast, Ruby. Just give in!"

Shae leapt back as Ruby screamed with pain. She watched in wonder as Ruby's body began to twist and change. Her hands and feet curled in, forming into paws, black and brown fur sprouting all over her body. Her face morphed into a pointed snout, her scream turning into a howl.

Finally, the wolf stood before her. Shae smiled, clapping her hands together excitedly. "You did it, Ruby! You actually did it!"

The wolf that was now Ruby turned her black eyes onto Shae. She then threw her head back, letting out another long, triumphant howl. Shae laughed, clapping her hands again.

"Awesome! Ok, now we gotta find something for you to hunt." She said excitedly. "I saw a whole family of deer around here just the other day, they're probably still-"

Shae stopped as Ruby suddenly turned her back, pawing slowly forward, sniffing the air intently. "Ruby? Ruby, can you hear me?" Shae called out.

The vampire felt a breeze roll by, saw it ruffle the wolf's fur. Ruby suddenly dropped her head low, letting out a fierce growl.

"Uh oh."

Ruby took off like a shot into the woods, heading straight for town. Shae sprinted after her, using her power of superhuman speed to try and catch the wolf. Ruby was fast, much faster than Shae thought she'd be.

Shae finally caught up to Ruby, reaching out a hand toward her tail. Ruby snarled viciously as Shae clamped her hand around it, and howled as Shae sent her sailing through the air, back toward where she had come from.

Shae was a black blur of movement as she ran to the spot where Ruby had landed. She stopped as the wolf staggered to her feet, growling viciously.

"Ruby? Come on, I know you're in there!" Shae said desperately.

Ruby only continued to growl at Shae, the hair on her haunches standing straight up. Shae cried out in shock as the wolf suddenly lunged at her. She fell back onto the ground, grabbing Ruby's nose and jaw just before she was able to clamp her teeth around her throat.

They struggled for a moment, Shae attempting to push Ruby's jaws away from her face. The wolf raked Shae's chest with her claws, and the vampire screamed and howled in pain. She finally managed to shove Ruby backward, scrambling to her feet, holding her aching chest.

"Ruby! You've got to take control! You can do it!" Shae shouted at the wolf.

Another breeze blew by, and Ruby's head snapped up, her nose catching the scent as it rolled in. Shae could smell it to. Someone was nearby.

Ruby took off again, and Shae gave chase, but chose a different tactic this time. She ran full tilt around to Ruby's side, flanking her from the right. She then rushed forward and lept through the air, tackling the wolf to the ground.

The vampire and the wolf were a tangle of fur and limbs as they rolled around on the forest floor, Shae grunting and Ruby snarling. Shae finally managed to gain the upper hand, wrapping one arm around the wolf's neck, the other around her torso.

"Sorry about this, Ruby." Shae muttered.

She squeezed her arm tight around the wolf's windpipe, holding it there as Ruby's struggling and flailing grew weaker and weaker. Finally, Ruby went completely limp, and Shae collapsed back onto the ground. As soon as she was unconscious, Ruby shifted back into a human, lying sprawled out on top of Shae.

Shae groaned, sitting forward and shoving Ruby off of her. Ruby's limp body rolled off of Shae, lying face down in the grass and dirt. Shae glanced down, examining her torn shirt and the deep claw marks in her pale, gray flesh underneath.

"Well, I guess that could have gone worse." Shae breathed.

She rolled Ruby over, kneeling down next to her. "Ruby? Hey, Ruby! Wake up!" She said, gently patting Ruby's cheeks.

Ruby let out a groan, her eyes fluttering open. She sat up slowly, staring dazedly all around her. When she finally noticed Shae kneeling beside her, she gasped.

"W-What happened?" She asked.

"Um, well-" Shae started to say.

"Oh my god!" Ruby exclaimed, pointing at Shae's gouged chest. "D-Did I do that?"

"Uh, well, yeah, kinda." Shae stammered.

"Oh my god!" Ruby said again. "Shae, I'm so sorry, are you ok?"

"I'll be fine, I promise." Shae said reassuringly. "It's ok, it was only your first time. We'll just try again tomorrow."

"No! No, absolutely not!" Ruby replied furiously, getting a bit unsteadily to her feet. "Shae, I could have killed you!"

"Yeah, I knew that from the start." Shae said. "And you didn't kill me. That's the important thing."

"Well, it looks like I almost did!"

"Almost only counts in horse grenades!"

Ruby stopped short, fixing Shae with a confused stare. "What?"

"Wait, wait, I said that wrong." Shae muttered, then waved her hands dismissively. "Never mind, forget it! Look, I'm not going to let you give up after just one try. You asked for my help, and you've got it, sister."

"Why are you being so stubborn about this?" Ruby asked furiously.

"Because I want to help someone for once!" Shae shouted back.

Ruby's furious gaze softened as they stood in silence for a moment, Shae staring at the ground, chewing on her lip ring anxiously.

"Look, I've spent most of my life doing a lot of bad shit, and hurting people." Shae went on in a quiet voice. "When you asked for my help, I just… I don't know… I just thought it would be nice if I could use what I am to actually help someone for a change."

Shae glanced back down at the ground, kicking a tree root lightly. Ruby breathed out a heavy and relenting sigh. "Fine, we'll try again tomorrow." She said.

"What? Really?" Shae asked, her face lighting up with excitement.

"Sure." Ruby replied with a smile. "But if it all goes wrong again, that's it. Ok?"

Shae nodded vigorously, and Ruby stepped up to her, lightly touching the torn fabric of her shirt. "I guess I owe you a new shirt."

Shae shrugged. "Eh, don't worry about it. It was an old one anyway."

Ruby brushed her fingers across Shae's bare skin underneath one of the tears, her brow furrowing. "You're… Cold." She whispered.

"Well, I am technically a corpse." Shae replied with a light laugh.

Ruby smiled, continuing to run her fingers across Shae's chest. She stopped, glancing up at her, her eyes full of yearning. She snaked her arms gently around Shae's neck, breathing in her scent again. Shae placed her hands on Ruby's hips, the heat and the tension between them drawing to a peak as Ruby leaned in closer, her eyes fluttering closed.

"Ruby." Shae whispered, her lips brushing against Ruby's. "Ruby, stop."

Shae pulled back, removing Ruby's arms from around her neck. "We really shouldn't."

Ruby gripped the front of Shae's jacket, biting her lip and staring up into her blood red eyes. "Why not?" She asked her. "I know you want to, I can tell."

Ruby grabbed Shae's hands, placing them back on her hips. She smiled, wrapping her arms around Shae's neck once again. Shae turned her face away, pushing Ruby gently away from her. Ruby's brow furrowed at the sudden sadness on Shae's face.

"I-I just… It's just a bad idea, trust me." She said, running a hand through her hair. "I uh… I gotta go."

Shae turned around, shoving her hands in her pockets as she walked briskly away. Ruby watched her go, her heart racing, her face flushed with heat. The wolf always brought out this side of her, the side that ached with unyielding desire. She had always been able to suppress it, but she couldn't this time, not around Shae. She only hoped that she hadn't completely scared the vampire away.

XX

The next night, Ruby was relieved to see Shae leaning against the railing of the toll bridge, cigarette in her mouth, just like the night before. Shae seemed to be unaffected by the tense moment they had shared, which Ruby was grateful for. They both silently decided not talking about it was best.

Unfortunately, that night went just about as well as the previous one. Shae came out unscathed, but she still had to chase Ruby down before she attacked anyone in town. Shae insisted that they keep trying, coaching her on how to maintain control over the wolf. Ruby refused at first, but after much begging and persuading, she agreed to try again.

They tried again and again, every night for a week straight, and Ruby began to notice that she was able to keep control for longer and longer each time. Finally, on their seventh night in a row, Ruby had been running through the woods for almost four hours, Shae always a few careful steps behind her.

"Excellent!" Shae exclaimed as they stopped for a break. "Now, there's two does and a buck about a mile north. Can you smell them?"

The wolf sniffed the air carefully, then turned her gaze back on Shae, nodding her brown, furry head. She took off in the direction of the scent, Shae following after her. She leapt through the air, her jaws closing around the buck's neck as she landed. She tore into the soft flesh, tasting the warm, delicious meat in her mouth.

When she was fully satisfied, she rubbed her bloody muzzle on the grass, shook out her fur, and turned around to find Shae bent over a doe, her fangs deep in its neck. Ruby sat back on her haunches, waiting patiently as Shae drank. When she was finally done, she stood up, clenching her fists as her body jerked, her veins pulsing a deep red, her eyes glowing. She smiled at Ruby, retracting her fangs back into her gums, her eyes fading back to their normal blood red.

"Awesome! Ruby, you did it!" Shae exclaimed excitedly.

Ruby threw her head back, howling long and loud. Shae laughed, clapping enthusiastically. "So, what do you want to do now?" She asked the wolf.

The wolf turned her black eyes back onto Shae for a moment, then took off running again. Shae laughed again, keeping pace alongside her. Ruby's paws pounded the dirt as she ran, her heart racing with exhilaration. She loved to run as a wolf. She felt alive, at peace, and… Free.

Ruby slowed to a stop in a small clearing, morphing back into her human body. She turned to Shae, smiling gleefully. "I did it!" She exclaimed.

"Fuck yeah, you did!" Shae heartily agreed.

Ruby ran over to Shae, throwing her arms around her. She laughed as Shae lifted her into the air, spinning her around and around in circles. Shae set her down, and Ruby beamed up at her.

"Thank you, I couldn't have done this without you." Ruby said, still smiling.

"Eh, you would have been ok." Shae replied with a modest shrug.

"No, you really helped me, alot. Thank you." Ruby said again.

Shae smiled, giving her a small nod. "You're very welcome."

Ruby smiled back, stepping up her and lightly adjusting her leather jacket. "I'm, uh… I'm really glad you're here, Shae."

"Me too." Shae replied, still smiling warmly at her.

Ruby left her hand on Shae's chest, biting her lip as she once again felt the intense, unrelenting ache of desire. She didn't wait this time, didn't hesitate. She grabbed Shae by the front of her jacket, pulled her close, and kissed her full on the lips.

To Ruby's surprise, Shae didn't push her away this time. She wrapped her arms tightly around her, brushing her tongue against Ruby's as their lips parted. Ruby snaked her arms around her neck again, entangling her fingers in Shae's jet black hair.

Their embrace deepened as their lips parted again, vigorously exploring each other's mouths with their tongues. Ruby was delighted to find out that Shae burned with the same desire that she did. She bit down on Shae's lower lip, grabbing the vampire's hands and sliding them up to her breasts. Ruby moaned as Shae squeezed them roughly, brushing her thumbs over her hard and swollen nipples.

"Fuck me, Shae. I want you you fuck me." Ruby whispered breathlessly against Shae's lips. "I want you to take me right now, right here."

Shae removed her hands from Ruby's breasts, stepping away from her. "Ruby, wait, no… We… We really shouldn't." She stammered.

Ruby rushed forward, grabbing on to Shae's jacket again and kissing her fiercely. "Please, Shae. Please! Please…" She begged. "I want you so bad…"

Shae pushed her back, squeezing her eyes shut and shaking her head. "No, I just… I… I-I can't…" She stammered again.

Shae stopped her sputtering, staring silently at Ruby, her eyes full of longing. "Oh, fuck it." She breathed.

She pulled Ruby against her body, and Ruby hummed happily against her lips as they kissed again. "I want you too." Shae whispered as she roughly sucked on the skin of Ruby's neck.

"Then take me, take me now!" Ruby whispered urgently.

Shae moved back to Ruby's lips and, without breaking their embrace, they both kicked off their shoes, tossing their jackets roughly to the side. Ruby slipped her hands under Shae's shirt, momentarily breaking away to pull it off over her head.

"Woah… What?" Ruby breathed in shock at the sight of Shae's mangled chest. "D-Did I-"

"No, no, different werewolf." Shae replied hurriedly. "Really long story, kinda don't want to talk about it right now."

"Right, yeah, ok." Ruby replied with a nod.

Shae pulled her in again, and their lips crashed together once again. Shae immediately started on Ruby's jeans, unzipping them and pulling them down, her black, lacy underwear going down with them. Ruby stepped out of her pants, kicking them roughly to the side, and let out a moan as Shae slipped a finger between her legs, gently stroking her from end to end.

"Damn, you're already so wet…" Shae whispered in amazement.

"I told you I wanted you." Ruby whispered back with a sultry grin.

"Well, I guess I'd better clean you up."

Shae grabbed Ruby by her hips and pushed her up against the tree behind her. She didn't even bother removing Ruby's shirt and bra. She immediately got on her knees, spread Ruby's legs wide, and placed one of them over her shoulder, locking her in place.

"Oh, fuck! Yes!" Ruby moaned loudly as Shae placed a deep, gentle kiss into her center.

Shae used her thumbs to spread Ruby's lower lips even wider, softly teasing her clit with the tip of her tongue. Ruby writhed and squirmed, tugging on a fistful of Shae's hair.

"Please! Oh, Shae, please. Please!" Ruby begged her once again.

Shae grinned, wrapping one arm around Ruby's thigh slung over her shoulder, and used her other hand to slip two fingers deep inside her.

"Oh god! Fuck! Yes!" Ruby moaned as Shae slowly pumped her fingers, using her tongue to massage her already glistening clit.

Shae sincerely hoped that no one was in the forest nearby at the moment, for Ruby was extremely loud, screaming louder and louder as Shae thrust harder and deeper inside her. Shae could tell that the young woman was about to cum, and she stopped, slipping her fingers out from inside her, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"What? No! I was just about to cum!" Ruby whined, biting her lip in a way that Shae found completely irresistible.

Shae leaned forward, pressing a feather light kiss on her lips. "Oh, I know." She whispered, grinning devilishly.

Shae pulled Ruby's shirt off, kissing her again as she began working on the clasp of her bra. "Mmm, you're so cruel." Ruby purred, biting in to Shae's shoulder as the vampire kissed her neck.

"I never said I wasn't." Shae replied, grinning again as Ruby's bra slipped to the ground.

She was now completely naked, and Shae stepped back to observe. "God, you're breathtaking." She whispered in wonder.

Ruby smiled, stepping forward, working on the button and zipper of Shae's pants. Once they were unzipped, Ruby slid her hand down them, and Shae gasped as she slipped a finger between her legs.

"Mmm, you're wet too." Ruby whispered, pressing gentle kisses up and down Shae's neck.

"I told you I wanted you too." Shae replied, tilting her head back with a soft moan as Ruby ran her finger along her clit.

Ruby pressed a gentle kiss on the base of Shae's throat, pulling her hand out from her pants as Shae brought her head back down.

"Then take me." Ruby said, wrapping her arms around Shae's neck. "All the way, this time."

Shae grinned, pulling off her pants and her plaid boxers, kicking them away. She lifted Ruby into the air by her hips, and Ruby wrapped her legs tightly around Shae's waist. Shae carefully knelt down on the ground as they kissed, breaking away to lay Ruby gently down onto the grass.

"Mmm, oh, yeah!" Ruby moaned as Shae immediately put her tongue to work again, licking her womanhood from end to end.

As Ruby's breathing became more and more labored, Shae slipped three fingers inside her this time, causing Ruby to gasp and dig her nails into Shae's shoulders. Ruby threw her arms back on either side of her head, basking in the sensations that Shae's fingers and tongue were giving her.

Shae began to pump her fingers harder and deeper inside her, furiously licking her clit at the same time. She had Ruby screaming again, her cries of pleasure echoing off the trees.

"Oh god! I'm gonna cum! Please, don't stop! DON'T STOP!" Ruby screamed as she reached her climax.

Shae didn't stop this time, and felt the muscles of Ruby's womanhood clench hard around her fingers, soaking her hand in her warm, sweet juices. Shae removed her fingers, wiping them on the grass as she began licking Ruby from end to end again. Ruby moaned softly, running her hand gently through Shae's hair as she continued to shiver with pleasure.

Ruby wrapped herself around Shae as the vampire surfaced, placing gentle kisses on her neck and gently nibbling on her earlobe.

"Oh my god…" Ruby whispered through labored breaths. "I don't I've ever came so hard in my entire life."

Shae pulled away from her neck and kissed her lips. "Did you know that a woman can cum an indefinite number of times?" She asked with a grin.

"Mmm, is that so?" Ruby purred as Shae took one of her nipples into her mouth, massaging the other with her fingers.

Shae released Ruby's nipple from her mouth with a satisfying pop, leaning forward and kissing her neck again. "Absolutely. You can make her cum all night long, if you know what you're doing."

Ruby drew in a sharp breath through her teeth, digging her nails into Shae's back as she sucked vigorously on the tender skin of her neck. "And you definitely know what you're doing…"

Shae pulled back, grinning down at her. "Oh, I sure do."

"Well, it just so happens, so do I." Ruby replied with a grin of her own.

Shae gasped as Ruby wrapped a leg around her waist, and flipped them both over. Ruby laced her fingers in with Shae's, pinning them roughly to the ground over her head. Shae grinned, gasping again as Ruby sank her teeth deep into the skin of her shoulder.

"You sure you know what you're doing down there?" Shae asked as Ruby slid back, brushing her luscious brown hair out of her face.

Ruby simply grinned deviously at her in reply. Shae gasped, breathing out a low moan as Ruby plunged her face between her legs.

"Oh, fuck, you're pretty good at that." Shae said as Ruby began to lick her slowly. "Have you been with a woman before?"

Ruby raised her head, giving Shae a wink. "Don't tell Granny."

Shae laughed, letting out another moan as Ruby's tongue went back to work. She then propped herself up on her elbows, eyeing Ruby curiously. "Was it anyone I know?"

Ruby surface again, rolling her eyes at the vampire. "What does it matter? Stop talking!"

Ruby grabbed Shae by her throat and shoved her back down to the ground. Shae laughed. She was really enjoying Ruby's dominant and aggressive side.

Shae's moans of pleasure grew louder and louder as Ruby worked her clit with her tongue. Ruby slid two fingers inside her, thrusting and licking in unison. This time, it was Shae's screams of pleasure that echoed through the forest.

"Oh, fuck, Ruby! OH GOD!" Shae screamed as she came, her back arching high into the air.

Ruby surfaced as Shae slumped back into the grass, pressing gentle kisses on her chest. She frowned as she ran her hands up and down Shae's mangled torso.

"I really wish you had nipples." Ruby said, pouting her now smeared red lips.

Shae sat forward, snaking her arms up Ruby's back. "Sorry, I lost those a long time ago."

Ruby smiled, gently running her fingers through Shae's hair and kissing her tenderly. Shae let out a contented sigh, gently tracing her fingers up and down Ruby's back.

"You really meant it when you said you knew what you were doing." Shae whispered with a smile.

"Mmhmm… And you really meant it when you said a woman can cum an indefinite number of times, right?" Ruby asked with a grin.

When Shae nodded, Ruby's grin got wider. "Good. Then let's make each other cum all night."

Shae grinned back. "Sounds good to me."

XX

The morning sun krept through the trees, sending beams of pale golden light down onto the two women in the clearing, still totally and completely wrapped up in each other. They were on their knees in front of each other, kissing furiously, each with two fingers inside each other, massaging each other's clits with their palms.

They moaned into each other's mouths as they pumped their fingers vigorously. They matched each other beat for beat, stroke for stroke. Their moans got louder and louder, and both their heads snapped back as they came in unison.

Shae collapsed backward into the grass, and Ruby collapsed on top of her, resting her head on the vampire's cold chest, her breathing labored. They lay there in silence for a while, both completely and totally spent. Ruby's breaths began to even out, and she traced her fingers along the indent in Shae's chest.

"What's it like?" Ruby asked, tilting her head up to look at Shae. "Not having a heart."

Shae thought silently for a moment, then sighed. "You know how some people see the world through rose colored glasses?" When Ruby nodded, she went on. "Well, I see the world through gray colored glasses."

Ruby's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Well, uh, I dunno, everything is just sort of… Blah, you know?" Shae replied, running her fingers up and down Ruby's smooth, bare back. "I don't really feel anything. Sometimes I can, sort of, but I think it's only because I remember what things are supposed to feel like. I can laugh at a funny joke, but nothing makes me laugh so hard I cry anymore. I actually haven't even cried at all in twenty eight years. I still get sad sometimes, but I never cry. I get angry a lot, though. That's one emotion that's stuck around."

Ruby propped herself up on her elbow, staring down at Shae, her eyes full of sadness. "I'm so sorry, that sounds awful." She said quietly.

Shae shrugged. "Eh, after twenty eight years I've gotten used to it. Honestly, Ruby, I'm kinda scared to get my heart back. I don't even know what it's going to feel like to… Feel again."

"But you are positive Regina will give it back, right?" Ruby asked, still skeptical about Regina's deal with the vampire.

"Oh, yeah, she will." Shae replied with a nod. "Regina may be manipulative, cruel, malicious… But she's always kept her word. If she says she'll give it back, she will. When is the real problem."

"What do you mean, when?"

"My heart is the only thing that Regina holds over me, the only leverage she has. She's not about to give that up any time soon." Shae replied glumly. "I might end up waiting another twenty eight years. That's why I've been trying to find it myself. But her goddamn magic is hiding it."

Shae then smiled excitedly. "See? Anger. I can still feel anger."

Ruby laughed, gently running her fingers up and down Shae's mutilated chest. "Well, I know there's at least one other thing you can feel."

Shae grinned against Ruby's lips as she kissed her, rolling onto her side and wrapping her arms around her. Suddenly, there was a beeping noise from somewhere nearby, and Ruby broke away.

"Uh oh, that's my phone." She said.

She got to her feet, searching the ground for her pants. When she finally found them, she pulled out her cell phone.

"Holy shit!" She cried. "Is it really seven-thirty?"

Shae shrugged, causing Ruby to panic even more. "Shit, shit! Granny's gonna kill me."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were a high school tween with a curfew." Quipped Shae.

Ruby glared at the vampire. "Will you just shut up and help me find my bra?"

Shae laughed, getting to her feet and helping Ruby gather up all her clothes. She found her own as well, and they both hastily got dressed. Once she was fully clothed, Ruby cupped Shae's face in her hands, kissing her gently.

"Ok, well, uh… Bye!" She stammered, patting Shae's chest.

"Bye." Shae muttered, watching as Ruby hurried away from her toward town.

Shae chewed on her lip ring nervously as she started her walk back to Regina's house. She hoped Ruby wasn't going to tell anyone about what they did. She wasn't ashamed in the slightest, but Ruby was a nice girl, and she was already treated differently due to being a werewolf. Shae knew that it would only get worse if the people of Storybrooke found out that she slept with Regina's vampire lackey. She drummed her fingers against her leg nervously. If there was one person besides Granny that could absolutely not find out, it was Regina herself.

XX

Shae stepped through the front door of Regina's house, whistling an upbeat tune. She gave a casual salute to Regina, who was sitting in the living room. She continued whistling as she walked into the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing up an apple.

When she turned back around, the apple slipped from her hand. "GAH! Jesus fucking Christ, woman!" She shouted at Regina, who was suddenly directly behind her.

"And why exactly are you in such a good mood this morning, hm?" Regina asked her, smirking in a way that Shae did not like one bit.

"Can't I just be in a good mood?" Shae asked nonchalantly, stepping around Regina.

Regin grabbed her arm. "Hold on, dear, you have something on your face."

When Shae turned back toward her, Regina reached out, gently brushing her thumb against the corner of her mouth. When she pulled her hand back, Shae's eyes grew wide. On Regina's thumb, was a small smear of bright red lipstick.

"My, my… What a delightful shade of… Red."

The way Regina spoke the last word sent a shiver up Shae's spine. She straightened herself up, smoothing out her face. "Why, thank you. Red's always been my color."

She gave Regina what she hoped was an indifferent look, then turned around again. She only made it a few steps before Regina spoke again, causing her to freeze rigidly in her spot.

"Careful, dear, you don't want Granny finding out that you're fucking her precious granddaughter."

Shae turned around slowly, glaring furiously at Regina. "Oh, don't look so surprised. You know I have eyes all over this town." Regina said, maliciously.

"If you tell anyone, I swear to god I'll-" Shae snarled as she stomped furiously up to Regina.

"You'll do what? Kill me? Don't make me laugh."

"Oh, I just might."

"No, I don't think so." Regina sneered. "Because after all this time, after everything we both have done, you still don't have it in you to kill me."

Shae clenched her fists, silently glowering at the former Queen. "Besides." Regina went on. "I still have your heart, and I know you know where it is. Which means, I also know you know, that if you kill me, you'll never get to it."

Regina stepped up close to Shae, placing her hands gently on her chest. "And now, with this new little morsel of information I know about you, I know that… You. Need. Me."

Regina tapped her finger on the tip of Shae's nose at every word, and Shae smacked her hand away, seething silently at the irony.

"Or rather, you need me to keep my mouth shut." Regina went on. "I'm sure a whispered word in the right ear would eventually makes its way back to Granny, and she'd rally the whole town against you for defiling her precious Ruby."

"I didn't defile anyone." Shae snarled through gritted teeth.

"No? That's not the story I heard, or rather, that's not the story Granny will hear." Regina replied, sporting another wicked grin. "After that, well, not even your friend Snow White and her family of fools would be on your side."

"Alright, fine, I need you to keep your mouth shut." Shae admitted. "So what exactly do you want from me? Am I not allowed to leave the house anymore?"

"Oh no, dear, I'm not amending our deal any further." Regina replied. "Please, feel free to have another romp in the forest with your wolf girl. Just remember what kind of power I have over you now."

"This was a one time thing, it won't happen again." Shae said quietly.

Regina laughed. "Oh, Shae, we both know that's a lie." She replied. "You always go back, remember?"

Shae wrinkled her nose as Regina stepped past her, patting her cheek as she went by. Shae breathed out a nervous sigh, running a shaky hand through her hair. What kind of mess had she made now?

XX

Later that same night, Shae was sitting at the bar of The Rabbit Hole, downing her ninth glass of whiskey, finally starting to feel a bit of a buzz from the alcohol.

"Don't you think you've had enough?" The bartender asked when she called for another.

"I'm a vampire, dude, it takes a lot for us to get drunk, alright?" Shae spat angrily. "Besides, I'm paying you for them, what else do you care?"

The bartender shrugged, pouring Shae another glass. Just then, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She pulled it out, and noticed that she had a text from Ruby.

"911. EMERGENCY. Meet me in the clearing. HURRY."

Shae's eyes widened as she read Ruby's text. She downed her glass of whiskey, slapped some money onto the bar, and quickly stepped out into the night. She didn't waste any time, using her power of superhuman speed to reach the clearing as fast as she could.

When she arrived, she found Ruby alone, the forest quiet. All seemed to be perfectly normal. "Hey! What's going on? What's the emergency?" Shae asked in a panic.

Ruby turned around, her face lighting up when she saw Shae. She ran toward her, leaping into her arms. Shae grabbed onto her thighs as Ruby wrapped her legs around her waist.

"I'm horny." Ruby said simply, shrugging her shoulders.

Shae couldn't help but laugh as Ruby kissed her. "Alright, well, maybe next time don't use '911' and 'emergency' in your booty call text?"

Ruby grinned, brushing her finger softly across Shae's lips. "It got you here pretty quick, though, didn't it?"

Shae sighed as Ruby kissed her again. She held her for a few long moments, enjoying the taste of her lips, the scent of her hair as it tickled her face. She then set her down, a little reluctantly, and took her by the hands.

"Ruby, listen, I… Well…" Shae started to say.

She stopped as she looked at Ruby smiling up at her, biting her lip in the sultry way that Shae couldn't resist. She glanced away from Ruby's lips, trying to keep in mind everything that Regina had said.

"Shae, are you ok?" Ruby asked, placing her hand gently on Shae's cheek. "You look… Weird. Is something wrong?"

Shae closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of Ruby's hand on her cold, pale face. She bit her lip, opening her eyes again and found herself staring into Ruby's own beautiful, brilliant green eyes.

"Oh, fuck it." Shae said once again.

She threw off her jacket, wrapping her arms around Ruby's waist, kissing her urgently. Ruby kissed her back with the same amount of passionate urgency, and they both began to tug at each other's clothes.

The vampire and the werewolf once again lost themselves in each other, making passionate love until the morning light shined down on them through the trees. They would spend each night afterwards the same way for weeks, unable to keep their hands off of each other for longer than a few hours.

Shae knew deep down that they couldn't go on much longer keeping their passionate affair a secret, especially not since Regina knew. But she couldn't help herself. Every night she would tell herself that it was over, that she wouldn't go back, and every night she was drawn out into the woods, where Ruby would be waiting for her.

It had all started innocently enough. All she had wanted to do was help Ruby take control of her powers, to actually use her own beastly nature to help someone.

"Well, you know what they say…" Shae muttered to herself as she sat at the bar of The Rabbit Hole alone one night, drink in hand, thinking about Ruby. "No good deed goes unpunished."

XX


	4. Chapter 4, Lost Love

Chapter 4

The lunchtime rush was in full swing at Granny's diner, the building packed full to bursting with hungry townsfolk. Ruby used a spatula to flip the burger she was cooking for Belle over on the grill, grinding her teeth irritably as she did. Granny was busy chastising her for the large, bright red hickey on her neck that Shae had left her with from the night before.

"I thought you'd stop all this whoring around now that the curse is broken." Granny spat as she furiously scrubbed at a dish in the sink.

"I'm not whoring around!" Ruby cried in reply.

"Then why won't you tell me who you got that thing from, hm?" Granny asked, pointing a soapy finger at Ruby's neck.

"Because, it's none of your damn business!" Shouted Ruby. "I'm a grown woman, Granny, I can do what I want."

"Well, you certainly aren't behaving like one!" Granny shouted back. "Coming home in the middle of the night with a hickey the size of Texas on your neck."

"Will you just drop it already?" Ruby pleaded, grabbing the plate of fries and a bun that she already had ready and slapping the burger onto it.

Ruby's eye began to twitch in irritation as Granny followed her toward the front of the diner. "I'll drop it as soon as you tell me who you've been messing around with!"

"I told you! It's none of your-" Ruby began to say again, but stopped dead when she saw Shae standing in front of the diner's door.

Her and Granny had been too busy arguing to notice that a sudden hush had fallen over the diner. All seven of the dwarves, and several other residents, all rose to their feet, glaring menacingly at the vampire.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Granny snarled. "I told you, you're not welcome here! Get out!"

"Listen, I'm not here to pick a fight, ok?" Shae said in an even tone.

"Hey, I remember you!" Belle suddenly said, getting up from her barstool. "You used to work for The Evil Queen! You're the one that kidnapped me and locked me in that damn tower!"

Shae swallowed hard, her eyes shifting around from one angry Storybrooke resident to another. "Well, you know, technically Regina locked you in the tower. I just kinda… Put you there."

"By her order!" Belle replied heatedly.

"So, have you come to kidnap someone else for The Queen?" Growled Grumpy. "She's working for Regina again, you know."

"Of course you are." Belle said, narrowing her eyes at the vampire.

"Look, I told you, I'm not here to start a fight-" Shae began defensively.

"Then get out!" Granny cut her off furiously, pointing at the door.

"Everyone, just calm down!" Ruby shouted over the din of angry muttering. "How many times do I have to tell you? She's not going to hurt anyone!"

Belle turned to her friend Ruby, her eyes wide with confusion. "Wait a minute, are you friends with her or something?"

"Yeah, actually, I am." Ruby replied with a confidant nod.

"What?" Exclaimed Belle.

"How can you be friends with that monster?" Grumpy snarled.

"Standing right here, dude." Shae said irritably.

"She's not a monster, she's actually a pretty good person." Said Ruby in Shae's defense.

"How can someone who slept with The Evil Queen be a good person?" Snarled Granny.

"She did what?" Belle asked incredulously.

"ENOUGH!"

The diners all gasped in shock as their plates, cups, and silverware all rose into the air. They all turned their heads toward Shae, whose eyes were glowing bright red.

"Now, if everyone would just shut their damn traps for a second, that'd be great." Shae went on in a dangerously calm voice.

There was a loud clattering as the vampire's eyes faded back to normal, the kitchenware all falling back onto the tables. Shae cleared her throat, folding her arms over her chest.

"Much better, thank you." She said, a bit sarcastically. "Now then, I'm looking for Regina. She's been missing since last night."

"Good riddance." Spat Granny. "Why don't you go missing with her?"

"As much as I know you would all love that, it's a little hard when I can't find her." Shae snarled back through gritted teeth. "That's why I'm here. I need help."

"You're an idiot if you think we're going to help you." Grumpy replied with a snort of mocking laughter.

"Not you, numb nuts. I need Ruby." Shae replied, turning her eyes onto the young woman.

"Me?" Ruby asked, eyebrows raised in shock.

Shae nodded. "I tracked her scent to Archie's office, but he hasn't seen her since last night either, and I can't pick up the trail again. Your nose is a lot stronger than mine."

"She's not going anywhere with you!" Belle said angrily, taking a defiant step forward.

Ruby set the plate she was still holding onto the counter. "Belle, it's alright." She told her friend. "She won't hurt me, I promise."

Ruby didn't wait for a response from either Belle or her grandmother. She marched over to the coat rack by the door, grabbed her jacket, and followed Shae out the door.

"Hey, you need to be more careful next time, ok?" Ruby said in a low voice as they hurried down the sidewalk toward Archie's office.

"Careful with what?" Asked Shae.

Ruby turned her head, pointing to the hickey on her neck. Shae's eyes widened with shock. "Oh, wow, that's a big one." She said. "Sorry about that. I get a little carried away sometimes."

Ruby grinned, giving her a playful shove. "I know, and I kinda like it. Just nothing visible to the public next time, alright?"

Shae grinned back, nodding in agreement. They stopped on the sidewalk outside of Archie's office, and Shae pulled a black sock out of her pocket, handing it to Ruby.

"Really? A sock?" Ruby asked.

"What, would you rather I'd used her panties or something?" Shae asked in reply.

Ruby grimaced. "Ugh, no!"

"Well!" Shae said with a shrug.

Ruby rolled her eyes, giving Regina's sock a careful sniff. She then turned on the spot, sniffing the air as her nostrils caught the scent. Shae trailed along next to her as the she-wolf followed Regina's scent, leading them away from the main street.

"So, why was Regina with Archie last night?" Ruby questioned as they walked.

Shae shrugged. "I dunno. I guess even evil queens need counseling sometimes."

"But why didn't she wait for you to get back?" Ruby went on. "You said she never leaves her house without you."

"Archie asked her the same thing." Shae replied. "She said she didn't want me to know that she was… Struggling, I guess. She didn't want to seem weak. Thought I'd use it to my advantage or something."

Ruby stopped suddenly as they came up to the cemetery. "This way." She said, continuing to follow the scent through the iron gates.

Regina's trail led them right to her father's mausoleum. Shae and Ruby entered, pushing the coffin aside and descending the steps into Regina's vault.

"Regina? Regina!" Shae called out.

When they got no response, they made their way deeper into the vault, rounding the corner down another hallway passed the mirror that Shae had often investigated.

"Hold on. This door was never open before." Shae muttered, staring at a wooden door that was standing slightly open.

She pushed it open all the way, and inside they found a small room, with nothing inside but an empty glass coffin.

"This looks kinda like the one she put Snow in when she was under the sleeping curse." Ruby mused. "Who do you think was in here?"

"Daniel." Shae breathed, staring down at the coffin sadly.

"Who's Daniel?"

"The guy Regina was in love with before she became Queen." Shae replied.

"Oh, yeah. Snow was the one who got him killed." Ruby muttered.

"Well, technically Regina's mother killed him. But Snow was the one that told Cora about him, about how they were going to run away together."

"Yeah, Snow told me the story." Ruby said. "But how is Daniel's body here? Did Regina… Save it, or something?"

Shae nodded. "She preserved him with magic. She just… Couldn't let go."

"I guess I can't blame her." Ruby said sadly. "I probably would have done the same thing with Peter if I could have."

Shae nodded sadly, and they both stood in silence for a few moments, brows furrowed as they started down at the glass coffin.

"So where's the body now?" Ruby eventually asked. "I mean… It's not like a dead guy can just get up and walk away."

Shae gasped suddenly, grabbing on to Ruby's arm. "Oh… Oh no…" She muttered, her face full of panic. "We have to get to the hospital, fast!"

Ruby hurried after Shae as the vampire took long strides back toward the stairs, taking them two at a time. "Shae! What's going on?" She asked worriedly.

"Have you heard the story of Frankenstein?" Shae asked her, giving her a quick, sideways glance.

"Uh, yeah, why?"

"Dr. Whale, he's Dr. Frankenstein." Shae replied. "And I think he's finally created his monster."

"What are you talking about?"

"Regina told me one time that she brought Dr. Frankenstein to The Enchanted Forest to try and bring Daniel back. He couldn't do it, but now I think he has."

"You can't be serious." Ruby said. "How can you even be sure it was Daniel anyway?"

"Because, I've seen it before, seen him." Shae answered darkly. "Regina kept him in her castle back home, and I guess she brought him with her. She never really could let go of Daniel, not even when we were together. I guess I get it, though. You never really forget your first real love."

XXXXX

Shae's boot steps echoed down the hallway as she wandered the mostly empty halls of The Evil Queen's castle. It had been three days since she had become Regina's royal protector, and the vampire had spent every sleepless night wandering the palace, familiarizing herself with it's layout. As The Queen's protector, she thought it important to get to know the castle from top to bottom, to find any weak points that a potential assassin could enter from.

She stopped suddenly, listening hard as her sensitive hearing picked a strange sound. She followed the noise, descending slowly down a spiral stone staircase. The sound grew louder, and Shae realized that it was of someone sniffling, crying.

She reached the bottom of the staircase, and continued down a long hallway, stopping just outside of a nearby doorway. Her brow furrowed when she found The Queen inside, standing in front of what looked to be a glass coffin. Shae could see a pair of legs lying in the coffin, Regina's back blocking the rest of the body from view.

The Queen suddenly whirled around when she felt someone watching her. "What are you doing down here?" She demanded, hastily wiping tears from her face.

"Apologies, my Queen, I was exploring the castle when I heard a woman crying." Shae explained, giving her a small bow.

"And you thought you'd just barge in?" Regina replied, glowering at the vampire.

Shae gave a small shrug, spreading her arms wide. "What can I say? I've never been one to ignore a damsel in distress."

She gave The Queen another one of her cheeky smiles, but Her Majesty was obviously not amused. She turned back to the coffin, and Shae cleared her throat awkwardly. Her eyes widened as she stepped up next to Regina. A young man was lying in the coffin, looking as if he were only sleeping.

"Oh… I-Is this-" Shae began to ask.

"Daniel." Regina finished for her, in a tone of immense sadness.

Shae nodded slowly, her normal casual and joking demeanor disappearing. "I see. I was curious to find out what had happened to him, but thought it wasn't my place to ask."

"No, it wasn't." Regina agreed, shooting Shae a quick, furious glance.

Shae fell silent for a moment, staring down at Daniel's body. "Is he-" She started to ask again.

"Dead? Yes. He has been since the day after you came to this world." Regina replied, a stray tear running down her cheek. "I preserved his body with magic. I… I just… I couldn't-"

"Couldn't let go." Shae finished for her, smiling sadly.

Regina nodded, turning her eyes back to the man she loved lying dead in the coffin before her. "You were right, you know, all those years ago." She said in a voice barely above a whisper.

When Shae only gave her a puzzled look, she went on. "You told me love would only bring me pain."

Shae sighed, running a hand slowly through her messy black hair. "Well, I didn't want to be right. I'm very sorry."

Regina gave her a weak smile, took one last look at her deceased lover, then turned away from the coffin. Shae followed her as she left the room and back up the spiral staircase. Regina led them into her study, pouring two glasses of wine and handing one to Shae.

"To Daniel." Shae said, raising her glass.

"To Daniel." Regina echoed as she also raised her glass.

They sat in front of the fire that was crackling in the fireplace, drinking in silence for a few long moments. "Today is the anniversary of his death." Regina said eventually. "I couldn't sleep. I rarely sleep anymore because of Daniel. He haunts my dreams nearly every night."

Shae nodded sadly, staring down into her glass. "I suppose I should be glad that vampires don't sleep." She replied. "I imagine my own dreams would be plagued by… By what I lost."

"Who was she?" Regina asked her.

Shae sighed heavily, taking another large sip of her wine. She then leaned forward in her chair, placing her elbows on her knees. "Nadia." She finally said. "Her name was Nadia."

"Tell me about her."

Shae glanced away from Regina and into the fire, taking another long while to respond. When she did, her voice was soft, free of its normal light and casual ring.

"She was… My world, my everything." She finally said, glancing back at Regina and smiling sadly. "She was so smart, funny, and beautiful to boot. She had this gorgeous brown hair that always smelled like lavender, and these piercing blue eyes. Well, before they turned red like mine, anyway."

"She was a vampire too then?" Asked Regina.

"Well, not at first. Do you remember the man I spoke of when we first met, my friend, Remus?" Shae asked, and went on when Regina nodded. "She was his younger sister. We grew up together, the three of us. Thick as thieves, we were. Nadia and I didn't actually fall in love until after we were turned, though. I'm not exactly sure why. Perhaps it had to due with how vampires feel differently than humans do."

"What do you mean?" Regina questioned, her brow furrowing.

"It's… A bit difficult to explain…" Shae answered slowly. "Along with heightened senses, we vampires also have heightened emotions. We feel more… Intensely, than humans do. We don't just get angry, we rage. We aren't just sad, we're miserable. And when we love… Well, that person becomes… Everything. More often than not, when vampires fall in love, it's for life, no matter how long that may be."

Shae leaned back in her chair, staring into the fire again, her eyes worlds away. "When the three of us were turned, Remus and I struggled with the nature of the creatures we had become." She went on, a wistful smile on her face. "But Nadia, she was the one that kept us from being swallowed by our own misery. She taught us to see what we had become as a gift, not a curse. She always had a knack for finding the tiniest glimmer of hope where most would see only darkness. Any time I've ever fallen on hard times I try to think about what she would say. Probably something like, 'Don't be such a twat!'"

Regina laughed. "Really?"

Shae laughed too, nodding slowly. "Oh, yes, she was quite vulgar at times. She was never afraid to say anything that was on her mind, no matter if it was rude or not. It was one of the things I loved most about her."

Regina breathed out another chuckle, taking another sip of her wine. Her smile then faded, and she cleared her throat lightly. "What… Happened to her?"

Shae's smile faded as well, her lips curling into a dark scowl. "Van Helsing." She snarled.

"I see." Regina replied. "He… Killed her?"

Shae nodded, digging her fingers into the arm of her chair. "After he turned us, Dracula took us to his castle, and we served him there for a long time. He kept a supply of humans in his dungeon for us and the rest of his children to feed on. When they had… Finished serving their purpose, he would send us out to collect more. He had gotten word that there was a large group of weary travellers near the castle, unarmed and defenseless."

Shae's teeth showed through her lips as her snarl worsened. "But it was a trap. Van Helsing and his men were disguised as the travellers, and more were lying in wait nearby. We tried to fight them off, tried to escape, but we were outnumbered."

Regina bit her lip as she saw a single tear roll down the vampire's cheek. "Van Helsing, he turned into his wolf form. I was badly injured, and… Nadia… She was bitten." Shae went on, her voice breaking with emotion. "Remus he… He tried to save her by using an ancient spell. But it failed. There was nothing I could do. She… She died in my arms. I watched as the light left her eyes."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, more tears rolling down her cheeks. They sat in silence for a long while, both staring into the fire with heavy hearts, thinking about their lost loves.

"How long has it been?" Regina asked quietly.

Shae wiped the tears off her face before turning her eyes onto Regina. "I'm not sure anymore." She answered. "Many, many years. Why?"

"I've heard people say that time heals all wounds." Regina replied. "Is it true?"

Shae stared silently at her for a moment, her red eyes still glistening with tears. She then slowly shook her head, and Regina's heart sunk.

"No, it's not." She said sadly. "Time only numbs the pain, makes it a bit easier to handle, but only for a time. I still see her face whenever I close my eyes, still hear her voice in the silence. And sometimes, in the dead of night, when the whole rest of the world is fast asleep, I can hear her laughing. It always sounds so close, as if she's waiting for me just around the corner. But, at the same time, so terribly, terribly far away."

Regina nodded slowly, taking in everything that Shae had said. "Thank you." She said, giving the vampire a small smile.

Shae looked puzzled again. "For what? I doubt that was the answer you wanted."

"Which is precisely why I'm thanking you." Regina said in reply. "I fear due to my… Position, and their general fear of me, people around me often tell me only what they think I want to hear. I appreciate your honesty."

Shae smiled another one of her quirky smiles. "Well, then, I'll make absolutely sure to never tell you anything you want to hear."

They both laughed lightly, sipping more of their wine. Silence fell over them again as the fire continued to crackle and pop.

"Well, it seems we are kindred souls, both on a quest for revenge against the ones who stole our happiness away." Regina eventually said, smiling sadly at the vampire. "Snow White is the one responsible for Daniel's death."

"Ah, I see. I've seen the wanted posters all over the forest." Shae replied. "So she killed Daniel?"

Regina grimaced, staring back into the fire. "Not exactly. My mother was the one that killed him, but Snow White was the one that told her about him in the first place. The wretched girl caught us together one night, and I told her, begged her not to tell my mother, and she promised she wouldn't."

"I'm guessing she didn't keep that promise." Shae said knowingly.

"No, she did not." Regina spat angrily.

"Well, here's hoping that you get the revenge you deserve, Your Majesty." Shae said, raising her glass momentarily, then draining the rest of the wine.

"And what about yours?" Asked Regina, after she had also emptied her glass. "I remember you saying when we first met that you were going to kill Van Helsing."

Shae sighed, staring sadly down into her empty glass. "Yes, well, after too many failed attempts I'm afraid I've had to give up on ever seeing my revenge, especially after the last time. I would have been burnt to a crisp if it wasn't for your timely arrival. No, Van Helsing is just too strong."

Regina leaned forward in her chair, grinning deviously at the vampire. "Perhaps you don't have to give up on getting your revenge."

Shae gave her a quizzical glance. "Judging by the look on your face, I'm guessing you're going to tell me exactly why I shouldn't."

"Indeed." Regina replied with a nod. "I propose we amend our… Arrangement."

Shae raised an eyebrow silently at The Queen, and Regina's grin broadened as she leaned back in her chair, steepling her fingers in front of her.

"I think we can help each other in more ways than you originally thought." Regina went on, still grinning at the vampire.

"Is that so? Do tell." Shae replied, grinning back at her.

"I have powerful magic now, and an entire army of soldiers, neither of which even Van Helsing and his ilk could stand against." Regina explained. "Help me get my revenge on Snow White, and I will help you with yours."

Shae's grin disappeared, and, momentarily, she looked disappointed. She then shrugged, and nodded at The Queen. "Yes, I think I can agree to that."

Regina smiled, then got up from her chair, pouring two more glasses of wine. Shae stood as well as Regina stepped up to her, handing her a glass.

"A toast!" Regina announced, grinning wickedly. "To a deal well struck."

Shae clinked her glass against Regina's, a grin just as evil and devious as The Queen's stretching across her pale gray face.

"To revenge."

XXXXX

Shae and Ruby ran back to the diner, where they got into Ruby's car that was parked outside. Ruby drove them hastily to the hospital and, once they arrived, they made a shocking discovery. Dr. Whale had been admitted as a patient after suffering a gruesome injury; His whole arm had been torn completely off.

"Who the hell did this?" Ruby asked as her and Shae stood in Whale's hospital room, staring down at the now one armed doctor in his bed.

"Daniel." Whale muttered in reply.

"So I was right." Shae said, her eyes wide with shock. "You did it. You actually brought him back."

Whale grimaced in pain, then shook his head. "No. Whatever that thing is, it's not Daniel. It's my brother all over again. He's… He's a monster!"

Ruby and Shae exchanged a silent, worried glance. "Did Regina come and see you?" Shae asked the doctor.

Whale nodded, his face twisting in pain again. "She was just here, her and Charming."

"Do you know where they went?" Asked Ruby.

"I heard them say something about the stables." Whale replied.

"The stables?" Ruby asked, brow furrowed in confusion. "Why would they go there?"

"I don't know, doesn't matter. Come on, we gotta go!" Shae said hurriedly.

Her and Ruby rushed toward the door, but Shae turned back to Whale. "Um, sorry about the arm, man." She said. "And, uh, sorry I punched you in the face. We're cool, right?"

"Shae!"

"Right, yeah, not a good time. Ok, thanks, bye!"

XX

Ruby and Shae got back into Ruby's car, and she drove as fast she could to the stables on the outskirts of town. Just as they were getting out of the car, they spotted Henry running out the door, looking terrified.

"Henry? What's going on, are you ok?" Ruby asked as they boy ran over to them.

"It's my mom!" Henry replied, breathing heavily. "Her and David, they're in there with some other guy! He tried to kill me!"

"Shit!" Shae swore, running off toward the stable doors.

"Stay here!" Ruby told Henry as she ran after Shae.

Shae threw open the doors and rushed inside, Ruby close behind her. They turned to their left, and were just about to round the corner when they ran into David.

"What's going on? Where's Regina?" Shae asked him, grabbing him roughly by the shoulders.

"Back there, with Daniel." David answered, looking almost as frightened as Henry did. "Whale brought him back, but he's not himself, he's-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know!" Shae cut him off impatiently. "Is Regina ok?"

"I don't know." David replied. "She told me to leave, insisted that she could talk to him."

"Dammit, Regina!" Shae snarled, pushing past David and running around the corner, Ruby hot on her heels.

Regina was at the very end of the hallway of stables. Daniel was standing before her, his back on Shae and Ruby. Regina threw her arms around him, her face glistening with tears. Shae slowed to a stop, turning to Ruby and silently putting out a hand, gesturing for her to stay back.

"I can't believe it's really you." Regina was saying to Daniel, her eyes streaming with tears.

Daniel suddenly cried out in pain, stumbling backward, clutching his head. Regina didn't notice Shae or Ruby, too focused on the man she loved.

"Stop it! Stop the pain!" Daniel cried out, doubling over in pain.

"How?" Regina asked him desperately.

Daniel stumbled forward, grabbing Regina by the arms. Shae took a step forward as well, but stopped when Daniel gently cupped Regina's face in his hands.

"Let me go." He whispered to her.

Regina shook her head, gripping his arms tightly as more tears streamed down her face. "No… No, I can't." Regina said, choking out a sob. "I won't lose you again!"

Shae turned back to glance at Ruby, who was watching silently with a hand over her mouth. Regina placed her hands on Daniel's chest, sobbing again.

"Daniel, I love you." She whispered.

Daniel took Regina's hands in his. "Then love again."

Suddenly, Daniel clutched his head again, crying out in pain. He stumbled a few steps backward, then suddenly straightened up again, standing rigidly still. He tilted his head to the side, staring at Regina for a long, silent moment. He then rushed forward, his arms outstretched aggressively at Regina. Shae took a few steps forward, but stopped again when Regina raised her hand, magically freezing Daniel in place.

Regina let out another strangled sob as she slowly waved her hand, and Shae and Ruby both watched in silent horror as Daniel faded away into dust. Regina gasped when she suddenly noticed Shae standing right behind where Daniel had been.

"Shae!" She sobbed, reaching her arms out toward the vampire.

Ruby watched as, without a second thought, without a moment of hesitation, Shae ran forward, grabbing Regina's arms as she fell to her knees. Shae went down with her, wrapping her arms tightly around Regina. Regina sobbed into Shae's chest, gripping the front of her jacket.

"Regina, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Shae whispered as she held her in her arms.

Ruby bit her lip, standing locked in her spot as she watched Shae with Regina. She couldn't imagine the kind of pain Regina was in right now, but she still couldn't help but feel… Jealous. Even though Shae didn't have a heart, she still seemed to care an awful lot about Regina. Ruby silently wondered if Shae cared about her like that.

Ruby jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She whirled around, finding David standing behind her, watching Shae and Regina sadly.

"Come on, we should go." He said quietly.

Ruby glanced back at Shae for a moment, then nodded, following David out of the stables. On her drive back to the diner, Ruby wrestled with the things she was feeling. She and Shae had never talked about what exactly it was that they were doing, and Ruby had never felt like they had needed to. At least, not until now. Seeing Shae holding another woman in her arms made her blood boil with jealousy, especially since it had been Regina.

There was so much history between Shae and Regina, and Ruby couldn't help but wonder if there was still something there. She clenched her fists around her steering wheel, the very thought making her seethe with anger. As she realized how angry she was, she grew very confused. She hadn't realized until now exactly how she felt about Shae, and she knew that, without her heart, Shae would never feel the same way.

Ruby gripped her steering wheel tighter, grinding her teeth as she fought back tears. She knew that she had a choice to make. She either had to tell Shae how she felt, or end things between them. She just didn't know what exactly to do, and the one person that she wanted to talk to about it, the one person she felt she could talk to about anything, was Shae herself.

XX

Later that night, Shae was seated at the piano in Regina's dining room, playing a soft and somber melody. Shae had chosen not to meet Ruby at their usual spot in the woods this time, choosing instead to stay with Regina, who had been locked in her bedroom since they got home. Shae knew what Regina had done just hours ago had been the right choice, but she couldn't imagine having to watch someone she loved die a second time. It was much too cruel, even for The Evil Queen.

Shae found herself thinking about Nadia, about how she and Remus had tried so desperately to save her, only to watch her die. She removed her hands from the piano, placing them on her knees and gripping them tight. She remembered how much pain she had been in as she held Nadia in her arms, begging her not to go, begging whatever gods there were not to take her away. She couldn't imagine having to go through that all over again.

"Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata." Said Regina, who had been watching Shae play from the doorway. "One of my favorite pieces."

Shae turned around on the piano bench. "Mine too." She replied, giving her a small smile. "Sorry if I woke you."

Regina shook her head, stepping in to the dining room. "You didn't. Please, keep playing."

Shae nodded, turning back around and continuing to play. Regina sat down next to her on the piano bench, watching in wonder as Shae's fingers moved deftly across the keys.

"You certainly have a talent for music." Regina commented with a smile.

Shae smiled back, shrugging slightly. "Yeah, I guess I've always had a knack for it. I guess it helps that I have plenty of spare time during the night to practice."

"Yes, I imagine it does."

They sat in silence for a while as Shae continued to play, with Regina watching silently. Shae stopped as she finished the song, then she turned slightly in her seat, her eyes suddenly very sad.

"I was just thinking about Nadia, about how it felt when she died, how much it hurt." She said quietly. "I… I know it doesn't help, but, I really am sorry about… About what happened. I can't imagine having to go through that all over again."

Regina nodded, clenching her jaw as she fought back more tears. "Thank you." She replied. "And thank you for what you did earlier. If you hadn't been there… I… I don't…"

She stopped, turning her face away as more tears leaked out of her eyes. Shae stared down at her hands folded in her lap as Regina wiped her tears away.

"Why did you do it?" Regina suddenly asked her.

"Do what?" Asked Shae, looking confused.

"Comfort me like you did." Answered Regina. "You hate me."

Shae laughed lightly, running a hand through her messy black hair, causing it to stick out at odd angles even more so than it already had been.

"Well, I may not have a heart, but I'm not heartless." She replied with a slight grin. "Besides, I don't hate you, Regina. Not really."

Regina's brow furrowed in part confusion, part shock. "What?" She breathed.

Shae sighed, staring back down at her hands. "I thought I did." She replied quietly. "For twenty eight years I thought I loathed you. But… Being here, being around you again, it made me realize that I… Understand why you did the things that you did."

"Really?" Regina asked.

Shae nodded, smiling slightly. "I may not agree with a lot of them, but I get it. I probably would have done the same stuff if it were me. And I do admit that… Running off and betraying you all those years ago… Well, there was probably a better way to handle things."

Regina nodded slowly. "Perhaps… But I shouldn't have tried to take your heart in the first place." She admitted. "It was… I was… So blinded by rage, by revenge."

"Yeah, I guess I was too." Shae replied sadly. "We sure were some pretty spiteful bitches back then, weren't we?"

Regina laughed. "Yes, I suppose we were."

Shae let out a chuckle as well, shaking her head slowly. "Well, hey, look at us now!" She said with a grin. "Reconciling, admitting stuff. I guess we've matured."

"Yes, two already fully grown women have finally matured after almost thirty years." Regina replied with another laugh.

"There's a common saying in this world; 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks.'" Said Shae. "Well, I think that's bullshit, cuz these two old dogs just learned some stuff."

Regina laughed again. "Yes, I suppose we did."

"Plus dogs are, like, super smart." Shae went on. "I don't know why people think they can't teach an old dog stuff. Pretty dumb saying, if you ask me."

Regina laughed louder this time, and Shae laughed with her. Shae had always had the ability to make her laugh when no one and nothing else could, and Regina was immensely thankful at the moment for that ability.

"Thank you, Shae." Regina said, placing her hand gently at the vampire's cheek.

Regina had expected Shae to recoil at her touch, or slap her hand away. But she didn't, she only smiled warmly at her.

"Just… Thank you." Regina whispered.

Shae gave her a small nod, and Regina smiled, gently caressing Shae's cold cheek with her thumb. Regina left her hand where it was, staring into the vampire's blood red eyes.

A sudden tension built up between them, a tension neither of them had felt in a very long time. Regina's heart began to pound like a drum in her chest, butterflies suddenly forming in her stomach. She hoped Shae felt it too as she leaned forward, closing her eyes and pressing her lips gently against her's.

For a moment, it seemed that Shae didn't feel it, as she sat rigidly still in her seat. But, after a long, silent moment, Shae snaked one arm up Regina's back, placing the other on the side of her thigh, pulling her in closer. Regina drew in a sharp breath as their lips parted, and wrapped her arms around Shae's neck.

Regina's heart raced as they kissed with passionate ferocity, the butterflies fluttering wildly in her stomach. She breathed in Shae's scent, sage and mint, still unchanged even after twenty eight years. A silent tear ran her cheek, but this time it wasn't a tear of sadness, it was a tear of joy. Regina couldn't remember the last time she had felt this way, the last time she had felt so happy. She then suddenly did remember. It felt like this the first time Shae had ever kissed her. She remembered her pounding heart, the swell of emotion, the way the entire world seemed to fade away.

Regina pulled back, gently cupping Shae's face in her hands, staring deep into her eyes. "Shae…" She whispered. "Shae, I… I-"

Regina gasped as Shae shoved her roughly away. She tumbled off the bench, catching herself with her hands before her face hit the floor. Shae leapt out of her seat and stumbled back against the wall. Regina's heart sank deep into her chest. She was furious.

"DAMMIT, REGINA!" Shae roared, hastily wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Shae! I'm sorry, I'm-" Regina tried to plead with her, getting to her feet and stepping toward her.

Shae stepped back, shaking her head vigorously. "Stop it! I told you, never again!"

"I know, I'm sorry, I-" Regina began again, but stopped as Shae turned around and stomped toward the door, grabbing her leather jacket from off its hook.

"Shae! Shae, where are you going?" Regina asked as she followed behind her.

"None of your damn business!" Shae snarled.

"Shae, wait! Please!"

The door slammed shut with a bang as Shae left the house. Regina squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down her face. She placed her back against the door, sliding down it and onto the floor, hugging her knees to her chest as she sobbed.

Regina rested her head on her knees, her body shaking with sobs. She had just lost Daniel for the second time in her life, and now, just as they had finally reconciled with each other, she had lost Shae. She realized when her and Shae had kissed just moments ago that she still loved her. Even after Shae had betrayed her, and after all the years they spent apart, hating each other, she was still in love with her. She hadn't just lost one person she loved that day, she had lost two.

XX

Shae stomped furiously down the sidewalk, her head spinning. Why did this keep happening? After all this time, why was she still drawn to Regina? She had no answer, and it made her furious. She stopped in mid step, pulling out her cell phone and dialing Ruby's number. She needed to see Ruby, needed to get Regina out of her system.

"Dammit, come on!" Shae muttered when she got Ruby's voicemail.

She dialed Ruby's number three more times, only to keep hearing her voicemail message. She let out a frustrated huff, stomping down the sidewalk once again.

A little while later, she arrived at the bed and breakfast Granny owned, and where her and Ruby lived. She stood underneath what she knew was Ruby's bedroom window, picked up a pine cone from the ground, and tossed it at the window. After it struck, she waited for a few seconds. When Ruby didn't appear, she found another, chucking it at the window again. Just as she threw a third one, the window opened.

"OW!"

"Oh, shit! Sorry!" Shae said in a loud whisper.

Ruby poked her head out of her window, rubbing her forehead. "Shae? What are you doing?" She asked, also whispering loudly.

"I, uh, I wanted to see you." Shae replied, anxiously chewing on her lip ring. "I've been trying to call you."

"Yeah, I know."

"Oh, uh, then why didn't you answer?"

Ruby sighed heavily. "I uh, I don't… I just don't really want to talk to you right now."

Shae's mouth hung open in silent confusion for a second. "Um… Why?"

Ruby sighed again. "Just… Wait there, I'm coming down."

Shae waited in the dark anxiously, drumming her fingers against her leg. Ruby eventually rounded the corner around the building, and Shae immediately grabbed her by her hips, drawing her in close and kissing her fiercely.

Ruby smiled as she kissed her back, wrapping her arms around the vampire's neck, running her hands through her soft, messy hair. She remained in Shae's embrace for a long while, enjoying the taste of her lips, possibly for the last time before she had to say what she needed to say.

Ruby pulled away reluctantly, folding her arms across her chest and staring down at the ground. Shae could sense something was wrong, and her brow furrowed.

"Is there something wrong, Ruby?" She asked, looking concerned.

Ruby bit her lip, glancing up at Shae and nodding slowly. "What? Is it Granny? Did she find out or something?" Shae asked again.

"No, it's not Granny." Ruby replied with another sigh. "Its… Its Regina."

Shae's eyes widened in shock, then her fists clenched, her lips curling into a snarl. "What did she do to you?" She asked in a darkly quiet voice.

"She didn't do anything, Shae." Ruby replied quickly. "It's just… When I saw you with her at the stables earlier it… It made me… Angry."

Shae's brow furrowed again. "Angry? Why?"

"I don't know… I guess seeing another woman in your arms made me… I-I was, you know… Jealous."

Shae's mouth hung open in shock, and she blinked silently at her. "Jealous?" She asked. "Ruby… Me and you, we're just, you know, messing around. We're not… Together. I thought you knew that."

"Yeah, I do, or at least… I did." Ruby replied uncertainly.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that maybe…" Ruby began, staring down at her feet again. "Maybe I want us to… To be together."

"Oh, Ruby…" Shae breathed, turning away from her and running her hands through her hair.

"Look, I know, ok? I know." Ruby said desperately, grabbing Shae's arm. "I know you don't have a heart, I knew that from the beginning, alright? I just… I went and caught feelings, I guess."

"I'm sorry, but you caught feelings for the wrong person." Shae replied, turning back to her with immensely sad eyes. "You don't want to be with me, trust me."

"But I do, though." Ruby said, taking Shae's face in her hands. "I know everyone else thinks you're evil, but I know you, the real you. You're a good person, Shae."

Shae continued to stare down at her sadly. Ruby bit her lip, fighting back the tears welling in her eyes. "You're the only person who really understands me." She whispered, stepping up closer. "Hell, you're the one I've been wanting to talk to about all this. I like fucking you and everything, but, I just… Really like being around you, talking to you. When we're not together, I'm still always thinking about you."

Tears started to leak out of Ruby's eyes now, which caused Shae's eyes to grow even sadder. "Shae, I… I want to be with you."

Ruby placed a hand on the back of Shae's neck, pulled her in close and kissed her again. Shae hesitated for a moment, but then she grabbed Ruby by the arms and pushed her back, shaking her head slowly.

"I can't, Ruby." She said miserably. "This is why I didn't want to do this in the first place, why I just shouldn't have. I didn't want to hurt you. I don't have a heart. I do care about you, but I just can't feel the same way that you feel about me."

"But maybe you can eventually." Ruby said, smiling hopefully. "You said that you know Regina will give you your heart back someday."

"Yeah, someday. But god only knows when that's gonna be." Shae replied desperately. "I'm sorry, but this has to stop. I don't want to risk hurting you anymore."

"I'll take that risk." Ruby insisted, stepping forward again and placing her hands on Shae's chest.

"But I won't." Shae replied, gently removing Ruby's hands. "I'm sorry, Ruby. I just can't."

Shae then turned around, and walked quickly away from her. She kept walking, her feet carrying her into the woods as her mind spun wildly, Ruby's tear stained face swimming before her eyes.

Shae was angry. Angry at herself for sleeping with Ruby in the first place, angry at Ruby for developing feelings for her, angry at Regina for holding her heart hostage, preventing her from sharing the feelings of the one person who actually cared for her. And she was angry at herself even more still for kissing Regina, someone who she was sure didn't give a rat's ass if she lived or died.

She stopped suddenly when she realized that her legs had unknowingly carried her to the clearing where she and Ruby would meet in secret every night. She breathed out a heavy sigh, sinking down onto a nearby log. She dropped her face into her hands, squeezing her eyes shut.

"What have I done?"

XX

The next few days were uncomfortable for Shae. Her and Regina had decided to not talk about their second tense and passionate moment, but Shae was still furious about it, furious at Regina, but mostly herself. She hadn't seen Ruby since the night the young wolf confessed her feelings for her, feelings that Shae had to reject. She knew she had broken Ruby's heart, which made her even more miserable. She couldn't stop thinking about it, about Ruby, about her eyes, her lips, her smile. Shae missed her something fierce. All she wanted to do was see her, hold her, kiss her, but she knew she shouldn't, she couldn't, and it was driving the vampire insane.

Shae was sitting at the kitchen table in Emma and Mary Margaret's apartment, watching anxiously as Mr. Gold prepared a potion that he insisted would help Henry. The boy had been having nightmares, nightmares about a room that was on fire.

David had asked Regina and Shae to look after Henry while he responded to an emergency call at the Sheriff's station. Henry had been asleep when they arrived, and when he woke, Regina and Shae were both shocked to find a burn on Henry's arm. With little other choice, they called on Rumplestiltskin, hoping he could provide answers as to why Henry's nightmares were causing him physical harm.

"When people fall under a sleeping curse, the soul travels to The Netherworld, where it resides until awoken." Gold was explaining as he poured various vials of liquid onto a silver pendant. "Now, this world is between life and death, and it's very real. However, even when the curse is broken, sometimes, in sleep, the victims find their way back to that world. Victims like Henry here."

Henry was sitting on Mary Margaret's bed, his mother next to him. He glanced over at Shae, who simply gave him a small shrug. She didn't exactly trust Rumplestiltskin, but she knew nothing about sleeping curses, or this Netherworld, so she had no choice but to trust him.

"This other world is tormenting my son every time he sleeps." Regina said, eyeing Gold just as suspiciously as Shae was. "I need you to give him something that will keep him from going there."

"Well, I'm afraid that's not possible." Gold replied, still tinkering with the necklace. "I can, however, provide you with something that will allow him to control his actions while in that world. And once one controls something, one no longer need fear it."

Gold finally finished with his potions. He turned around, holding out the necklace to Henry. Shae hastily got to her feet. "Woah, woah, woah. Everything comes at a price with you, Gold." She growled. "What do you want for it?"

Gold chuckled. "For a house call? Oh, I'm afraid neither of you could afford it." He replied with a smirk, glancing from Shae to Regina. "But, this is for Henry. This one's on me."

Henry took the necklace from him, and Shae exchanged a worried glance with Regina. Neither of them had a chance to respond, though, for the door to the apartment suddenly burst open. David rushed in, with Granny close behind him, both looking worried.

"Good, you're still here." David said breathlessly, looking at Shae. "We need your help."

"With what?" Shae asked, brow furrowing with confusion as she eyed David and Granny nervously.

"It's Ruby, she turned last night." David replied gravely. "Granny locked her in the freezer at the diner but she broke out, lost control. We found Billy dead, but we're still not sure if it was Ruby or not. We could just use some extra muscle."

"What? No, Ruby was in full control of the wolf, it couldn't have been her." Shae said, looking even more confused.

"Back home, she was. But it's been years, she can't control it anymore." Granny said.

"No, I mean here, now." Shae said. She then sighed, chewing on her lip ring nervously. "Ruby came to me a few weeks ago, asked for my help controlling the wolf. We've been going out into the woods at night, to hunt. And she's been in complete control for weeks now."

"What?" Asked David.

"Why didn't she tell me?" Granny asked, narrowing her eyes at Shae.

"Well, you and I aren't exactly BFF's." Shae replied with a shrug. "She probably didn't think you'd approve."

"Why would she come to you for help anyway?" Asked David, looking just about as angry and suspicious as Granny was.

"Because I can be super helpful if you ask nicely." Shae quipped back. "Besides, I've met werewolves before, back in my home world. They were all able to change at will, and I helped Ruby do it too."

"That's not possible." Granny breathed, eyes wide with shock.

"It is possible, and she did it." Shae replied. "But, I'm guessing the full moon was too much for her, caused her to lose focus. Is she alright?"

"She's fine, just a little shaken up." Answered David. "She can't remember anything from last night. I have her locked up at the Sheriff's Station. I thought it would be best to have you keep an eye on her tonight in case she breaks free again."

"Right, good idea. Let's go." Shae said with a nod.

She stepped past Granny, grabbing her jacket off the hook by the door. She made for the door, but stopped when Granny grabbed her arm. Shae eyed Granny curiously as the old woman yanked her closer, drawing in a deep breath through her nostrils.

"It's you." Granny snarled, looking furious. "You're the one that's been sleeping with my Ruby!"

A stunned silence fell over everyone gathered in the tiny apartment. Shae glanced over at Regina, who was silently smirking at her.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." Shae replied, trying her best to seem surprised.

"Don't play dumb with me!" Granny growled, jabbing a finger into Shae's shoulder. "She's been coming home every night smelling strange, and I could never figure out what it was, till now. It's you! She had your scent all over her."

"Alright, fine!" Shae spat furiously. "It was me, ok? Happy?"

"What?" David exclaimed.

"My, my, how scandalous." Gold said, sporting a smirk quite similar to Regina's.

"Shut up, Gold!" Shae snarled, turning on the old man. "What the hell are you still doing here anyway?"

"Well, I too enjoy a tawdry scandal just as much as the next person." Gold replied, still smirking.

"What did you do to my granddaughter? You used that power of yours to trick her into it, didn't you?" Granny snarled, growing more furious by the second. She then shot Regina an icy glare. "You should keep a tighter leash on your pet, you know!"

"Oh, believe me, if I could, I would." Regina replied with a grin.

"Shut up, Regina!" Shae shouted furiously, then turned back to Granny. "I didn't use any kind of powers on her, alright? She was with me because she wanted to be. She's a grown ass woman. But it's over now, ok? I put an end to it a few nights ago."

"Why?" Granny asked, narrowing her eyes again at the vampire.

"Because I… I didn't want to hurt her." Shae replied with sadness in her eyes. "She's a nice girl. She deserves better than me."

Granny barked out a laugh. "Well, we can agree on that, at least." She said scathingly.

"Fine, great, we agree on something for once!" Shae spat bitterly. "Now can we please go? The sun will be setting soon."

"I'm starting to think that bringing you with us isn't the best idea." David replied, staring daggers at Shae.

"Well, I'm coming anyway." Shae said defiantly, stepping up to David and glaring furiously at him. "Look, I may not have a heart, but I do care about Ruby. She needs my help, and I'll be damned if I don't do whatever I can to help her."

David held Shae's furious gaze for a moment, but then relented. "Fine, lets go."

Shae nodded. She then pulled on her jacket and stomped out the door, David and Granny hot on her heels.

XX

When they arrived at the Sheriff's Station, they found Ruby sitting in a cell, just like David had said. When she spotted Shae, she looked much less than pleased.

"What is she doing here?" Ruby asked, narrowing her eyes at Shae.

"She's here to help." David replied. "She's gonna keep an eye on you tonight, in case you lose control again."

"And you'd better keep your filthy hands off my granddaughter." Granny snarled at Shae through gritted teeth, jabbing her in the chest again.

"She knows." Shae told Ruby.

Ruby raised her eyebrows in shock, her mouth gaping open momentarily. "Oh." Was all she managed to say.

"It's gonna be fine, Granny, don't worry." David said, grabbing Granny gently by the shoulders and herding her toward the door.

Shae watched as David led Granny out of the Sheriff's Station. Once they were gone, she turned to Ruby, stepping up to the bars of her cell.

"Ruby, listen, I-I just wanna say-" She began.

"It's alright, Shae, I'm sorry I was so cold." Ruby cut her off, sighing heavily. "I'm just mad. Not at you, not really. You were only doing what was best to protect my feelings. I'm just… Upset, for now."

Shae nodded, smiling sadly. "Yeah, I get it."

"Alright, Granny's gone home to get some rest." David said as he rejoined them. "You'll be safe here tonight, Ruby, I promise."

"Thank you, David." Ruby said with a grateful smile.

"Thank me in the morning." David replied. "By then, I'll have figured out who really killed Billy."

"You already have."

David and Shae both spun around, and found an older man with balding gray hair, dressed in a suit and tie standing in the doorway to the Sheriff's Station. He was glaring menacingly at Ruby.

"That thing, that she-wolf." He went on, pointing an accusing finger at Ruby. "She killed the boy."

"Who's this turkey?" Shae asked David.

"Albert Spencer." David replied, glaring back at Spencer. "But you probably know him as King George."

"Oh, well, pardon me if I don't curtsey." Shae quipped at the old man.

"I remember you." Spencer said, glowering at Shae. "You're that vampire that used to work for Regina, right? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to find you here. You vile creatures always seem to stick together."

"Get out." David snarled at the old man, pointing at the door. "Whatever issues you have with me, don't involve her. There's no proof Ruby had anything to do with what happened."

"It seems to me, that you're allowing your emotions to cloud your judgment." Spencer snarled back, stepping toward David.

Shae stepped between them. "Hey, back off, pal." She growled.

Spencer ignored Shae, sneering at David over the vampire's shoulder. "Protecting your friend at the peril of everyone else? I knew you'd slip up, shepherd. It was only a matter of time."

"What do you want?" Demanded David.

"Justice." Spencer replied, shooting another menacing glare over at Ruby. "Hand that thing over to me, and let the town decide her fate."

"Not a chance." Shae snarled. "You're not going anywhere near her."

"This town is bigger than you think, shepherd." Spencer said, grinning deviously at David. "I start telling people that you're putting their lives in danger to protect your own interests, that you're working with The Evil Queen's pet to do it? You'll have a mutiny on your hands."

"We'll see about that." Spat David, stepping up next to Shae and placing a hand on the vampire's shoulder. "You want Ruby? You'll have to go through us first."

"Damn straight." Shae agreed with a nod.

Spencer eyed them both silently for a moment, his evil grin spreading. "Oh, I look forward to it."

The old man turned on his heel, and promptly left. Once the door swung shut behind him, David breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks." He said to Shae.

"No problem." Shae replied with a nod. "Man, your dad's a real piece of work."

"That man is not my father." David growled.

"He's not? But I thought-" Shae began, looking confused.

"Long story." David cut in, hurrying over to Ruby's cell and pulling out his keys.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Asked Ruby.

"We can't stay here, not when Spencer knows where you are." David replied, unlocking the cell and swinging the door open. "Come on, we'll go the library. I doubt he'll think to look for you there."

XX

On their way to the library, they stopped to pick up Granny again, thinking the extra man power, and Granny's exceptional aim with her crossbow, wouldn't hurt. They left Ruby in the care of Belle, and David, Granny, and Shae set off to find the real culprit of Billy's murder. Granny was using Billy's jacket to track his sent, leading them down through the main street of Storybrooke.

"You're positive I shouldn't go back to the library? What if the mob finds Ruby?" Shae asked anxiously.

"She'll be fine, Belle locked the place up tight." David insisted. "Besides, we need you in case the mob finds US. Everyone in town is terrified of you. If they see you with us, they'll probably back off."

Shae opened her mouth to protest, but then shut it again, shrugging. "Yeah, alright, you got me on that one."

"Here, in the trunk." Granny said, suddenly stopping and pointing at a black car parked along the street.

David managed to pop the trunk open, and they made a shocking discovery inside. They found Ruby's hood, and a hatchet. Granny picked up the hatchet, sniffing it carefully.

"You smell that?" Granny asked, holding it out to Shae.

Shae sniffed it as well, then nodded gravely. "Blood, Billy's blood."

"So, it looks like whoever killed Billy was going to use Ruby's hood to pin the murder on her." Mused David.

"Who would want to hurt my Ruby?" Granny asked, looking troubled.

David went around to the drivers side window, smashing it open with the butt of his gun. Granny suddenly gasped, turning to Shae.

"This is your fault!" She snarled. "Your Queen did this!"

"Regina? No, she didn't do this." Shae replied defensively.

"How do you know, hm?" Granny demanded. "She was probably jealous of you and Ruby."

"What? Don't be ridiculous." Shae said, rolling her eyes at the old woman.

"Yeah, she got angry when she found out you were cheating on her with my Ruby." Insisted Granny. "She turned the whole town against her, so they would kill her and she wouldn't have to get her hands dirty."

"Cheating?" Shae asked indignantly. "Regina and I aren't even… Together. I'm just protecting her so I can get my heart back, that's all."

"Oh, right, so we're all supposed to believe that you two are staying in the same house, but aren't fooling around again."

"We're not!"

"Guys!" David shouted over them, holding up the car's registration papers. "It wasn't Regina, it was Spencer."

"King George?" Granny asked. "Why would he do this to Ruby?"

"He needed a reason to wrestle power away from me." David replied darkly. "So, he created one."

Granny opened her mouth with another question, but then stopped as they all heard a wolf howling in the distance. The three of them exchanged a fearful glance.

"Ruby!" Shae exclaimed, sprinting back toward the library.

"She's out! Come on!" Granny shouted at David, and they both took off after Shae.

They spotted the mob gathered in front of an alley just around the corner from the library, Spencer at the head. They stopped when they heard another howl.

"There you are." Spencer snarled, drawing a gun and pointing it down the alley.

"NO!" Shae screamed.

Shae was a black blur of movement as she rushed at Spencer. The members of the mob all cried out in alarm as she tackled him to the ground, wrestling the gun away from him. Shae got to her feet, tossing the gun to David, who deftly caught it, storing it carefully away in his belt.

"I told you… Stay. Away. From. RUBY." Shae snarled, kicking Spencer in the stomach with each of her words.

"Shae!" David shouted, grabbing Shae's arm and pulling her away from Spencer. "Shae, that's enough!"

"Should just let her keep going." Spat Granny. "This bastard needs to pay for trying to hurt my Ruby."

Shae, Granny, and David all whirled around when they heard a low growl from behind them. Ruby, now in her wolf form, was hiding behind a dumpster, the hair on her haunches standing straight up. She was snarling at them, her black eyes wild with fear.

"Woah! No, stop!" Shae shouted at the mob as they began to angrily advance on the wolf. "Ruby didn't kill Billy, this asshole did. All so he could get all the power in this town away from Charming."

Shae pointed down at Spencer, who was still lying on the ground, groaning in pain. "Why should we believe you?" Asked a man from amongst the mob. "You're just another monster like her!"

"Yeah, a monster working for The Evil Queen!" Shouted another.

"You know what? Yeah, that's right, that's what I am." Shae snarled at them, laughing sourly. "I'm The Evil Queen's vampire protector. And Ruby? She's a werewolf, that's what she is. But she's the one that taught me that it doesn't matter what you are, it's who you are."

Shae glanced back at the wolf, who was still crouched behind the dumpster, gnashing her teeth at them. "Ruby taught me that even though I'm a monster, that doesn't define me." Shae went on, turning back to the mob. "I can still be a good person, I can still help people if I want to."

Shae turned to Granny, taking Ruby's red hood from her hands. "Now, please, let me help Ruby." She pleaded with the mob. "Someone has already died because of what asshole King George did, let's not spill any more blood. She's just scared, she won't hurt anyone."

Shae exchanged a quick glance with Granny and David, who both nodded at her. She then stepped into the alley, walking slowly and carefully toward Ruby.

"Ruby? I know you can hear me, it's alright." Shae said gently.

Ruby lunged out of her hiding spot, snapping her jaws at Shae, causing the crowd to gasp, and Shae to leap backwards.

"Listen, Ruby, this isn't you!" Shae pleaded with her. "You said that you know the real me, remember? Well, I know the real you."

David, Granny, and the mob all watched with bated breath as Shae krept forward again, stopping when Ruby let out another low, fearsome growl. She crouched down on one knee, placing the red hood on the ground and putting her hands out carefully.

"It's alright, Ruby. I know you don't want to hurt anyone." Shae went on in the same gentle tone. "And you know what? Neither do I. But… But I have. I've hurt you."

Ruby drew back a step, growling again as Shae slid forward, now on both knees just in front of the wolf. "Ruby, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Shae whispered to her. "I never wanted to hurt you. You're the only person who knows the real me. Ever since I came back here, I've only been seen as a villain and a… A monster. But you? You only see… Me, just me. I was starting to forget what that felt like, and you helped me remember."

Shae glanced away from the wolf, clenching her fists on her knees. "For twenty eight years, I've felt nothing. But… When I'm with you… It's the closest I've ever gotten to feeling happy in such a long time."

Shae slid forward again slightly, and this time, Ruby didn't back away. She let out a low whine, sitting back on her haunches, her black eyes focused intently on the vampire.

"Ruby… I-I know without my heart I can't give one hundred percent to you." Shae went on, her voice barely above a whisper. "But… I… I'll give you everything that I've got, if you still want it."

When Ruby didn't move a muscle, David exchanged a worried glance with Granny. But then, Ruby whined again, pawing slowly forward. Shae breathed out a laugh as Ruby nudged her chin with her nose. The crowd drew a collective gasp as Shae stroked the wolf's head, grabbing the red hood with her free hand.

Shae tossed the hood over the wolf and, a second later, Ruby drew the hood back, smiling at Shae as she knelt in front of her.

"You saved me!" Ruby exclaimed, cupping Shae's face in her hands.

Shae laughed, shaking her head slowly. "No, you saved yourself. I just… Helped."

Ruby laughed too, and the mob gasped again as Ruby threw her arms around Shae, kissing her deeply. Granny exchanged another glance with David, who simply shrugged at her, a small smile on his face.

"Oh, Ruby… Ruby, I'm so sorry." Shae whispered, pressing her forehead against Ruby's.

"It's ok!" Ruby breathed, smiling as she gently stroked the vampire's cold, pale face. "Did you really mean it?"

When Shae nodded, Ruby's smile widened. "Good, cuz I do still want it. I still want you."

"I want you too." Shae whispered back.

Ruby laughed, and wrapped her arms tightly around Shae as they kissed again. Suddenly, there was a cry of alarm from among the mob, and they broke apart. Spencer had gotten to his feet, shoving David into Granny, knocking them both off their feet.

"Granny!" Ruby cried, leaping to her feet and rushing over to the old woman.

Shae got to her feet as well, hurrying over to David and helping him to his feet. They all jumped when they heard tires screeching, and watched as Spencer sped past them in his car.

"He's getting away!" Granny cried.

"I'm on it!" David shouted, rushing down the street toward his truck.

"Come on, we gotta catch him!" Shae said, and made to follow after David.

"Wait! I want to talk to you." Said Granny, grabbing Shae's arm.

"I really don't think now is the best time." Shae insisted, yanking her arm out of Granny's grip.

"It's fine, Charming knows what he's doing." Granny replied, then narrowed her eyes at the mob still gathered around them. "What are you all staring at? Get lost!"

There was some nervous and angry muttering as the crowd dispersed. Once they were gone, Granny turned to Shae, glaring up at the vampire.

"Granny, don't-" Ruby began.

"Quiet, Ruby." Granny spat at her granddaughter, then turned her gaze back on Shae. "Obviously I don't approve of… This. But, Ruby is a grown woman, and I can't stop her from living her life the way she wants to, or being with who she wants to."

The old woman then took her granddaughter's hand, patting it affectionately. "Besides, you helped us prove her innocent, and you saved her from being shot by that vulture of a man."

Shae gave Ruby a small smile, then continued to stare down at Granny uncertainly. "I guess that means there just might be some good in you after all." Granny went on, her gaze softening. "Ruby certainly seems to see it, so maybe… Maybe its time the rest of us try to."

"She really is a good person, Granny, I promise." Ruby said, smiling warmly at Shae.

Granny smiled too, nodding her head at her granddaughter. "You're welcome at the diner whenever you like." Granny said to Shae. "And if anyone raises a stink about it, they'll have to go through me."

"Thank you." Shae said with a surprised but grateful smile.

"Just remember one thing." Granny continued, stepping up close to Shae and poking her in the chest. "If you ever hurt my Ruby, I'll put a silver arrow straight through that heart of yours once its back in your chest."

Shae nodded seriously. "I'd expect nothing less."

Granny nodded back, seemingly satisfied. "Good. Well, I'm going home now to have a drink, or seven. It's been a long day."

Granny gave her granddaughter a hug, and gave Shae one final, curt nod. Shae and Ruby watched for a moment as Granny walked down the sidewalk away from them, her crossbow slung over her shoulder. Ruby then turned to Shae, smiling as she grabbed the front of her jacket, pulling her in for another kiss. Shae smiled back, sighing contentedly as she wrapped her arms around Ruby's waist.

Ruby suddenly pushed away, looking worried. "Uh oh." She breathed.

"What?" Shae asked, looking panicked.

"Um, we gotta go back to the library." Ruby told her, biting her lip.

"Why?"

"I may have left Belle chained up there."

Shae stared down at Ruby in silent shock, and Ruby laughed, grabbing her by the hand. The pair walked hand in hand back to the library, both feeling lighter and happier than they had in a long time. Shae placed her arm around Ruby's shoulder, kissing the top of her head gently. Ruby smiled up at her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

Shae was now more determined than ever to get her heart back. She knew that, without it, she would never be able to love Ruby the way that she deserved to be loved. Unfortunately, she still had no idea how to find it. The only way she would ever get it back, was through Regina. Shae clenched her fist inside the pocket of her jacket. She knew Regina wouldn't give her heart up any time soon, not since it was once again the only thing she had for leverage against her. But she wasn't about to give up. She would get her heart back, one way or another.

XX

Regina had been in her back yard, tending to her apple tree when she heard a commotion from nearby. She went around the side of her tree and found a crowd of townsfolk marching down the street behind her house, Albert Spencer at the head of them. She started to panic. Had something happened to Shae? Had her angry villagers finally managed to capture her? She didn't waste any time speculating. She rushed out to her car, following the mob at a safe distance into town.

Regina grew more and more curious as she watched them storm the Sheriff's Station, only to find it locked up tight. She continued to follow them as they made their way toward the library, and was shocked to see a wolf running from it and into a nearby alley, a wolf she could only assume was Ruby.

The mob crowded around the alley, Spencer once again at the lead. Regina watched as he drew a gun, and gasped when he was thrown to the ground by a large, black blur. Her heart soared, and she breathed out a sigh of relief as she saw Shae leap to her feet, tossing Spencer's gun over to David. She silently thanked whatever gods there were. The woman she loved was safe and sound.

Unable to resist her curiosity, Regina continued to watch as Shae addressed the mob, seemingly quite angry. Her brow furrowed as she saw Shae take a red cloak from Granny, turning down the alley and crouching down in front of the wolf. Moments later, Shae tossed the cloak over the wolf, who morphed back into Ruby.

Regina gasped again, watching in horror as Ruby threw her arms around Shae, kissing her. Regina turned away, unable to watch any more. She clenched her fists around her steering wheel, tears welling up in her eyes. She knew that Shae hadn't gone to see Ruby in several days, not since the night her and Regina had kissed. Regina thought that had meant that Shae still felt something for her, and that she was conflicted. But it seemed that Shae had now made her choice.

Regina jumped at the sound of tires squealing, and watched as Spencer peeled past her. David rushed over to his truck, giving chase after the old man. Regina turned her attention back onto the mob, which was now dispersing. She grinned as she saw Granny furiously poking Shae in the chest. This was it, it was over. Granny despised Shae, and there was no way that she would let her granddaughter anywhere near her.

Granny seemed to have finished berating the vampire, and was walking away from her. Regina's brow furrowed in confusion again. Why wasn't she taking Ruby with her? She was given her answer almost immediately as she watched Ruby and Shae kiss again. She placed her hand over her mouth, choking back a sob as tears rolled down her face. She watched as the two lovers smiled happily at each other, then walked away hand in hand.

Regina's knuckles turned white as curled her fingers around her steering wheel once again. She glared at the back of Ruby's head, a white hot rage boiling in her chest.

"I will destroy her." She snarled through gritted teeth.

She began to formulate a plan in her head, trying to figure out some way to make the she-wolf's death look like an accident. Perhaps she could even somehow pin the murder on Spencer. He seemed to have a vendetta against her anyway, for some reason.

Regina stopped suddenly, placing her hands over her face as more tears leaked out of her eyes. No, she couldn't kill Ruby. If Shae somehow found out, she would never forgive Regina, and the woman she loved would be lost to her forever. Regina knew there was only one thing she could do. Without her heart, Shae could never truly love Ruby, so Regina was now more determined than ever to hold on to it, to keep it hidden. She was determined to keep the promise she had made to Shae the night she took her heart. Shae would never love again.

XX


	5. Chapter 5, A Love Restored

Chapter 5

Shae was standing with Regina in the back room of Gold's pawn shop, staring down at Prince Charming's unconscious body lying on the cot before her. The Prince had willingly been put under a sleeping curse in order to get a message to his wife in The Enchanted Forest, a message with details on how to stop Regina's mother from coming to Storybrooke. Apparently Cora, who was somehow still alive, had been thwarting Emma and Mary Margaret's efforts to return home. Regina and Gold were both desperate to stop her, and Shae couldn't help but share their concerns. She had never met Regina's mother herself, but she had heard stories, stories that chilled even her to the bone.

Charming had been under the sleeping curse for at least twenty four hours, and everyone was starting to grow concerned. Had the spell worked? Was David really able to find Snow White in The Netherworld, and pass along the information that she and her daughter needed to return to their family?

At the moment, Shae was not overly concerned about The Charming's. She was busy arguing with Regina about her heart.

"Why exactly are you suddenly in such a rush to get it back?" Regina asked her, sneering wickedly. "I'm guessing you desperately want to tell your little girlfriend that you love her?"

"Sure, something like that." Shae snarled back.

Ruby had insisted over and over again that she didn't care that Shae didn't have a heart, that she still wanted to be with her regardless of the fact that the vampire couldn't actually share her feelings. Shae did care about Ruby, but not in the way that she should, not in the way she thought Ruby deserved to be cared for.

Unbeknownst to Shae, Regina was keeping her heart safely stored away for one specific reason; She still loved her. She didn't want Shae to get any closer to Ruby than she already was.

"Well, you can tell Ruby that you haven't fulfilled your end of our bargain just yet." Regina replied scathingly.

"Well, I think I have." Shae snarled once again, stepping up close to Regina.

"And I disagree." Regina replied, glaring into the vampire's blood red eyes. "Besides, how do you even know that you will love her once you get your heart back?"

Shae held her gaze for a moment, but then turned away, chewing on her lip ring. "Ah, you've been wondering about that yourself, haven't you?" Regina went on, sporting another evil grin. "It's been almost thirty years since you've felt anything. You have no idea how you're going to feel about her."

Shae was about to respond, when Gold entered the back room. "Any change?" He asked, leaning on his cane.

"No improvement." Shae answered, still glaring into Regina's eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I interrupt a lover's quarrel?" Sneered Gold.

"No." Shae and Regina both responded in unison.

"He needs true love's kiss." Regina said as Shae stepped away from her. "He won't wake up until Snow White comes back."

"Until?" Gold asked, raising his eyebrows at the former Queen. "That's rather optimistic, don't you think?"

"What the hell are you talking about, Gold?" Shae spat, her mood growing more and more sour by the second.

"We're going up against Regina's mother." Gold explained. "The only chance Snow and Emma have of defeating her is with the squid ink, which we all hope our Prince Charming was able to tell his wife about. But, considering his condition, we have no idea if he was able to pass along the message."

"What exactly are you getting at?" Regina asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"We need to consider the possibility that it won't be Emma and Snow White that come through the portal." Gold replied darkly. "It'll be Cora. And none of us want that. Therefore, we must take necessary precautions."

"I guess I have to agree with Rumple on this one." Shae said, glancing over at Regina. "Your mother sounds like one nasty bitch."

Gold nodded at the vampire. "Oh, trust me, she is." He agreed earnestly. "Which is why we need to find out where they're coming through, and destroy the portal."

"But, whoever comes through will die." Regina said, seemingly concerned.

"Exactly." Gold replied with another nod. "But I'm confident that between the three of us we can conjure up enough magic to get the task done."

"Hold on… What if you're wrong?" Shae asked, glancing worriedly from Gold to Regina. "What if Emma and Snow are the ones that come through?"

"Then, I believe that's what people in this world call a 'win-win.'" Gold said, grinning in a way that Shae did not like one bit. "If we stop Cora, Regina is protected from her mother's wrath. If we stop Snow and Emma? Well… Regina becomes the only mother in her son's life."

Shae glanced over at Regina, who was staring silently at the ground, pondering Rumplestiltskin's words. Before Shae could say anything, Gold went on.

"Magic is unpredictable in this world." He said, still grinning. "If something… Unfortunate, were to happen while you were attempting to help, well, Henry could hardly blame you for that, could he?"

Shae stepped in front of Regina, bringing her face dangerously close to the former Queen's. "Regina, no, you can't do this." She said in a low, desperate tone. "If Emma and Snow are really the ones that come through, you can't destroy the portal, you can't do that to Henry. You're trying to be a better mother, remember?"

"She won't be able to be a better anything if Cora comes through." Retorted Gold. "And if she does, she will be a threat to everyone, especially Henry."

Gold stepped up next to Shae, both of them eyeing Regina expectantly. "If you truly want to be a good mother to Henry, to protect him, you'll help me destroy the portal." He went on.

Regina glanced from Gold to Shae for a few long, silent moments. She then looked at Gold, and slowly nodded.

"No!" Shae shouted furiously. "No, I won't let you do this!"

"My, my, that wolf girl of yours has certainly taken a toll on you." Gold sneered at Shae. "You used to be so… Sinister, so conniving."

"That's not who I am anymore." Shae snarled at him.

"No, it's not, is it?" Regina said, grinning devilishly. "What you are now, is my pet."

She held out her hand, and a puff of purple smoke appeared in her open palm. When it faded away, there was a glowing red heart sitting in her hand.

"Now… Sit!" Regina snarled.

She clamped down hard on Shae's heart, and the vampire fell to her knees, screaming in pain. After a few moments of agonized cries from Shae, Regina released her grip. She waved her free hand over Shae's heart, causing it to disappear in another puff of purple smoke.

"You're one manipulative bitch, you know that?" Shae spat through gritted teeth as she got shakily to her feet. She then glared at Gold. "And you… Well, I just really don't like you."

"The feeling's mutual, dearie." Gold replied, clapping the vampire on the shoulder.

Shae clutched her aching chest, watching silently as Regina and Gold marched out the door to the shop. With little other choice, Shae followed them, hoping against hope that somehow, someway, someone would stop them.

XX

Regina and Mr. Gold walked determinedly out into the woods bordering Storybrooke, Shae trailing reluctantly along behind them. The vampire had remained silent as she watched Regina lie to her son, telling Henry that she was going to make sure that Emma and Mary Margaret got home safely. She remained silent still as Regina and Gold ventured down into the mines, and watched as Gold used a dead fairy's wand to absorb all the fairy dust left in Storybrooke. She clenched her fists inside the pockets of her leather jacket, thinking about what Ruby would say if she saw her now.

"You're certain the portal is going to open up all the way out here?" Regina asked Gold as they walked through the forest.

"There." Gold replied, pointing to the wishing well standing a few yards ahead of them. "This is where things once lost are returned to us. This is where Cora will come through."

The three of them stepped up to the well, peering down into it. Shae was shocked to find that the water inside was bubbling.

"So, what are we waiting for?" Regina asked, looking at Gold.

They all stepped away from the well, and Gold turned around, raising the wand into the air. Shae watched in horror as rolling black clouds appeared in the air above them. A jolt of lightning shot down into the well, stirring up a bright green vortex, crackling with electricity.

"Doesn't matter who comes through now." Commented Gold, grinning devilishly at Regina and Shae. "No one can survive this."

"Regina, please, think about what you're doing." Shae pleaded desperately.

"I am thinking about it." Regina snarled back. "I'm protecting my son, and you."

"Me?" Shae asked, looking confused. "Why would you want to protect me?"

Regina was about to respond, but stopped when they all heard footsteps. Her, Shae, and Gold, all whirled around, and found Henry running toward them, Ruby close behind him.

"Mom?" Henry said, staring wide eyed at Regina. "You're not trying to help Emma and Mary Margaret are you?"

"Oh my god…" Ruby breathed, staring from Regina, to Gold, and then, finally, to Shae. "Y-You're going to kill them!"

She turned to Shae, panic in her eyes. "Shae! Do something!"

Shae clenched her fists, staring down at the ground, refusing to meet Ruby's eye. She glanced over at Regina, who was silently glaring at her. She sighed, then shook her head slowly.

Ruby's face fell into an enraged snarl. She stomped up to Shae, shoving her roughly backwards. "I stood up for you!" She screamed at the vampire. "I told Granny, told everyone that you were good, that you'd changed!"

Shae continued to stare silently down at the ground, which made Ruby even more angry. She shoved Shae again, and a loud smack echoed through the trees as she slapped her across the face. Shae staggered back a step, rubbing her cheek.

"You haven't changed." Ruby whispered, her eyes glistening with tears. "You're just the same as you always were, following Regina's every order like a damn puppet."

"I don't have a choice, Ruby!" Shae shouted, finally breaking her silence.

"Yes you do!" Ruby shouted back. "You always have a choice!"

"Actually, I'm afraid you were right the first time." Regina cut in, now glaring fiercely at the she-wolf. "Shae IS my puppet, and she will follow my orders."

Regina then turned her gaze onto the vampire, grinning wickedly. "Now, be a dear and take care of your girlfriend. She's starting to annoy me."

"What? No! I won't hurt her!" Shae replied defiantly.

"Then, I'm afraid I'll have to." Said Gold.

He threw his hand out toward Ruby, sending her flying backward. Ruby's back slammed into a nearby tree, and she slumped to the ground, where she lie motionless.

"NO!" Henry cried.

"RUBY!" Shae screamed.

"Sorry, dearie." Gold said as Shae rushed over to Ruby. "Her incessant yelling was starting to make my head ache."

Shae knelt down next to Ruby, staring helplessly down at her unconscious body. "Ruby? Ruby!" She shouted desperately, gently patting Ruby's cheeks.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Henry asked Regina, his eyes welling with tears.

"I'm helping you, Henry." Regina replied gently. "We can't let Cora come through, you have no idea what she would do to us."

"Emma and Mary Margaret are going to defeat her, they'll be the ones that come through!" Henry pleaded with his mother. "Good always defeats evil! You should know that better than anyone."

Regina stared down at her son in silent shock, obviously stung by the boy's words. "What I know is that my mother will destroy everything I love." She replied, kneeling in front of Henry. "That means you, and-"

Regina paused, glancing over at Shae, who was still kneeling next to Ruby, trying in vain to wake her up. She swallowed hard, her words catching in her throat.

"I just… I can't let that happen." She finished as she straightened up.

Henry pushed past her, rushing toward the well. Regina sped after him, grabbing him by his shoulders and holding him back.

"You can't! Stop it! You can't!" Henry screamed desperately, tears running down his face as he tried to break free of his mother's grip. "You're going to kill them! Please, no! They're going to make it through! We have to turn it off! You're going to kill them!"

Henry managed break free, rushing toward the well again. Regina grabbed his arm, pulling him back. "Shae!" She shouted commandingly.

Shae snapped her head up, and saw Henry struggling against his mother. "Shae, now!" Regina commanded again.

Shae got to her feet, glaring furiously at Regina as she stomped over to Henry. She wrapped an arm around his waist, effortlessly lifting him into the air. She set him back down in front of her again when she had drawn back a few steps, then wrapped an arm around his chest.

"No! Stop it! Let me go!" Henry shouted furiously, tugging at Shae's arm.

"I'm sorry, Henry. I'm so sorry." Shae said, her voice quiet and miserable.

"Emma and Mary Margaret are going to come through! I know it!" Henry screamed at his mother.

"Your Mother's right, Henry." Gold said darkly. "It's going to be Cora."

"No! No, it's not!" Henry insisted. He gave up on his efforts to try and free himself from Shae's iron grip, his arms falling limply to his sides.

"You said you wanted to change, to be better." Henry said to Regina, his voice cracking with emotion. "This is how!"

Regina's expression softened as she looked down at her son's tear stained face. She then glanced up at Shae, who nodded slowly.

"He's right, Regina." Shae said quietly. "You want your son to have faith in you? Then have faith in him."

Regina stared silently at the faces of the two people she loved most in this world, in any world. She bit her lip, struggling with the confliction inside her. She knew that if her mother came through that portal, she would cause nothing but pain for her, and the ones she loved. But, as she gazed down at Henry's hopeful face, she knew she had to stop. Shae was right, she had to have faith.

Regina turned around, stepping up the well. "Regina, no!" Gold shouted, rushing toward her.

Shae threw out her hand, sending the old man hurtling backward through the air. "Hurry, Regina!" She shouted.

Regina placed her hands over the swirling green vortex. Shae and Henry both let out gasps of shock as Regina's body jerked violently, beams of energy shooting up into her arms from the vortex. Her body continued to convulse as she absorbed its power.

"Shae!" Henry suddenly cried, pointing over at Gold, who was staggering to his feet.

"Stay here, Henry. I'll stop him." She told the boy as she released him.

"You sure you want to pick a fight with me, dearie?" Gold snarled as Shae placed herself between him and Regina.

"I'm sure that I've been wanting to give you a nice, fat knuckle sandwich for a long time now." Shae snarled back.

Gold didn't bother with his own witty retort. He summoned a fireball into his hand, hurling it at the vampire. Shae leapt out of the way, rolling across the ground and landing on her stomach.

"REGINA!" She screamed as Gold changed the fireball's course, sending it right toward Regina.

Regina was too busy trying to stop the swirling vortex to notice her peril. Shae threw her hand out again, stopping the fireball just before it hit Regina's back. She swept her hand to the side, the fireball careening to the right, crashing safely into a tree. She rolled onto her back, just in time to grab Gold's arm as he threw himself upon her, a dagger in his hand.

Shae screamed in pain as the tip of the dagger scraped against her cheek, her skin sizzling and smoking. "Where the hell did you get silver from?" She snarled through gritted teeth as she struggled to hold Gold's arm back.

"Oh, I've been saving this just for you, dearie." Gold snarled back with a dangerous grin.

They struggled against each other for a few moments, but Shae finally managed to overpower him. She shoved him off of her, causing the old man to fall back onto the ground. She grabbed the dagger that had fallen from his hand, tossing it into the trees as she got to her feet.

Gold let out a howl of rage from his spot on the ground, throwing his arm out toward Shae. The vampire was sent hurtling backward, grunting in pain as she smacked into a tree. She stumbled forward, attempting to steady herself. At that exact moment, a pulsewave of energy shot out from the well, sending Regina flying backward into Shae.

Shae fell face first into the ground, and Regina fell on top of her a second later, her forehead bouncing painfully off of the back of Shae's head. They both lie still for a moment, trying to steady themselves as the world spun around them. The forest had gone eerily still, the silence broken only by Regina and Shae's groans of pain.

"NO!" Henry suddenly screamed.

Regina used Shae's head as support, pressing the vampire's face into the dirt as she propped herself up. Shae groaned incoherently in protest as Regina turned toward the well. The vortex was gone, but nobody seemed to be coming through.

"Henry… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Regina whispered to her son.

Suddenly, a hand appeared over the side of the well. Henry gasped, and Regina stared in silent shock as Emma pulled herself out, Mary Margaret close behind her.

"Mom!" Henry cried.

"Henry!" Shouted Emma.

Henry ran forward, throwing himself into Emma's arms. Emma hugged him tight, smiling as Snow White threw her arms around both of them.

"Oh, I missed you." Emma whispered, kissing the top of Henry's head. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too!" Henry said, tears of joy now leaking out of his eyes.

"What… Happened?" Snow White asked slowly, staring around at Regina, Shae, and Ruby all on the ground, and Gold silently slipping away into the forest.

"They saved you! They saved both of you!" Henry replied joyfully, smiling at his mother.

"Where's Shae?" Regina suddenly asked, staring all around her.

"Down here." Shae mumbled, her face still being pressed into the ground by Regina's hand.

"Oh!" Regina breathed in surprise, now suddenly noticing that she was sitting on Shae's back.

Emma and Snow both rushed forward, helping Regina and Shae to their feet. Shae spat out a mouthful of dirt, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Thank you." Emma said to Regina, smiling gratefully as she hugged Henry again.

"You're welcome." Regina replied with a curt nod.

"Snow? Emma?"

Ruby had finally regained consciousness. She ran toward Snow, embracing her tightly. She then embraced Emma, and when she pulled back, she looked over at the well, then around at everyone else.

"What happened?" She asked, eyes wide with shock.

"My mom, she stopped it!" Henry replied excitedly. "And Shae, she fought off Rumplestiltskin!"

"Really?" Ruby breathed, turning her wide eyes onto Shae. "Oh, you're hurt!"

Shae traced her finger along the gash the silver dagger had left on her cheek. "Yeah, well, the old fart is a lot stronger than he looks." She muttered with a painful grimace.

Ruby stepped closer to Shae, gently tracing the gash herself. She looked into Shae's eyes, her own suddenly very sad. "Shae… I-I'm sorry." She said quietly. "I shouldn't have-"

"It's ok." Shae cut her off, smiling down at her.

Ruby smiled back, throwing her arms around Shae's neck and kissing her deeply. Emma and Mary Margaret's mouths both gaped open in shock.

"Oh! Well, um, that's certainly, uh…" Snow stammered.

"Something." Emma finished, glancing at Regina in surprise.

"Yes, 'something.'" Regina muttered, looking away from the lovers as they kissed.

"Oh! That reminds me!" Snow suddenly exclaimed. She grabbed Ruby's arm, causing her to break away from Shae. "Where's my husband? I need to find him."

Ruby smiled, taking her friend by the hand. "Come on, let's go wake him up."

XX

Ruby led the group back to Gold's shop, and, once there, Mary Margaret woke her husband from his curse with true love's kiss. They all decided to celebrate the family reunion with dinner at Granny's. As Ruby grabbed Shae by the hand, the vampire glanced back at Regina, who had been standing quietly apart from the rest of the joyous group. Shae's brow furrowed when she saw tears in the former Queen's eyes.

Shae was sitting in a booth at Granny's by herself, staring down at the table, unable to get the heartbroken look on Regina's face out of her mind. She was roused from her silent musings as Emma slid into the booth across from her.

"So, you and Ruby, huh?" She asked, grinning playfully.

"Uh, yeah." Shae replied with a small smile. "It's still pretty new but, uh, she's… She's really great."

"Yeah, she is." Emma agreed with a nod. "Just… Do me a favor? If you gotta break up with her, make sure you at least tell her why. Don't just go running off, ok? Cuz it really sucks, trust me."

Shae stared back down at the table in silent shame. "Yeah, I know." She muttered sadly. "I won't make that mistake again, I promise."

Emma smiled, giving her a nod. She then reached across the table and grabbed Shae's hand, squeezing it gently. "Thank you, Shae, for what you did earlier."

Shae gave a modest shrug. "Eh, I didn't really do anything."

"No, you did." Emma insisted. "Henry told me that you convinced Regina to stop the spell that was going to destroy the portal, and that you fought Gold. In Henry's words, 'It was totally badass!'"

Shae laughed, and Emma did too, slowly shaking her head. "I'm guessing we all have you to thank for teaching him a new bad word."

Shae pretended to look offended. "What? Why do you automatically assume it was me?" She asked. "It was probably Grumpy. Dude swears like a damn sailor."

Emma laughed again, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, he does, doesn't he?" She said. "Seriously, though, thank you. Henry said that you and Regina… You're both trying to change, to be… Good. For what it's worth, I think what you both did today was a huge step."

Shae nodded, chewing on her lip ring anxiously. "Thanks." She muttered.

Emma's brow furrowed as she eyed Shae curiously. "Hey, you ok?" She asked. "You're doing that whole… Sulky, brooding thing that you do."

This time, Shae actually was offended. "I don't sulk, or brood!" She replied indignantly.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Right, sure you don't."

Shae let out a frustrated sigh, getting up from the booth. "I just… I've got something I gotta go take care of."

"What? But we haven't even gotten a chance to catch up!" Complained Emma.

"Yeah, well, we can catch up tomorrow or something." Shae replied, waving her hand dismissively. "Tell Ruby I said bye, alright?"

"Alright." Emma replied with a relenting sigh.

Shae nodded at her, then stepped out into the night air. She paused momentarily to light a cigarette, then set off briskly down the sidewalk. Her thoughts were once again on Regina, how miserable she had looked as she watched her son walk away from her, hand in hand with his real mother. If she had her heart, she thought she might feel sorry for her. Emma was right, Regina had taken a huge step in her quest for change, they both had. For reasons that were unknown to her, even after the way Regina had treated her earlier, it just didn't sit right with her knowing Regina was all alone in her house, likely wallowing in her own misery.

XX

Regina wiped the tears angrily away from her face as they continued to leak from her eyes. She had been sitting on the bench in her back garden for some time now, thinking about everything she had lost that day. Henry had his family back, his real family. Regina had adamantly insisted that, since she had raised Henry, she was his real mother. But, she was starting to feel that wasn't true, not anymore, not after the way she had tried to force him to stay with her, and especially not after today, after she had almost killed Emma and Snow White. If it hadn't been for Shae's words of wisdom, she may have never stopped the portal from being destroyed.

More tears soaked her cheeks as she thought about Shae. She had someone else now, someone who could actually love her properly. Regina knew that Shae and Ruby were good together, that Ruby was good for her. Ruby had never hurt Shae the way that Regina had, never betrayed her. And she most certainly had never, and would never, treat Shae the way that Regina had been treating her. All she wanted was to have Shae back in her arms, to hear her say that she loved her again. But, in her rage and her jealousy, all she had managed to do was push the woman she loved further away.

"If you hold onto something too tight, you'll either break it, or it'll pop right out of your hand, far, far away from you. And once it's gone, or broken, there is very little chance that you'll ever get it back."

Shae's words tolled like a bell throughout Regina's mind. She squeezed her eyes shut, more and more tears flowing down her face. She was thoroughly miserable, her heart and soul immeasurably heavy with the guilt she felt for everything she had done to Shae, and to her son.

"There you are!"

Regina jumped, snapping her head to the side and found Shae standing next to her bench. It was as if her very thoughts had summoned the vampire to her.

"What are you doing back so soon?" Regina asked, hastily wiping the tears from her eyes.

Shae shrugged. "Eh, Snow and Charming kept macking on each other. It was grossing me out."

Regina laughed sourly. "Yes, they are quite a disgusting couple."

"Right? They're all like," Shae then raised her voice into a mocking, sing-song tone. "'I'll always find you! True love conquers all! Meh, meh, meh!' Gross."

Regina laughed again. "That's quite an accurate impression of the two of them."

"Pretty good, right?" Shae said, smiling one of her cheeky and quirky smiles that Regina loved so much.

She turned her face away, wiping more moisture from her face as Shae sat down on the bench next to her. Regina was sure that Shae had noticed she had been crying, but the vampire decided not to mention it.

"That is a pretty great apple tree you've got." Shae said, pointing at the tree in the center of Regina's garden. "You know apples have always been a favorite of mine."

"Yes, I remember." Regina said with a smile.

"Well, you'll be happy to know that in twenty eight years, I never found a single apple that tasted half as good as the ones from your tree." Shae went on, smiling as well.

Regina raised an eyebrow at her. "Is that a euphemism for something?"

"What? No!" Shae replied, looking appalled. "Not everything I say is a euphemism. Get your mind out of the gutter, lady!"

Regina laughed loudly, and Shae laughed with her. Once again, Shae was able to make her laugh and smile when her mind and heart were clouded with darkness. She bit her lip, turning her face away again as she fought back more tears.

"Well, there's a Star Wars marathon starting in about twenty minutes, so that's obviously what I'm going to be doing with the rest of my night." Shae announced, leaping lightly to her feet. "By the way, super awesome that you were able to get cable in a fake, magical town."

Regina followed Shae back into the house. "I can't say I've ever seen it." She said with a shrug.

Shae whirled around, her jaw dropping in disturbed shock. "YOU'VE NEVER SEEN STAR WARS?"

Regina jumped, drawing back a step at Shae's sudden and rather angry outburst. "Um, no, no I haven't." She replied slowly.

"Jesus Christ! What have you people been doing for the last thirty years?" Shae grumbled in reply. She then pointed a finger very seriously at Regina. "Alright, listen here. Get some wine, make some popcorn. This is happening."

Regina chuckled, shaking her head slowly. "Fine, fine."

A few moments later, Regina sat down on the couch next to Shae, pouring two glasses of wine and setting the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table in front of them.

"Alright, buckle up, sister!" Shae said excitedly. "You're about to embark on an epic journey to a galaxy far, far away."

Regina laughed, shaking her head at Shae once again. She was thoroughly amused by how excited the vampire was. She suddenly found herself blushing like a little girl. She found Shae's nerdy enthusiasm to be quite… Adorable.

What Shae did next, however, was much less than adorable. She grabbed a handful of popcorn and shoved it into her mouth. She immediately grimaced, spitting the popcorn out into her hand.

"Ugh! Blech!" She cried, grabbing a nearby tissue wiping the now half chewed popcorn onto it. "It's like… Salty, buttery, crunchy… Awfulness!"

"Why did you tell me to make it if you hate it so much?" Regina asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

Shae downed her entire glass of wine before she responded. "I dunno! Movies and popcorn just… Go together." She said with a shrug. "At least that left a better taste in my mouth than listening to Snow and Charming babbling on about true love for an hour."

Regina chuckled, and so did Shae. They then fell silent for a few moments. "Can I ask you something?" Regina asked eventually.

When Shae nodded at her, she went on. "True love… Do you really think it exists?"

Shae shrugged. "Well, considering I just watched true love's kiss break an otherwise unbreakable sleeping curse, yeah, I guess I have to."

Regina nodded slowly, biting her lip, thinking about the night, years ago, that she had ran away from her apparent one true love. The fairy Tinkerbell had used her fairy dust to cast a spell, leading her and Regina to a tavern. Tinkerbell had told her that the man inside, the man with the lion tattoo, was her soulmate. But Regina refused to believe it, certain that it was a mistake, a trick. There was no such thing as true love.

That had all changed when she met Shae. Her world had turned upside down the moment that her lips connected with the vampire's for the very first time. Her and Shae had been so happy together for so long, and she had truly started to believe that she had found her true love, her soulmate. But, considering everything that had happened between them, she was starting to think that maybe she was right the first time.

"Why?" Shae asked her, giving her a curious stare.

Regina bit her lip again, choosing her next words carefully. "What you and Ruby have… Do you think it's true love?" She asked quietly.

Shae's face fell into a frown, and she glanced away from Regina. "I… I don't know." She replied slowly. "I'm not sure if people like you and me are actually allowed to have true love."

Regina frowned as well. "Do you really think that?"

Shae thought for a moment, then sighed heavily. "Oh, I don't know." She said with a small smile. "I guess even the blackest of hearts could find true love someday."

Regina nodded slowly, pondering Shae's words. She then shifted in her seat slightly, turning her body to face Shae. She took Shae's hand, staring remorsefully into the vampire's blood red eyes.

"Shae… I… I'm sorry, for the way I've been treating you lately." She told her. "Especially for today. I have been… Struggling, and I took my frustrations out on you. I'm trying to do better, to be better, for Henry. Treating you as poorly as I have been is certainly not a step in the right direction. I'm just… Sorry."

Shae stared silently at Regina for a few, long moments, seemingly unable to believe what she was hearing. She then smiled a warm and grateful smile.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"No, thank you." Regina replied, squeezing her hand gently. "For convincing me to have faith in my son, to do the right thing. And for this, for tonight. For leaving the party so… So I wouldn't be alone. I… Appreciate it more than you know."

"Well, I didn't… I just… I told you, I-" Shae began to stammer. She then stopped, breathing out a sigh, and nodding at Regina. "You're welcome."

Shae then gasped as a loud, symphonic note emanated from the television. "Shh! It's starting!" She said, excitedly patting Regina's knee.

Regina watched for a moment, then gave Shae a puzzled glance. "It's only scrolling text."

"IT'S IMPORTANT."

"Alright, alright. My god…"

Regina watched for a while, but, as much as she wanted to enjoy the movie, mostly due to Shae's gleeful excitement, the exhaustion from the day's events began to wash over her. Before she knew it, she found herself lying curled up on the couch, her eyelids growing heavier by the second. She was just about to fall asleep, when she felt Shae stirring by her feet. She ever so slightly opened her eyes, and smiled as Shae pulled the blanket off the back of the couch, tucking it gently around her.

Having seen all the Star Wars movies several hundred times already, Shae was not overly focused on the television herself. She was thinking about the question Regina had posed to her, about true love. She had said that perhaps someone like herself would be able to find true love someday, but she wasn't entirely sure if she believed her own words. She found herself reminiscing about a time when she had thought she had found true love, about the first time she had told Regina that she loved her.

XXXXX

Shae stared up at the tall, pointed towers of Queen Regina's castle as she walked up the pathway to the palace's grand doors. Regina had sent her out on a scouting mission a few days prior. Prince James and Snow White had retaken King George's castle, and his army, and Regina thought it best to send Shae out alone to see exactly how much of his father's army the Prince was able to gain.

A group of The Queen's soldiers snapped to attention as the vampire walked by, saluting her. "As you were, gents." She told them with a grin.

She chuckled as The Huntsman fell into step beside her. "Ah, my heart still gets all aflutter when men salute me." She said with a grin.

"What news do you bring The Queen?" The Huntsman asked her.

"Well, The Prince and Snow White have decided to change the color scheme of their army's uniforms. Terribly drab, if you ask me. I much prefer the old ones."

The Huntsman narrowed his eyes at the vampire. "I meant, about the size of the army." He grumbled. "Is it more vast than Regina's?"

"That's on a need to know basis." Shae replied. "And you don't need to know."

The Huntsman grabbed the vampire's arm roughly, causing her to stop in her tracks. "What exactly do you think you're doing, Huntsman?" Shae growled at him dangerously.

"I'm trying to help you." The Huntsman replied in a low voice, stepping closer to her.

"Help me with what?" Shae asked, eyeing him warily.

"I know what you've been doing, I know you've been sharing The Queen's bed every night." The Huntsman replied, dropping his voice even lower. "I've seen the way you look at her. You love her, don't you?"

Shae drew back a step, narrowing her eyes angrily at The Huntsman. "That's none of your damn business!"

The Huntsman stepped forward again. "Well, I'm making it my business." He said, glaring into the vampire's blood red eyes. "Heed my words, if you value your life, your freedom, you'll leave this place, and run as far away from Regina as you can."

"Trying to get rid of me, are you?" Shae sneered at him. "Well, I'm not going anywhere. I'm exactly where I want to be."

"Then I suggest you watch your step, bloodsucker." Growled The Huntsman. "Never do anything to betray The Queen, don't ever even think it. Otherwise, she'll steal your heart just as she stole mine."

Shae chuckled, shaking her head slowly in disbelief. "Oh, I see." She muttered, grinning devilishly at The Huntsman. "Sorry, my friend, but this isn't the first time I've stolen a man's lover. I'm not sure what it is exactly you men do in bed, but it must be terribly dull."

"She is not my lover!" The Huntsman snarled. "I meant that she literally ripped my heart out of my chest using her dark magic."

Shae's grin fell into a shocked stare. "Ah, I see. I always wondered what it was that Regina held over you. You've never seemed overly pleased to be here."

"Aye, that's because I'm not here of my own will." The Huntsman replied darkly. "She uses my heart to keep me prisoner here, to make me her puppet."

"I see." Shae muttered. "I had heard stories, seen her vault, but I've never actually seen her take someone's heart in person. Must be quite a site to see."

The Huntsman drew back a step, eyeing the vampire incredulously. "Does it not bother you that the woman you love steals people's hearts?"

Shae gave an unconcerned shrug. "Not particularly."

The Huntsman's face fell into a fearsome glare. "Then you're just as blackhearted as she is." He growled. "You two truly deserve each other."

"Aw! That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Huntsman!" Shae said mockingly, patting the man's cheek. "Now, get lost."

Shae turned away from him, continuing down the walkway toward the castle. "And take a bath!" She called over her shoulder. "You stink like a wet dog!"

The vampire chuckled when she heard some angry grumbling from behind her. She had now reached the palace doors, and she threw them open. Regina had obviously gotten word of her arrival. She was seated on her throne, several armed guards surrounding her.

Shae smiled as she approached her Queen. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered wildly, as they always did when she saw Regina. Even though she had only been gone a few days, she had missed Regina terribly. All she wanted to do was hold her in her arms, kiss her, tell her how much she missed her.

"Welcome back, my protector." The Queen said as Shae approached the throne.

Shae bowed low. "It's good to be back, Your Majesty."

When Shae glanced back up, she found Regina smiling down at her, a smile that she reserved only for Shae. She then cleared her throat, smoothing out her face.

"What news do you bring?" She asked.

"I fear The Prince and Snow White have managed to salvage almost the whole entirety of King George's army." Shae replied grimly.

Regina frowned down at her. "I see. And does their army rival the strength of my own?"

Shae gave another unconcerned shrug. "Perhaps." She admitted. "But, we have certain advantages that they don't."

Regina raised an eyebrow at her. "And what exactly are these advantages?"

Shae grinned, spreading her arms wide. "Why, the two of us, of course!" She replied, as if the answer should have been obvious. "You are a formidable force all on your own, and you've seen my particular abilities. Together, we could take down a whole score of their men before your own even have a chance to bloody their blades."

Shae took a step forward, grinning deviously. "They may have numbers, but you needn't fear that. When the times comes, we will unleash hell upon Snow White and her Prince."

The grin that spread across The Evil Queen's face matched the wicked deviousness of Shae's. "Your thirst for blood knows no bounds, does it?"

Shae gave another shrug. "No, it doesn't. It's my nature."

"Indeed." Regina muttered in agreement. "You have done well, my protector."

She stood up from her throne, waving her hand dismissively at her guards. "Leave us." She commanded.

Regina stepped slowly down from her throne, and, as soon as the doors swung shut behind her guards, Shae rushed forward, pulling Regina tightly into her arms, kissing her passionately.

"You came back!" Regina whispered as they broke apart, taking Shae's face gently in her hands.

"I always come back." Shae replied with a smile, leaning in and kissing her again.

The words they had just spoke were ones that they always said to each other anytime they were reunited after a time apart. Unbeknownst to both of them, those words were their ways of telling the other, 'I love you.' Regina had been aching to actually say it for quite some time, and so was Shae, but they were both afraid. They had both gained nothing but pain and misery from love before, and neither of them wanted to go through it again.

Shae couldn't hold it in any longer. The Huntsman had been right, she did love Regina. She loved her with her whole heart, her entire soul. She had never felt anything quite so intense in her life, not even when she had Nadia. She had to tell Regina how she felt. She only hoped that her Queen would feel the same.

"Are you alright?" Regina suddenly asked, staring into Shae's blood red eyes with concern. "You're shaking."

Shae glanced down at her hands, and noticed that were indeed quivering. She swallowed hard, nodding hastily.

"Yes… I-I mean, no." She replied uncertainly. "I mean… I think… I-I don't… I don't know."

"Shae, what's wrong?" Regina asked, placing her hand gently on Shae's cheek.

Shae let out a heavy sigh, attempting to stop her hands from shaking. She gently removed Regina's hand from her cheek, taking both of them in her own cold, pale hands.

"I-I need to tell you something… Something important." She said slowly.

"What is it?" Breathed Regina, now looking more concerned than ever.

Shae glanced down at her, swallowing the hard lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "Regina… I-I think… No, I know… I-I, um…" Shae began to stammer.

She stopped, staring into The Queen's gorgeous brown eyes. "Regina… I… I love you."

Regina's mouth gaped open in silent shock. She pulled her hands out of Shae's grip, drawing back a step. "What?" She breathed.

Shae stepped forward, cupping Regina's face in her hands. "I am so deeply, ridiculously in love with you." She whispered softly. "When we're together, my mind is at peace, all the pain and the heartache I've endured in my many years seems to fade away, and the whole world, everything in life, actually seems to make sense."

Shae used her thumb to wipe away a tear that had leaked out of Regina's eye. "And when we're apart? It's… Agony." She went on, staring deep into The Queen's eyes. "It's been agony, you not knowing how I felt about you. I've been wanting to say it for such a long time, since the day you came back into my life, the day you saved me from Van Helsing and his men. I… I couldn't go on not saying it anymore."

Regina remained in silent shock. When she turned her face away from Shae, the vampire gently placed a hand under her chin, turning her head back to face her.

"Please, if you feel anything for me, if you're suffering too, please… Please, tell me." She whispered urgently, desperately searching The Queen's eyes.

Regina turned away again, stepping back and turning her back on the woman she loved. The fear she felt was too great, the pain of Daniel's death still fresh in her mind and heart, even after all the years that had passed. She couldn't do it, not again.

"I don't." She answered quietly. "I don't love you, Shae."

Shae stood rooted in her spot, her jaw dropping open. "What? N-No!" She exclaimed. "You do feel something, I know you do!"

"What you think you know is your own self absorbed delusion!" Regina replied scathingly, whirling back around to face Shae. "What I wanted from you was merely physical, nothing more. I feel nothing for you."

Tears started to stream down Shae's face, and Regina bit back her own. She knew she had just broken Shae's heart, and her own in the process. But it was better this way, safer, for the both of them.

"No…" Shae whispered, choking back a sob. "I-I thought-"

"You thought wrong." Regina snarled at her. "Now, get out!"

"What?"

"You are hereby relieved of your position and your duties." Regina commanded. "I can't have you around if this is how you truly feel. Your feelings for me will only get in my way."

"Regina, please, I-"

"You heard me. GET. OUT."

Regina threw her hands out toward Shae, sending the vampire shooting backwards, back out the doors to her throne room. Shae landed on her back on the cobblestone pathway outside the castle. She scrambled to her feet just as the palace doors slammed shut before her.

Shae whirled around when she heard someone chuckling behind her. It was The Huntsman, grinning at her in a knowing way.

"I tried to warn you." He said.

Shae let out a roar of rage, throwing out her hand, The Huntsman careening backward through the air. She held out her other hand as Regina's soldiers drew their swords, and one of the men's weapons flew out of his hand, and into Shae's.

Shae's eyes glowed red as she set upon the unfortunate soldiers. Blood splattered all over the cobblestones as the vampire raged, taking out all her pain and sorrow on the men before her. When only one man was left alive, he fell to his knees, begging for mercy.

"Please! Please, spare me!" He cried.

Shae threw the sword aside and, for a moment, the poor man thought he was saved. There was a loud, sickening squelching noise as Shae plunged her fist directly through the soldier's chest. He slumped lifeless to the ground as Shae held his heart in her hand, blood and guts dripping onto the ground. Shae clenched her fist, blood splattering onto her pale gray face as she crushed the man's heart in her hand.

Shae observed the carnage at her feet, her chest heaving with rage. She fell to her knees, her whole body shaking with uncontrollable sobs. The woman she loved didn't love her back. Her heart, her whole world, had once again been shattered.

The doors to the castle suddenly burst open. Shae leapt to her feet, expecting, hoping even, to find Regina. Instead, a score of soldiers came rushing out the doors, all armed with swords. Shae squeezed her eyes shut. This was it, it was all over. She, once again, had nothing left. The soldiers halted as there was a whirl of blood red smoke, and Shae was gone.

XXXXX

To properly celebrate Emma and Mary Margaret's return, Granny and Ruby decided to throw a welcome back party for them at the diner. Half the town of Storybrooke was gathered at Granny's, and once everyone had a drink in hand, David gave a toast.

"I just wanted to thank you all for joining us tonight." He said. "Mary Margaret and I, we have a saying… That we will always find each other."

He paused, smiling at his wife. "While I believe that with all my heart, I'd like you all to raise your glasses and join me when I say," He paused again, raising his mug of beer. "Here's to not having to look for a while."

"To Mary Margaret and Emma!" Ruby exclaimed, also raising her glass.

The party goers all cheered, raising their glasses and drinking deep. The bell over the diner's door tinkled, and they all turned to see who had arrived. The atmosphere in the diner instantly shifted as Regina stepped in.

"Sorry we're late." Regina said, smiling and holding up a casserole dish.

"What up, party people?" Shae sang out, dramatically jumping through the door behind Regina, her guitar strapped to her back. Her face fell into a frown as she glanced around at everyone's angry and wary faces.

"Woah, bad vibes in here." She muttered. "Came in a little too hot, sorry guys."

"Hey!" Ruby exclaimed, running over to Shae and throwing her arms around her, kissing her happily.

Leroy suddenly grabbed a large knife from off the counter, stomping forward and brandishing it furiously. "What the hell are they doing here?" He growled.

Shae sighed, leaving one arm around Ruby's waist and holding out her other hand. The knife flew out of Leroy's hand, and into Shae's.

"Rude." Shae said, narrowing her eyes at Leroy, placing the knife safely back onto the counter.

"It's alright, everyone, I invited them." Emma told the crowd.

"That's right, and Bianca and I are the entertainment for the evening." Shae said, pulling her guitar off her back.

The party goers all, a bit begrudgingly, went back to chatting amongst themselves. Shae began tuning her guitar as Regina set her dish down on the counter with the rest of the food.

"You named your guitar Bianca?" Henry asked Shae with a laugh.

"Of course! Why is everyone so surprised by that?" Shae asked indignantly.

"Ask her what she named her bus." Ruby said, nudging the boy's arm.

"What'd you name your bus?" Henry asked.

"Blanche."

"Why?"

"Because, she may be a bit old, but she's still damn sexy." Shae replied with a grin.

Henry laughed, and Regina smiled too, shaking her head slowly. Henry sat on a barstool next to his mother, and she put some of the lasagna she had made on a plate for him.

"I'm really glad you came." Henry told her, smiling up at his mother.

Regina smiled back. "Me too." She said, gently ruffling his hair.

"Any requests for tonight, little man?" Shae asked Henry as she continued to tune her guitar. She then narrowed her eyes, pointing at him. "Don't you dare say anything by Taylor Swift!"

Henry wrinkled his nose. "Ew, no!" He cried. He then looked down at the ground, thinking silently for a moment. "How about… We are the Champions?"

"Oh! Yeah, that's a good one!" Ruby said excitedly. "Do you know it?"

"Of course!" Shae replied, grinning at both of them. "Will you sing with me?" She asked Ruby.

"Me? No! I'm not any good." Ruby replied, shoving Shae's arm playfully.

"Yes you are! You're really good!" Shae insisted.

"No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are!" Shae replied. "I said it last. No arguing!"

She planted a quick kiss on Ruby's lips as she hurried past her. Ruby laughed as Shae stepped into the center of the diner, strumming on her guitar. She started to play and sing We are the Champions, just like Henry had asked.

On the other side of the diner, Snow and Charming were chastising their daughter. They were not pleased that Emma had invited Regina and Shae.

"We're celebrating today because of them!" Emma was saying. "They helped us get home. No matter what they did in the past, we owe them our thanks now."

"Emma! They tried to kill us. Yesterday!" Cried Snow.

"No, they didn't." Retorted Emma. "Regina, she's trying to change for Henry. He believes in her. And, right now, that's good enough for me."

Snow and Charming exchanged a worried glance. Emma let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, I couldn't have changed if I wasn't given a chance." She went on. "So, she gets one, too. They both do."

They all glanced over at Shae, who was now singing the chorus to We are the Champions raucously, Henry singing along with her.

"Henry says that Shae is trying to change too." Emma told her parents. "And she has, I know it. You guys may have known her as an… An evil, hell raising creature back in the day, but that's not who she is any more, trust me."

"She broke your heart." Snow replied, folding her arms across her chest.

Emma sighed. "Yeah, but, you know, it was complicated."

"Emma, listen. You weren't there the last time we gave both Regina and Shae a chance to change their ways." David said seriously. "We gave them every chance to atone for the things they had done, and they both threw it in our faces."

"What are you talking about? What happened?" Emma asked.

David and Snow exchanged another worried glance. "It was the day we were going to execute Regina." Snow explained, then went on in a rush at the horrified look on Emma's face. "W-We didn't go through with it, obviously! But, before she was going to be executed, we gave Regina the chance to clear her conscience. But all she did was spout out more evil, more hate. And afterwards? We tried again, but she still tried to kill me, chose vengeance."

"And Shae? She decimated dozens of our soldiers trying to free Regina, without even a second thought. She enjoyed it, laughed about it." David went on darkly. "We stopped her, managed to capture her. And even after we told her that we had spared Regina, and gave her the chance to walk away free and take Regina away to some far away land, she refused, she tried to kill Snow, again. Said she'd rather stay in the dungeon and wait for the day she could rip our hearts out and feed them to us."

Emma stared down at the ground, chewing on her bottom lip. Snow took her husband by the hand, her eyes full of sadness.

"Look, all we're saying is that they've been given a chance before." Snow told her daughter gently. "And it did not go well. It did not go well at all…"

XXXXX

"When I look back at everything I've done, I want you all to know what I feel. And that is… Regret."

The once terrible and powerful Evil Queen was shackled to a post, garbed only in a gray cotton dress, completely stipped of all her magic, about to be executed. Snow White and Prince Charming expected her to show remorse for the things that she had done, to repent. But she wouldn't. She would not beg her enemies for mercy, she would not give them the satisfaction. She was The Evil Queen, and she would be just that, until the end.

"Regret, that I was not able to cause more pain. Inflict more misery. And bring about more death." She went on, her lips curling into a snarl as she glared at Snow White.

Snow closed her eyes, turning away from Regina with silent disappointment. "And above all else," Regina called out in a clear, ringing voice. "With every ounce of my being, I regret that I was not able to kill Snow White!"

Regina laughed maniacally as the crowd began to shout angry threats at her. "Arrows!" Commanded The Prince, leaping to his feet.

Four soldiers armed with longbows stepped forward, and that was the last thing Regina saw before a blindfold was placed over her eyes. Her heart began to race wildly. There was one more thing she regretted, a regret so terrible that she couldn't bare to speak it. She regretted that she hadn't told Shae that she loved her. Shae would go the rest of her days without knowing just how much Regina loved her. She had never regretted anything more.

"Take your aim!" Charming called out again.

Regina heard the sound of bow strings being pulled tight. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears running down her cheeks, Shae's face swimming before her eyes.

"FIRE!"

Regina's heart stopped, and she drew in a sharp breath, waiting for the pain. But, it never came. She heard cries and gasps of shock from the crowd.

"What's going on?" The Prince shouted angrily.

"Come now, did you really think I was going to let you idiots kill her? Please."

The blindfold suddenly flew off of Regina's eyes. Regina blinked a few times, and saw that the arrows were hovering in mid air, just in front of her face. A stranger in black leather armor and a black hood stood at the front of the crowd, arm outstretched at the arrows. The stranger drew down the hood, and the crowd drew in a collective gasp of shock.

"Shae!" Regina shouted, tears of joy now running down her face. "You came back!"

"I always come back." Shae replied with a wink.

With her arm still outstretched before her, she turned her hand, as if she were turning a knob. The arrows turned on the spot, pointing at their owners. Shae flicked her wrist, and the arrows flew forward, their tips burying themselves into the hearts of the soldiers.

"Oops." Shae said with a shrug, grinning at Snow White and The Prince. "It slipped."

The crowd gathered all broke apart, running hastily away from the vampire. The only ones that remained were The Seven Dwarves, Jiminy Cricket, Red, and her Granny. Shae stepped over the bodies of the dead soldiers, walking slowly toward Snow White and Charming. Red suddenly stepped between them, glaring fiercely at the vampire.

"Oh, go lie down, dog. Go chew on a bone or something." Shae said before Red could get in a word.

Shae flicked her hand casually to the side, sending the she-wolf hurtling through the air. She slammed into the stone wall, crashing senseless to the ground.

"RED!" Snow cried, leaping to her feet and making to run to her friend.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Shae said, wagging a finger at her and grinning dangerously. "We need to have a talk."

Snow stopped where she was, eyeing the vampire warily. "Now then." Shae went on. "I think it's awfully rude of you not to invite me to the party."

Snow and The Prince exchanged a puzzled but nervous glance. "Unless, maybe my invitation got lost somewhere?" Shae went on. "Pigeons aren't exactly reliable, you know."

"Guards!" Charming suddenly shouted.

Shae whirled around as a dozen or so soldiers all came running into the courtyard toward her, all armed to the teeth with swords, shields, and spears.

"I'm guessing that's all silver, then?" Shae asked, glancing over her shoulder at The Prince.

"That's right, your one weakness." Charming snarled in reply.

"Well, that, and powerful, dark haired women." Shae replied, glancing over at Regina and giving her a wink.

The vampire disappeared in a puff of blood red smoke as the soldiers reached her. She re-appeared on the platform with Regina, who was still tied to the post.

"Where do you people keep silver from, anyway?" Shae asked, resting her elbow on Regina's shoulder. She then looked down at Regina and shrugged. "Royalty… Am I right?"

"Stop showing off." Regina told her, rubbing her aching wrists as Shae magically unlocked her shackles. She couldn't help but smile at the woman she loved, though.

"You know how much I love a bit of showmanship." Shae said, pouting her lips slightly. "But, I suppose you're right. Best get on with it."

With her powers still gone, Regina remained where she was, watching Shae, a triumphant grin on her face. Shae disappeared again as the soldiers surrounded the platform, whistling at them as she reappeared behind them. The soldiers turned around, brandishing their weapons and advancing slowly toward the vampire.

Shea's eyes began to glow bright red as she sported another evil grin. "Oh, this is going to be fun."

She held out her hands, and two swords went flying out of the soldier's hands, landing in her own. She was a black blur of motion as she set upon the men, only re-appearing for seconds at a time as she took down soldier after soldier. Regina started to laugh maniacally, and Snow White and Prince Charming watched in silent horror as the blood of their soldiers soaked the ground.

There was a sickening crunch as Shae plunged a sword into the top of the last soldier's head, blood soaking his terrified face as he slumped lifeless to the ground. Shae tossed her swords to the ground, stepping around the dead men as she slowly swaggered over to Snow White and The Prince.

"I didn't have to do that, you know." Shae said, gesturing to the dead soldiers. "You'll find I'm just as harmless and loveable as a teddy bear, unless you make me angry."

Shae stopped just in front of The Prince and Snow White, her face falling into a menacing scowl. "And you've made me very, very angry."

"We knew you'd come to try and save Regina." Snow said hotly. "We're more than prepared for you."

"Right, let me guess what's in store for me next…" Shae said, tapping a finger against her chin as she thought. "I'm going to guess… Archers on the battlements?"

Snow and Charming exchanged another worried glance. The Prince then raised his hand in the air and, just as Shae had guessed, a score of thirty or so soldiers popped up all over the battlements circling the courtyard, pointing their silver arrows down at Shae. She was surrounded, and outnumbered, but the vampire was still unconcerned, continuing to joke sarcastically.

"Oh! I got it right! Do I win a prize?" She asked Snow and Charming, clapping her hands excitedly. "Is it a pony? I've always wanted a pony! Oh, don't tell me. I want it to be a surprise!"

"Do you ever stop talking?" The Prince asked irritably.

"I do, actually." Shae answered with a cheeky grin. "When I'm killing and making love."

Shae chuckled as Snow and The Prince glowered at her. "I'm willing if she is." She went on, pointing at Snow. "Sorry, Charming, you're just not my type."

Shae laughed again as they continued to silently glare at her. "No? Ah, well, too bad. Guess I'll just have to kill you then."

"ARCHERS!" The Prince bellowed.

Faster than anyone could blink, Shae rushed forward, grabbing two shields from the fallen soldiers and holding them out at her sides, crouching down behind them. As the archers all fired their shots, Shae spun in a circle, the arrows shooting harmlessly into the shields. Shae threw the shields to the ground, moving quickly as the archers all reloaded their bows.

Shae disappeared in another puff of red smoke, and was lost from sight as she set upon the soldiers on the battlements. Snow White let out a cry of shock, grabbing The Prince's arm as a dead soldier landed in front of her, his head twisted all the way around grotesquely.

"Fools!" Regina shouted, laughing evilly once again. "You had no idea exactly what she was capable of, did you?"

The Prince and Snow both leapt back as another dead man landed in front of them, an arrow protruding from the center of his forehead.

"You're all doomed!" Regina snarled, laughing louder.

Shae reappeared in the center of the courtyard, holding a soldier by either side of his head. Charming and Snow rushed forward, but stopped when Shae snapped his neck in front of them, the poor man slumping to the ground at the vampire's feet.

"Well, that certainly was fun." Shae said, her face speckled with blood. "But I'm through playing games."

She disappeared again, reappearing momentarily behind Snow White. She grabbed her by her shoulders, and was gone, appearing again on the platform next to Regina, holding a dagger to Snow White's throat.

"SNOW!" Charming shouted, rushing forward.

"Now then." Shae said, a triumphant ring in her voice. "We'll be going now, and dear Snow is coming with us. You'd better hope Regina is the one to kill her, because what I have planned is very slow, and very painful."

"Oh, my plan is very much the same." Regina replied, grinning deviously.

"Really? Oh, well nevermind then." Shae said with a shrug. "It's going to be slow and painful either way."

"You're a monster." Snow snarled.

"Sticks and stones, darling, sticks and stones." Shae replied nonchalantly.

"BLUE, NOW!" Charming suddenly shouted.

"What?" Shae breathed.

"SHAE!" Regina cried in alarm, pointing up at the sky.

Shae spotted The Blue Fairy racing through the sky toward her. She shoved Snow White away from her, leaping through the air and off the platform as the fairy hurled a ball of fairy dust at her. She tucked and rolled deftly, landing on one knee. She spun around, putting her hand out just in time to stop another ball of fairy dust in its tracks.

"FAIRIES ATTACK!" The Blue Fairy shrieked, pointing down at the vampire.

Shae swept her hand to the side, sending the dust ball she was holding in mid air flying into the stone wall. She whirled around, and watched in horror as a very large group of fairies came flying over the battlements and straight toward her.

"NO!" Regina screamed. "SHAE, RUN!"

Shae rolled out of the way again as several balls of dust came pelting toward her. She dodged left and right as she ran toward Regina, and leapt through the air as a ball of fairy dust landed behind her. Regina gasped in horror as at the exact moment Shae disappeared in a whirl of red smoke, several fairies surrounded her, pelting her body with dust.

Regina jumped in fright as Shae reappeared next to her, crashing down onto the wooden platform. Regina helped her back to her feet as the fairies hovered before them. Shae threw her hand out at them, but nothing happened. She tried again, and again, then stared down at her own hands in confusion.

"What have you done to me?" She growled at the fairies.

"You've been stripped of your magic." The Blue Fairy answered, looking smug. "You're powerless, helpless as a mortal now."

"Guards!" Prince Charming bellowed.

"I can still use a sword." Shae snarled. "I can still fight!"

"No, Shae, don't! They'll kill you!" Regina begged her, grabbing her shoulders and turning her body to face her.

Regina then threw her arms around Shae's neck, kissing her urgently. Shae hesitated for a moment in shock, but then she wrapped her arms tightly around her, kissing her back fiercely. They broke apart when they heard pounding footsteps, and saw another score of soldiers rushing toward them.

"No! I-I can't… I have to-" Shae stammered, her face stricken with panic.

"Shae, stop! Just stop." Regina pleaded, tears welling in her eyes. She took Shae's face in her hands, staring deep into her eyes as the tears fell down her face.

"I love you!" Regina told her desperately. "I'm sorry I didn't say it before, sorry that I turned you away. I was afraid. But I do love you, I love you more than anything."

"Oh, Regina… I love you too." Shae breathed, pulling her into her arms and kissing her again.

The soldiers were upon them now. They pulled them apart, dragging Shae off of the platform. "Take her away!" The Prince commanded them. "And put The Queen back in her shackles."

"No! No, don't!" Shae screamed, struggling against the soldiers that were holding her arms.

"Archers!" The Prince shouted as Regina was once again chained to the post.

"SHAE!" Regina screamed, her eyes streaming with tears.

"REGINA!"

"Take your aim!" The Prince commanded once again.

Regina choked out a sob as the soldiers dragged Shae around the corner, and she was lost from sight. The blindfold was placed over her eyes once again. She clenched her fists as she faced death for the second time that day. At least now, this time, she got to tell Shae that she loved her. She could die in peace, now knowing that she had amended the one thing that she regretted most.

XX

"FIRE!"

"NOOOO!"

Shae kicked and screamed as the soldiers dragged her farther and farther away. She screamed, cried, and swore at them all the while as they marched her down into the dungeons. They tossed her in a dark, damp cell, slamming the door shut behind them.

"Long live The Queen, eh?" One of the soldiers sneered at her through the bars.

"FUCK YOU!" Shae screamed back.

The soldiers all laughed at her as they walked away, leaving the vampire alone in the dark. Shae screamed into the silence, punching the stone walls of her cell furiously. She finally collapsed to the ground, the flesh on her knuckles a mangled mess.

"Regina…" She sobbed, pressing her face into the cold, hard ground.

It had happened all over again, she had lost the woman she loved. The thing that she had feared most all the while she had been with Regina, falling deeper and deeper in love with her, had actually come to pass. She curled herself into a ball as she sobbed wildly, pulling at fistfulls of her hair.

"I'll kill them…" Shae whispered into the dark, pushing herself up onto her knees. "I swear to you, Regina, I will rip their still beating hearts out of their chests for what they've done to you. They'll pay… THEY'LL PAY."

She slammed her fists into the ground, and collapsed to the floor once again, her body shaking with sobs. She had no idea how long she lie there in her cell, sobbing uncontrollably. There were no windows in Snow White and Prince Charming's dungeon. It could have been minutes, hours, days, weeks, the vampire had no concept of time any more. The only thoughts that filled her head were those of rage, sorrow, and, most of all, vengeance.

The sobbing had stopped now, but she continued to lie in a ball on the ground, the pain deep in her heart too great to even sit up. She did pick her head up, however, when she heard a door creaking open. She heard footsteps, and saw torchlight in the distance, two figures coming closer and closer.

She got to her feet when she realized that the figures were that of Snow White and Prince James, the two people she hated most at that particular moment. They stopped just in front of her cell.

"BASTARDS!" Shae bellowed.

She rushed forward, reaching through the bars and managing to grab Snow White by her throat. For one, glorious moment, Shae saw the fear in her eyes as she struggled for breath. Then her Prince managed to free her, and she stumbled back, gasping and holding her throat.

"I told you it was pointless to come down here." Charming said, glaring at Shae.

Shae pressed her face against the bars, grinning at them, her eyes wild with rage. "Yes, you'd better just kill me." She spat. "Because when I break out of here, and, trust me, I will break out, I'm going to tear you both to FUCKING PIECES!"

"You're not going anywhere, bloodsucker." The Prince snarled at her. "You have no powers. You heard The Blue Fairy, you're as weak as a mortal now."

"Sure, I may be now." Shae agreed, still grinning madly. "But I know how fairy dust works, I know it won't last forever. And when the time comes, I'm going to unleash hell on you and everyone you love."

"That time won't ever come for you." Snow said menacingly.

Snow placed two fingers in her mouth, whistling loudly. A moment later, The Blue Fairy fluttered in, carrying a large sack of fairy dust. She hovered just before the bars of Shae's cell, glowering down at the vampire.

"Oh, I really look forward to ripping those damn wings off you and shoving them down your throat." Shae snarled at her. "Maybe I'll shove that wand up your ass too, for good measure."

"Pathetic creature…" The Blue Fairy spat back at her.

She reached into her sack of fairy dust, and tossed a handful at Shae. It hit her in the chest, and her whole body glowed with a pale blue light for a moment. Shae fell to her knees, feeling all the power and energy draining out of her once again.

"Wait!" Shae called out as Snow, Prince Charming, and The Blue Fairy all turned to leave. "Please! C-Can I see her?"

Snow exchanged a curious glance with her husband. "I won't try to escape, won't cause a fuss, I swear it." Shae went on desperately, her wild rage from just moments before now gone. "I just… I want to say goodbye."

Tears began to flow down the vampire's cheeks as she gripped the bars of her cell, staring up at them pleadingly. "Please… Just let me say goodbye to the woman I love."

Snow White's expression softened as she stared down at Shae, head bowed, her body shaking with sobs. She stepped up to the cell, kneeling down in front of her. She placed her hand over Shae's, and the vampire snapped her head up, eyeing her warily.

"You really are just a pitiful creature of darkness, aren't you?" She whispered, staring into Shae's eyes sadly. "What kind of life have you had? What kind of horrors have you seen and been through? I can't even begin to imagine the kind of things you've endured that made… This."

Shae pulled her hand away from the bars, away from Snow. She wrapped her arms around her legs, drawing them up to her chest and resting her head on her knees.

"What does it matter?" Charming asked his wife. "She's terrorized us and our entire kingdom alongside Regina for years. She just decimated dozens of our soldiers, and laughed about it! Snow, she's evil!"

Snow waved her hand dismissively at her husband, and turned back to Shae, who was now slowly rocking back and forth.

"You really love her, don't you?" Snow asked her quietly.

Shae stopped her rocking and picked her head up, glaring at Snow with bloodshot eyes. "Let me tell you something, Snow White." She snarled. "We vampires feel much more intensely than you humans do. You and your Prince? You've no idea what love really is, what pain really is."

She dropped her head back onto her knees, resuming rocking. Snow glanced back at her husband sadly. "Snow… Don't." Charming said slowly.

Snow ignored him, shaking her head and turning back to Shae. "She's still alive."

Shae picked her head up again, staring at Snow with wide eyes. "What?"

"Regina, the woman you love, she's still alive." Snow repeated with a smile. "We didn't go through with the execution."

Shae scrambled onto her knees, gripping the bars of her cell tight, staring into Snow White's eyes. Snow held her gaze for a moment as Shae silently searched her eyes.

"You're not lying, are you?" Shae breathed.

"No, I'm not." Snow said with shake of her head. "We showed mercy, but, when we tried to help Regina, tried to get her to change, she couldn't. She had a chance to walk away, to start anew, but in the end, she chose evil, chose vengeance."

"We cast a protection spell." Charming went on. "Now, there's nothing she can do in this world to harm either of us now."

Shae nodded slowly, taking in everything that they were saying, her head spinning. "But there's still a chance for you, Shae." Snow said, placing her hand on Shae's again. "Maybe, there's a chance for both of you."

"What are you talking about?" Shae asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

"We're giving you the same choice." Snow answered with a gentle smile. "Go to Regina, take her somewhere far away, and the two of you can start fresh, together."

Shae's brow furrowed. "She'll never agree to that."

"She would, if you asked her to." Snow insisted. "She loves you, I heard her say so, I saw the way she looked at you. She'll go with you if you ask her to, I know she will."

Snow shifted slightly in her spot, and Shae saw a glint of silver from inside her cloak. She glanced back into Snow White's eyes, an evil grin spreading across her face.

"You're all fucking idiots."

Shae reached through the bars, grabbing the dagger out of Snow's belt. Snow leapt to her feet, and so did Shae, plunging the dagger straight into her heart. Shae laughed triumphantly, twisting the dagger into her flesh. She stopped when she noticed that Snow White did not seem to be in any pain. She pulled the dagger out, which was free of blood.

"What?" Shae breathed in shock.

"Oh, Shae, I had so much hope for you." Snow said sadly.

"Now the protection spell has been cast on you as well." Charming said, stomping up to the bars and wrenching the dagger out of Shae's hand.

"I guess you and Regina really do deserve each other." Snow said, stepping back from the bars. "You're just as blackhearted as she is. And now, you'll never leave this cell."

"Oh, that's where you're wrong, Snow White." Shae sneered at her, pressing her face against the bars, her red eyes crazed with rage again. "I will get out of here. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow, but, someday, I will. I'm immortal, remember? I've got all the time in the world."

Snow gave her one last sad, pitiful glance, and turned away, walking with her husband back toward the entrance of the dungeon.

"I'll get out of here, you'll see!" Shae shouted after them. "And when I do, I'll make you beg for death, I'll make you wish you'd never been born!"

Charming glared back at Shae, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders. Shae let out a wild and maniacal laugh. "I'LL RIP YOUR HEARTS OUT AND FEED 'EM TO YOU!"

Shae continued to laugh as the door slammed shut behind Snow White and The Prince. Her laughter grew and grew until she was cackling madly. Regina was still alive. Nothing else mattered, nothing else was important. The woman she loved was still alive, and that was all Shae needed to know. It didn't matter what Snow White or The Prince did now. So long as Shae and Regina were still alive, nothing would keep them apart, not for long.

XX

Weeks later, Snow White and Prince James still held Shae hostage. The Evil Queen did know at least that Shae was still alive. Snow White had sent her a message, saying that Shae was their hostage, and if Regina tried anything to harm them in any way, they would harm the woman she loved. With the protection spell that Snow White had cast, there was nothing Regina could do at the moment. She may not be able to harm them in this world, but she might be able to in another. In this new world, a world without magic, she was certain that she would be able to find Shae. She would be reunited with the one she loved, no matter what.

Regina was standing in her throne room, listening to the Captain of her guard as he reported on the ingredients to her curse his men had been sent out to find. The door to the throne room suddenly burst open with a bang, and she heard a very familiar voice.

"I'm back, you miserable sons of whores!"

Regina whirled around, and saw her guards rushing toward the door, toward a person garbed in dirty, sackcloth breeches and a tattered shirt to match, a person with pale skin and jet black hair.

"Shae!" Regina cried, rushing toward her.

When Shae spotted her Queen, her face lit up with joy. "Regina!"

Shae tried to run to her, but stumbled weakly and fell to the ground. Regina dropped down in front of her, her knees screaming in pain as they smacked against the ground, be she ignored it, she didn't care. She didn't care one bit that there were soldiers in her throne room, that they were being watched. She threw her arms around the woman she loved, kissing her desperately and gratefully as tears fell down her face.

"Oh, Shae, it's you, it's really you!" Regina whispered, placing her hands on either side of the vampire's face. "You came back!"

"I always come back, remember?" Shae replied with one of her cheeky and quirky grins that Regina loved so very much.

Regina laughed, kissing her again. When she pulled back, she finally got a closer look at Shae, and was mortified to find her sackcloth clothes were ripped and torn, long, deep gouges in her flesh underneath. She even had one on the side of her cheek, stretching from her ear all the way down to her chin.

"What did they do to you?" She breathed in horror.

Shae shook her head, grimacing in pain as she cupped Regina's face in her hands. "It doesn't matter, it's over. I'm back"

Regina pulled Shae into her arms again, holding her tight, running her hand through her messy black hair. She squeezed her eyes shut, more tears leaking out of her eyes.

"I missed you so much." She whispered, pressing her forehead against Shae's. "Oh, Shae… Shae, I love you."

"I love you too, Regina." Shae whispered back with a smile.

Regina smiled too, choking out a sob and kissing her again. She gently squeezed her arms, her shoulders, her cold, pale face, still unable to believe she was real. She half expected to wake up from a dream at any moment. But she didn't, Shae was real. She was really there, back in her arms again.

"So…" Shae said, smiling into her eyes. "What's all this about a curse?"

XXXXX

The party at Granny's was in full swing, the people gathered inside finally moving past the initial shock and discomfort at Shae and Regina's arrival, dancing and singing along merrily to the songs Shae played on her guitar.

Regina sat in a booth, alone, watching and listening as Shae played and sang the song What I Like About You. After much persuading, and several mugs of beer, Ruby had finally agreed to sing along with her. The rest of the residents all clapped along to the beat as the two lovers both sang to each other, dancing along as they sang.

"What I like about you,

You keep me warm at night.

Never wanna let you go,

Know you make me feel alright, yeah!

Keep on whispering in my ear,

Tell me all the things that I wanna' to hear,

'Cause that's true,

That's what I like about you."

"Everybody!" Shae shouted.

"That's what I like about you!" Everyone shouted back.

They all clapped and cheered as Shae finished the song, and Regina glanced away, clenching her jaw and fighting back tears as Ruby kissed Shae, the woman that she still loved. Regina couldn't bare it any more. She got up from the booth, pulled on her coat, and quietly made her exit. She only got a few steps down the sidewalk when a voice called out to her. She turned around and found Emma following her out the door.

"Hey! Uh, Archie made a cake." Emma told her. "You don't want to stay for a piece?"

Regina gave her a small smile, shaking her head slowly. "I'm fine, thank you."

Emma smiled back, nodding slowly. When she turned to go back inside, Regina stopped her by grabbing her arm. "Thank you." Regina said again.

"You just said that." Emma replied uncertainly.

"I know, I-I mean… Thank you, for inviting me."

Emma nodded. "Well, Henry wanted it. I'm glad you guys got to spend some time together."

"Me too." Regina replied with an earnest smile. "I'd like to see him more. Maybe… You'd consider letting him stay over sometime? I have his room just… Waiting for him."

Emma's face suddenly fell into a frown. "Oh… Um, I don't really think that's best."

Regina's smile faded too, curling into an angry snarl. "I see, because you know so much about parenting in the five minutes you've been with him." She snapped bitterly. "Talk to David. At least he took care of him while you were away. Like I did, during the ten years you were away the first time."

Emma glared at her, obviously stung by her words. "Right, thanks for coming." She snapped back.

"Wait!" Regina said, grabbing the blonde woman's arm again as she turned to leave. "I-Im sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

Emma sighed, turning back around slowly. "I… Haven't been at my best lately." Regina went on. "I've been trying, for Henry, but certain… Things, have made it difficult."

Emma frowned again, eyeing Regina sadly. "It's Shae, isn't it? You still love her."

Regina glanced away, staring down at the ground. A stray tear leaked out of her eye, and she hastily wiped it away.

"It doesn't matter how I feel, does it?" Regina replied miserably. "She has Ruby now, the two of them are… Good, together. Shae deserves to be loved properly."

Emma nodded sadly, staring at Regina with pity in her eyes. "Yeah, well, she can't love Ruby back, she can't love anyone, for that matter. Not without her heart."

When Regina continued to stare at the ground without response, Emma went on. "Maybe… Maybe it's time you gave it back, don't you think?"

Regina bit her lip. She was so afraid that, once her heart was returned, Shae would be lost to her forever. She would fall in love with her wolf girl, and never see Regina as anything but The Evil Queen ever again. But, she also knew that Emma was right. It wasn't fair to keep holding Shae's heart hostage, it wasn't fair to keep her from actually developing real feelings for someone who obviously cared for her very much. It didn't matter anymore how Regina felt about her. If she was going to move on, she had to let Shae go, just as she had with Daniel.

"Yes, I think you're right." Regina replied quietly, glancing back up at Emma.

Emma looked positively shocked. "Really?"

Regina nodded, smiling sadly at her. "Tell Shae to meet me at my vault as soon as she can."

Emma smiled, nodding back. "I will. You're doing the right thing, Regina. I really can see that you're trying to change."

Regina nodded again, and turned her back on Emma, starting down the sidewalk toward her car. She choked back a sob, tears now streaming down her face. Once again, she knew Emma was right. Giving Shae's heart back really was the right thing to do, but knowing she would lose the woman she loved to someone else hurt. It hurt so very, very much.

XX

Shae hurried up to Regina's father's mausoleum. Once inside, she found the coffin had already been pushed aside. She descended down into the vault, staring down the long hallway, past the yellow curtains covering Regina's stolen hearts. Her eyes widened when she saw that the mirror at the end of the hallway was swung open, revealing a small room beyond.

"I fucking knew it!" She exclaimed as she stepped through the gap, spotting Regina sitting at a table at the far side of the room. "What the hell is this place?"

"It's a… Safe room, of sorts." Regina replied. "Protected by a blood seal. No one can enter without me, or, without my blood, I suppose."

"Huh… Cool." Shae replied with a shrug. "So, what's going on? Emma said you wanted me to meet you here, that it was urgent."

"Yes, I um… I have something for you." Regina replied slowly, getting up from her seat and grabbing a small, wooden box from off the table in front of her.

She stepped up to Shae, and, when she opened the box, the vampire gasped. Sitting inside, was a pulsing, glowing red heart.

"I-Is that-" Shae started to ask, eyes wide with shock.

"Your heart." Regina finished for her, smiling sadly up at her. "I think it's time you had it back."

Shae shook her head in bewilderment, her mouth opening and closing several times in stunned silence. When she didn't, or couldn't, respond, Regina went on.

"I feel that you have more than fulfilled your end of our deal." She explained. "And now… Now it's time that I fulfill mine.

Regina took Shae's heart in her hand, and set the box down. Shae took Regina's free hand, squeezing it gently. "Thank you." She breathed, smiling gratefully.

Regina nodded slowly. "Y-You're welcome." She replied. "Now, I've never returned a heart after this long of an absence before. I'm not sure what exactly is going to happen, how you're going to feel."

Shae nodded in understanding, and Regina nodded back. She brought Shae's heart up to her chest, hesitating as her own heart ached with sorrow. She squeezed her eyes shut, biting her lip as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Y-You're crying…" Shae breathed, looking concerned.

Regina shook her head, staring up into Shae's blood red eyes. She then smiled, placing her free hand gently on the vampire's cheek.

"Goodbye, Shae." She whispered miserably.

Shae's brow furrowed in confusion. "Goodbye? What? I-I don't-"

She let out a great, shuddering gasp as Regina shoved her heart back in her chest. Shae stumbled back a few steps, clutching her chest, her eyes wide. Regina gasped as Shae's pupils dilated, and she collapsed to the ground. Regina rushed over to her, kneeling next to her as the vampire's body shook and convulsed, her wide, dilated eyes gaping up at the ceiling.

"Shae? Shae!" Regina cried.

Shae couldn't hear her. There was a massively loud ringing in her ears, and Regina's safe room disappeared as her vision went stark white. Bright, swirling colors flashed before her eyes as every single emotion that had been diluted over the past twenty eight years pulsated wildly throughout her entire body.

First came fear, a fear greater than she had ever felt in her life. Next was anger, rage, bitterness, and then sorrow, a sorrow so deep and so great that she felt like it was going to swallow her whole. As soon as it came, it went, and was replaced by happiness. She heard her own voice laughing, laughing with more joy than she had felt in years.

Lastly, a sudden warmth spread from her chest, all the way down to her feet. She had felt the same warmth before, but not for a very long time. She remembered the last time she had felt it, the memory flashing before her eyes clear as day, as if it had only been yesterday.

"Am I not enough for you?" Shae heard herself ask Regina as The Queen stood before her. "Is my love, our love, not enough for you? Because it's everything to me. You're everything to me."

Shae saw tears leak out of her Queen's eyes. She took her face in her hands, pressing her forehead against Regina's. She felt the warm, wet tears roll down her own cheeks.

"Regina, I love you." She whispered.

Regina smiled, and Shae felt her fingers brush gently against her cheek. "And I love you, Shae." She whispered back. "I love you, so much."

The memory dissipated, and Shae found herself on the floor of Regina's safe room, staring up at the ceiling. She sat forward, and suddenly realized that her face was wet. She wiped a hand across her cheek, rolling the moisture around in her fingers. She started to laugh when she realized what it was; Tears. For the first time in twenty eight years, she had cried.

"Shae? Are you alright?"

Shae jumped in shock, and turned her head to find Regina kneeling next to her. She gasped as she felt her heart lurch in her chest. She scrambled up on to her knees in front of Regina. She reached out, her hands shaking violently, and cupped Regina's face in her hands. She stared into her beautiful, brown eyes, gently brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear.

"Regina…" She whispered, more tears running down her face.

"Shae?" Regina breathed, staring up into the vampire's eyes, her own full of shock and confusion at her sudden, gentle embrace. "Are you alright? What are you-"

She didn't get to finish the rest of her sentence. Shae pulled her in close, and kissed her full on the lips. Regina gasped, tears leaking out of her eyes as their lips parted. The two of them had kissed twice since Shae had returned to Storybrooke, but this time, this kiss, it was so much different. The way Shae touched her, held her, it was almost as if…

Regina's train of thought came to a screeching halt as Shae shoved her roughly away. Shae had broken out of her trance and had suddenly realized what was happening, what she was doing. They both fell back onto the floor, and Shae staggered to her feet, her whole body shaking, her eyes wide and wild.

"Shae? What's going on? Are you ok?" Regina asked, grabbing on to a nearby chair and hoisting herself to her feet.

Shae didn't respond. She stared silently down at her hands as they shook violently. She then looked back up at Regina, her eyes filled with shock, confusion, and fear.

"I have to go." Shae muttered.

"Shae? Shae, wait!" Regina called after her desperately.

Shae stumbled up the steps of Regina's vault, slipping on the last one and falling flat on her face on the concrete. She pushed herself back onto her feet, her legs shaking. It was the middle of autumn, in Maine, so it wasn't anywhere near being hot outside, and Shae didn't ever get hot anyway. But, somehow, her whole body was covered in a layer of cold sweat.

She found herself rushing down the deserted main street of Storybrooke. Her head was spinning wildly, all the sudden intense emotions she was feeling making it hard to focus. She stopped outside Granny's diner, peering through the window. The party was over now, and the diner was empty except for Ruby, who was cleaning the tables.

Ruby jumped, whirling around as the diner's door burst open. "Shae?" She asked. "What are you-"

Shae rushed toward her, cutting off her words as she pulled her into her arms and kissed her desperately. Ruby smiled, taking the vampire's head in her hands. When she felt the cold sweat covering Shae's face, she pushed back, brow furrowed in concern.

"Are you alright?" She asked, placing her hand on Shae's forehead. "You're… Sweating. I didn't know you could sweat."

"Uh, yeah, maybe, I-I don't… I don't know…" Shae stammered, placing her shaky hands on Ruby's shoulders. "I-I… I just… Just…"

She then sighed, pulling Ruby against her body and kissing her again. Ruby wrapped her arms around Shae's neck, placing her hand on the back of Shae's damp, sweaty head. Shae suddenly pulled away, staggering backward, staring at Ruby with wild, confused eyes.

"N-No… I don't… I don't understand…" She muttered.

"Shae, what the hell is going on?" Ruby asked, now gravely concerned. "You look insane, and you're all sweaty!"

Shae clutched the sides of her head, shaking it side to side violently. She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face. She then turned her back on Ruby, stumbling shakily back out into the night. Ruby called after her, but Shae couldn't hear her, the ringing in her ears blocking out everything else.

She broke out into a run back down the main street, sliding to a stop at the front door of Archie's office building. She ran inside, up the steps, and stopped in front of Archie's door. She pounded on it three times, waiting anxiously.

"Please be here, please be here…" She muttered as she bounced on the balls of her feet.

The door swung open, and Archie was shocked to see Shae standing before him. "Shae? What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I-I don't know…" Shae said, trying to stop her body from shaking.

"Oh, alright… Well, please, come in." Archie replied, stepping aside and gesturing for Shae to enter.

Shae nodded, stepping into Archie's office, stumbling shakily into an end table next to the couch. Pongo, Archie's dog, got up from his spot on his dog bed, sniffing Shae's leg and whining, seemingly concerned about the vampire.

"Are you alright?" Archie asked, also concerned. "You look… Ill."

"I don't know…" Shae said again, clenching her shaking fists.

"Please, sit down, tell me what's going on." Archie replied gently, gesturing to one of the couches.

Shae sat down, and Pongo leapt up on the couch next to her. Shae patted him on the head a bit warily, and the dog simply panted happily.

Archie sat on the couch across from the vampire, his eyes full of concern. "Um… I… I-I got my heart back." Shae told him shakily.

Archie's face lit up with surprise. "Oh, I see. Regina actually gave it back?"

When Shae nodded, he clapped his hands excitedly, beaming at her. "Well, that's wonderful news! How do you feel?"

"I-I don't know… Lot's of things." Shae replied uncertainly.

"Yes, well, it has been an awful long time." Said Archie, nodding gravely. "It will most likely be disorienting at first, but I'm sure it'll pass."

"I kissed her." Shae suddenly said.

"Who? Ruby?"

"No, Regina. Well, Ruby too, but Regina first."

"Ah, I see. That's what's got you so upset." Archie replied quietly.

Shae nodded again, and Archie leaned forward, eyeing her intently. "How did it feel?" He asked. "When you kissed Regina?"

Shae folded her arms across her chest, bouncing her leg anxiously as she thought. "I-I don't know…" She muttered. "It just felt… Felt… Right."

"I see." Archie said, nodding slowly. "Tell me more."

Shae leaned forward, folding her hands between her knees and staring down at the floor. "It… It was like the last twenty eight years never happened, like she had never taken my heart in the first place." She went on. "All the rage, all the pain I felt because of her was… Gone. It is gone. Replaced by… By… I-I just… I don't know…"

Her voice trailed off into a mumble, and Archie nodded again. "And what about when you kissed Ruby?" He asked her. "How did that feel?"

Shae chewed on her lip ring, shaking her head slowly, her eyes suddenly very sad. "It wasn't the same." She said quietly. "I did feel something, but… But…"

"It wasn't the same as what you felt with Regina." Archie finished for her.

Shae nodded sadly, placing her hands over her face and letting out a frustrated sigh. "What… What does this all mean?" She asked, dropping her hands back into her lap. "What's happening to me?"

Archie sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Well, this may be hard to hear… But I think it's Regina that you truly love, not Ruby."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head angrily as more tears ran down her face. "No… No, no, no… I-I can't… I… That doesn't make any sense."

"I've found that love is the one thing that makes the least sense of all in this life." Archie replied with a sad smile. "We have to listen when our hearts speak to us, and from what you've just told me, it seems that your heart is speaking quite loudly."

When Shae shook her head silently again, Archie went on. "Our hearts can't lie to us." He said, leaning forward in his chair again. "You have yours back now, search it. What's it telling you?"

Shae stared down at the ground, trying calm her mind, to focus on what she was feeling. But she couldn't, all she could think about was Regina, her face swimming before her eyes. She thought about Ruby too, her brilliant, beautiful green eyes, her gorgeous brown hair, her full, soft lips. She suddenly snapped her head up, staring wide eyed at Archie.

"I know what I have to do." She breathed.

Shae suddenly leapt to her feet, startling Pongo, who jumped quickly off of the couch, and went back to his dog bed, huffing irritably as he laid down.

Archie also rose to his feet, looking pleasantly surprised. "I see! Well, I'm glad I was able to provide you with some insight."

Shae nodded, and the doctor's arms were pinned to his sides as Shae gave him a tight and grateful hug. "You're a good dude, Archie." Shae said as she released him. "I know the degree is fake and stuff, but you're good at your job. Thanks."

Archie laughed lightly as Shae hurried out the door. He shook his head slowly, turning around and taking a seat behind his desk. He got out a pen and a blank sheet of paper, writing down the things that he and Shae had talked about for his files, just in case Shae ever wanted to speak with him again. He suddenly snapped his head up when Pongo started barking in alarm.

"Regina? What are you doing here?"

XX

Shae broke into a run again as she stepped out onto the sidewalk. She smiled, laughing out loud as she ran. She felt lighter, happier, and more determined than she had in a very long time. The buildings and houses of the town of Storybrooke rushed past her in a blur, and she slowed to a walk as she approached her destination.

She threw open the door that stood in front of her, stepping over the threshold. She stared all around her, searching, her head spinning wildly again.

"Shae?"

Shae whirled around, and she smiled, her heart soaring as she saw the woman she loved slowly descending the steps.

"Regina!"

Shae ran to her as she reached the bottom of the steps. She took Regina into her arms, and kissed her deeply, gratefully, urgently. Regina immediately threw her arms around her, still confused about what was happening, but not concerned. She had Shae in her arms, that was all she cared about.

"Regina…" Shae breathed as they broke apart, cupping her face in her hands. "I-I love you… I still love you."

"What?" Regina asked, her eyes welling with tears.

Shae nodded, tears rushing down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, for everything, for all of it." She whispered. "I-I… I just… I love you."

Regina choked out a sob, smiling as tears of unparalleled joy streamed down her face. She threw her arms around Shae's neck, kissing her again. Shae held her tight, kissing her back with the same amount of grateful and desperate passion.

"Oh, Shae… Shae, I love you too." Regina whispered, pressing her forehead against the vampire's.

Shae pushed her back slightly, staring into her eyes with shock. "Really?"

Regina nodded, breathing out a laugh as she gently stroked Shae's cold, pale cheek. "That's why I was so cold to you… It… It hurt so much, not being with you, watching you with someone else."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Shae whispered, pain in her eyes.

"Its ok!" Regina whispered with a smile, gently brushing back Shae's messy hair. "Oh, Shae… I'm sorry too. I'm sorry for everything that I've done to hurt you. As long as I live, I swear I will never do it again."

Shae smiled too, gently cupping Regina's face again. "Me too." She breathed.

Regina laughed as Shae kissed her again, the familiar feeling of her soft, cold lips against her own making her heart hammer in her chest.

"I-I want to start over, with you." Regina said, staring up into Shae's blood red eyes. "That is, if you want to, if you'll have me."

Shae nodded, smiling down at her. "Of course. I want that more than anything." She whispered. "Oh, Regina… I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you too." Regina whispered back.

Regina felt Shae's arms, her neck, her face as they kissed again, unable to believe that this was real, that she was real. If this really was a dream, she prayed that she would never wake.

"You came back!" Regina whispered as they broke apart.

"I always come back." Shae replied with a smile.

Shae leaned in to kiss Regina again, but she suddenly pushed Shae back, her face falling into a frown. "What about Ruby?" She asked her.

Shae's brow furrowed. "What about her?"

"Have you told her? About… About all this?"

Shae opened her mouth to respond, then shut it again, her eyes growing wide with sudden realization. Regina gasped, stepping back out of Shae's arms.

"You haven't, have you?" She asked indignantly.

"Regina… Listen, I-"

"No! No, this stops now!" Regina replied hotly. "I may have been a lot of things in the past, but I have never, and will never, be the other woman!"

Shae nodded hastily, running a hand through her messy, black hair. "Right, you're right, you're absolutely right." She muttered in reply. "I gotta tell her. I'll go right now."

"Now? It's the middle of the night!" Regina cried as she followed Shae toward the door.

Shae spun around, taking Regina's face in her hands, staring determinedly into her eyes. "I don't care." She whispered. "I don't want to spend a second longer than I have to without you."

Regina smiled as Shae kissed her once again. "Hurry back." She said when Shae pulled away.

Shae nodded. "Wait for me?"

Regina nodded too. She watched as Shae ran down the walkway leading up to her house. She then gasped, placing her hands over her mouth in shock as Shae turned down the sidewalk, tripping quite spectacularly and landing flat on her face.

"It's good!" Shae called out as she leapt lightly to her feet, giving Regina a thumbs up. "I'm all good!"

Regina laughed, closing the door as Shae ran off again. She leaned her back against the door, laughing again, more joyous tears running down her face. She could hardly believe what was happening. All she had to do was wait patiently for Shae to return, and they would be together again. They could start over, start a new life, together. She smiled, wiping the tears from her face. All she had to do was wait.

XX

DING-DONG

Regina snapped awake, sitting bolt upright. She glanced bewilderedly all around her. She was in her living room, the morning sun shining through the window. She frowned, staring at the beam of sunlight on the floor. She must have fallen asleep waiting for Shae. She gasped. Shae hadn't come back last night.

DING-DONG

Regina jumped at the sound of the doorbell. She got up from the couch, trying to stop her heart from hammering as she went to the door.

"What's going on?" She asked Emma and David, who were standing on her porch, their faces grave.

"There's been an… Incident." Emma replied slowly. "We need you to come down to the Sheriff's Station."

"Oh my god…" Regina breathed, her heart hammering even harder now. "Is it Shae? What's happened?"

Emma and David exchanged a dark and serious glance. "We'll explain everything at the station, alright?" David said.

Regina glared at him, and was about to retort when Emma cut in. "Please, Regina." She pleaded. "Please… Don't make this any harder than it has to be."

Regina glanced between their grave and serious faces for a moment, then let out a relenting sigh. "Fine. Lead the way."

XX

Emma and David put Regina in the back of the squad car, and they drove speedily downtown to the Sheriff's Station. Mary Margaret and Ruby were there waiting for them. Ruby's eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying. She stared daggers at Regina as she walked by.

They put Regina in the interrogation room, Mary Margaret and Ruby watching on the other side of the one way glass. The former Queen soon learned that Dr. Hopper had been found dead in his office, and they were trying to pin the blame on her.

"Ruby saw you going into his office last night." David said, glaring down at her as he stood on the other side of the table.

"Then she's lying! I was home all evening." Regina insisted.

Emma and her father exchanged a glance, seemingly unconvinced. "There's… Something else." Emma said slowly, turning back to Regina.

"What?" Regina asked, alarmed by the sudden sad look in Emma's eyes. "What aren't you telling me?"

"It's Shae." Emma replied. "She's… Missing. There's a chance that… That she's dead too."

Regina's face fell, and she placed a hand over her mouth. "What?" She breathed.

Emma heaved a heavy sigh. "I know… She went to see you at your vault after the party at Granny's last night." She went on. "She came back a little while after that, and Ruby said she was acting strange. She saw her go into Archie's office, and after that we don't know what happened. We found a half finished file about Shae on Archie's desk. We think he was writing it when he was killed."

"Archie was the last one to see her." David said. "And we can only assume that whoever killed him is also responsible for Shae's disappearance."

"Please, Regina, I know you care about Shae." Emma said quietly. "If there's anything you can tell us that can help us find her, please, tell us."

Regina sighed heavily, staring down at the table. "Dr. Hopper wasn't the last one to see Shae last night." She said. "I was."

Emma and David both stared at her in stunned silence. "What?" David asked.

Emma stepped up to the table, staring intently down at Regina. "She went back to your house after she saw Archie?"

"So maybe Shae killed him…" David mused when Regina nodded.

"What? No! She wouldn't!" Regina insisted angrily.

"She's killed before." Replied David.

"No, Regina's right, Shae didn't do it." Emma retorted. "She had nothing against Archie, she's not a killer anymore. She's changed."

David stepped up close to his daughter, dropping his voice low. "I told you before, Shae and Regina, the two of them are incapable of change, no matter how many times we've given them the chance. Why should this time be any different?"

Emma glared at her father, matching his low town. "Because, it IS different."

She pushed passed David, and took a seat across the table from Regina. "Regina, I know you wanted to see Shae last night because you were going to give her heart back." Emma said, staring intently at Regina once again. "Did you?"

"Yes, I did." Regina answered.

"Really?" David asked in a disbelieving tone.

"Yes, of course!" Regina replied indignantly. "I said I was going to, so I did. She was a little… Out of sorts afterwards, disoriented, which is understandable since she had been without her heart for so long."

"Ok, so, after you put her heart back, she went to the diner to see Ruby." Emma said slowly. "After that, she went to Archie's, and after that… To see you. Why?"

Regina gave her a dismissive shrug. "I haven't the faintest idea."

"You're lying." Emma said, pointing an accusing finger at her.

"Excuse me?" Regina asked in outrage.

"You weren't before, but you are now." Emma insisted. "Why did she go back to your house? What aren't you telling us?"

Regina glanced away from her, biting her lip. She knew full well that Ruby was watching on the other side of glass. She had no idea if Shae had told her about her feelings for Regina before she went missing.

"Please, Regina." Emma begged her. "You've got to tell us the truth, here."

Regina sighed, glancing back into Emma's eyes. "She came to see me because… After she had her heart back, she… She realized that she still loved me."

A stunned silence fell over the interrogation room. Regina looked away from Emma and David's shock plastered faces, tears welling up in her eyes again.

"What?" Breathed Emma.

"You're joking." David said, glaring down at her.

"No, I'm not." Regina spat through gritted teeth. "She left my house around midnight last night to… To go break things off with Ruby."

The door to the interrogation room suddenly burst open, and Emma leapt to her feet as Ruby rushed in, glaring furiously at Regina.

"Ruby, no!" Mary Margaret shouted, who was hot on Ruby's heels.

Ruby ignored her, shoving Emma out of her way, sending her stumbling back into her father, both of them crashing to the ground. She drew back her fist, and hit Regina square in the jaw, causing her to fall off of her chair and onto the floor.

"YOU BITCH!" Ruby screamed as Mary Margaret pulled her back by her shoulders. "Where is she? What did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything to her!" Regina spat as she got to her feet.

Ruby shoved Mary Margaret away from her furiously. She stomped back over to Regina, grabbing her by her throat and slamming her into the wall.

"If you've hurt her I swear I'll-" Ruby snarled fiercely.

"I love her too!" Regina shouted in Ruby's face. "Why would I hurt her?"

"Because all you've ever done is hurt her!" Ruby shouted back.

David and Emma finally managed to scramble to their feet. They both grabbed Ruby, dragging her out of the interrogation room. Emma slammed the door shut behind her, and Mary Margaret wrapped her arm around Ruby's shoulders, leading her out of the Sheriff's Station.

"What do we do now?" David asked his daughter.

Emma sighed, staring through the one way glass at Regina, who was now sitting back at the table with her head in her hands.

"We let her go." She replied. "We let her go, and we find the truth."

XX

Emma and David, along with Mary Margaret and Ruby, all met up at Archie's office. They searched it from top to bottom, looking for any clues that might lead them to Archie's murderer, and prove Regina's innocence, even though Emma was the only one that thought she was.

The only clue they found was the file that Archie had kept about Regina, which was suspiciously empty. Emma was still not convinced, however.

"I don't know how it is in fairy tale land, but in the real world, it's usually hard to find evidence." Emma told her parents and Ruby. "This has been way too easy. Unless, someone wants us to find evidence."

"You think she's being framed?" Mary Margaret asked her daughter.

Emma nodded. "Yeah, I do. And there's only one person that would resort to killing to do it, only one other person, besides Regina, who's strong enough to kidnap, and possibly kill, a vampire."

They all immediately understand Emma's train of thought, and they rushed off to Mr. Gold's shop. Gold vehemently denied having anything to do with killing Archie or framing Regina, and Emma believed him. She always knew when someone was lying, and, this time, Gold wasn't. He was, however, more than happy to help them find the truth.

With Gold's help, Emma was able to use her magic to extract Pongo's memories using a dreamcatcher. They all gathered behind Emma, staring down at the dreamcatcher. Emma focused on the jumbled swirl of colors that had appeared inside the dreamcatcher, and they gasped when the jumble suddenly cleared. They were seeing through Pongo's eyes, and watched as Shae entered Archie's office.

"Oh my god!" Mary Margaret exclaimed. "It's working!"

"Yeah, I guess it is." Emma mumbled in shock.

They all watched with bated breath as Shae sat and talked with Archie for a while, momentarily losing her from sight as Pongo walked away from her. However, they did see Shae walking out the door, and Archie sitting down at his desk after she was gone.

"So, Shae didn't do it!" Ruby said excitedly.

"Then who did?" Asked Belle.

"No…" Emma breathed as Regina walked in to Archie's office.

They watched as Archie got up from his desk, walking over to Regina. They talked for a minute, and everyone drew in a shocked, collective gasp as Regina grabbed Archie by the throat, lifting him into the air.

Emma dropped the dreamcatcher onto the floor, unable to watch any more. She turned to her parents, who were both standing rooted to their spots in stunned silence.

"You were right all along…" Emma breathed, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Emma…" Mary Margaret said, a silent tear running down her face.

"What about Shae?" Ruby asked, her face panicked. "We still don't know what happened to her. Do you think Pongo saw her too?"

"Only one way to find out." Gold said, bending down and picking up the dreamcatcher from off the floor. "Same concept as before, except this time focus your thoughts on our undead friend."

Emma nodded, taking the dreamcatcher from Gold. She held it out in both of her hands and, once again, everyone else crowded around her. She closed her eyes, focusing on Shae, picturing her pale face and blood red eyes in her mind.

"It's working!" Ruby exclaimed.

Emma opened her eyes, and saw downtown Storybrooke in the dreamcatcher. It was dark out, and it looked like Pongo was running down the street. They saw Shae walking down the sidewalk, and the vampire knelt down when Pongo ran up to her. She looked concerned, saying something as she patted him on the head. Her head suddenly snapped up, and she stared wide eyed at something behind Pongo.

"Oh no…" Emma muttered when Pongo turned around, and, once again, saw Regina.

Shae and Regina spoke for only a second, and everyone in Gold's shop gasped again when Regina pulled out a dagger. Shae backed away, looking frightened, shaking her head and waving her hands. Her mouth then gaped open with a silent scream as Regina plunged the dagger straight into her heart. Shae fell to her knees, and Regina placed her hand on her shoulder, both of them disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke.

"NO!" Ruby sobbed, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh, Ruby… I'm so sorry." Belle muttered, hugging her friend as she cried.

"I can't believe this…" Emma breathed, tears now leaking out of her own eyes. "She… She killed Shae too. Why? Why would she do this?"

"I don't know, Emma." Mary Margaret said sadly. "Maybe she thought Shae would change her mind, tell Ruby that she loved her instead."

"We have to find her…" Ruby snarled, her eyes bloodshot with tears. "She has to pay for this."

Emma nodded determinedly. "You're right. Lets go lock her ass up."

XX

There was a rush of purple smoke, and Regina appeared inside her magical safe room. She fell to her knees, sobbing into the silence of the room. Emma, her parents, and Ruby had just confronted her at her house, saying that they used magic to see what happened to Archie and Shae. They said that they saw her do it, they saw Regina choke the life out of Archie, and saw her stab the woman she loved in the heart with a silver dagger.

Regina sobbed again, beating her fists into the floor furiously. Who was doing this to her? Who had taken her love away from her, again? Whoever it was, she silently cursed them to deepest, blackest part of hell.

She suddenly sat up when she heard a noise from over by the entrance to her safe room. A red-haired woman was standing before her, smiling down at her, a woman that Regina knew all too well.

"Mother?" She breathed, staring wide eyed at Cora. "What, I… I thought we stopped you. H-How did you get through?"

"Determination, dear." Cora replied with a grin, sauntering over to her daughter. "You're my daughter, after all. I had to see you."

"It was you…" Regina whispered in sudden realization. "You framed me for the cricket, for Shae. Why? Why did you have to kill her?"

Cora frowned down at her daughter's miserable, tear stained face. She gently cupped her hand under her chin, smiling sadly.

"I'm sorry, dear, but that loathsome creature was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time." Cora replied gently.

"She's not loathsome!" Regina cried furiously. "She's… She's…"

Regina let out another sob, placing her hands over her face as tears streamed out of her eyes. She was in too much pain to argue, or to even care that her mother was somehow in Storybrooke. Shae was dead, the woman she loved was dead, murdered by the hands of her own mother. Regina had truly lost everything.

Cora knelt down in front of her daughter, pulling her into her arms as she sobbed. "Shh… There, there, I've got you, mother's here now." She cooed softly.

"You wanted me broken." Regina snarled, pushing away from her mother.

"Not broken, darling, just receptive." Cora replied, gently wiping away a few tears from her daughter's face. "I didn't want you to reject me, not again. I love you, I just want to be by your side again."

Regina choked out another sob, resting her head on her mother's shoulder as Cora pulled her into her arms again. Cora gently rubbed Regina's back, grinning devilishly all the while. She had lied to her daughter, she did want to break her. And now, with her detestable vampire lover gone, her daughter truly was broken. Regina needed her mother now, more than ever. Cora's grin broadened. With the vampire safely out of her way, things were now finally starting to go according to plan. Regina was now putty in her hands.

XX


	6. Chapter 6, True Love's Kiss

CHAPTER 6

Shae gasped as she sat forward. She glanced all around her, confused and disoriented. There was nothing around her but darkness, an impossibly empty and black void. She looked down, and found that she was sitting on some sort of floor, but whatever it was she was sitting on was just as black as everything else around her.

"Where in the hell am I?" She muttered to herself.

She gasped again in fright as a large red door appeared in front of her. She scrambled to her feet, eyeing the door warily. She crept slowly toward it, her boots making no noise on the floor that wasn't there. She peered around the door, and found absolutely nothing behind it.

"Ok… Ominous, randomly appearing door…" She muttered, rubbing her chin. "I've seen enough horror movies, I know exactly what to do here. Don't go through the door!"

She turned around, and gasped again, leaping back. The door was now behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, finding that the door had silently moved from its previous spot.

"I don't think so, door!" She told it. "You're not gonna trick me!"

She turned to her right this time, walking slowly forward, keeping her eyes pinned on the red door. When she finally couldn't crane her neck any more, she turned her head forward.

"SHIT!" She swore, the door suddenly appearing in front of her again.

"FUCK YOU, DOOR!" She roared at it. "GO AWAY!"

She spun around again and, once again, the door stood defiantly in front of her. She turned again, again, and again, panic bubbling in her stomach as she was surrounded on all sides by a least a dozen bright red doors.

"FINE!" She shouted at whatever, or whoever, was toying with her. "I'll go through the fucking door!"

She breathed out a sigh of frustration, placing her hands over her face. When she dropped her arms, a single door stood before her once again. She swallowed hard, stepping carefully toward it. She turned the handle, and slowly pulled the red door open.

She cried out in horror when she found a large room beyond the door, a room that was on fire. She turned to run, but an unseen force shoved her backward through the door. She landed on her back in the fiery room, the flames roaring all around her. She scrambled to her feet, and was horrified to find that the door had disappeared, replaced by a wall of flames. She was trapped, trapped in a room that was on fire, with no way out.

"NO!" She screamed, turning around and around again, surrounded by flames on all sides.

"HELP!" She cried as the flames grew closer and closer. "PLEASE, HELP!"

She fell to her knees, curling her arms over her head, her mind reeling with panic and fear. The flames licked at her arms, her back, her face, her flesh white hot and burning.

"REGINA!"

XX

Emma Swan stared down into her mug of hot chocolate, her heart heavy from the events of the past few weeks. She glanced up at her parents, and her son Henry, as they all sat around the table in Emma and Mary Margaret's apartment. They all looked to be just about as miserable as she was, but none of them more so than Mary Margaret.

After Shae's death, and Henry, along with the rest of the town, thinking that she was once again a murderer, Regina had absolutely nothing left. She joined forces with her mother, and the two of them wreaked general havoc on the town of Storybrooke. With Mr. Gold poisoned and dying, and Regina on her mother's side, Emma and her parents had nothing to fight back against Cora with. That was, until Mary Margaret discovered a way to save Gold, and destroy Cora, all at the same time.

She used a dark, enchanted candle, a candle that could be used to take one life, and restore another. However, the spell wouldn't work with Cora's heart seperated from her body. Through persuasion and general trickery of words, Mary Margaret convinced Regina to find her mother's heart, and put it back in her chest. She had effectively tricked Regina into killing her own mother, and it was making her miserable.

Mary Margaret was so miserable, in fact, that she had gone to Regina's house, and begged her to kill her, to take the vengeance that was rightfully hers. Regina finally had Snow White's heart in her hand, but, once she noticed that Mary Margaret had blackened her own heart, she put it back, deciding that living with the things she had done was punishment enough for her old nemesis.

"So you've got a black spot on your heart." Emma was saying to her mother. "So what? We've all got a little darkness in us. It's human nature."

"No, this is different, this is so much worse." Mary Margaret replied quietly, shaking her head slowly as tears leaked out of her eyes. "What I did to Cora, to Regina, was… Horrible. I've got to make it up to her somehow, that is, if she doesn't kill me first."

They all stared down at the table in miserable silence once again. "I wish Shae was here." Henry suddenly muttered. "She would probably know what to do. She always knew what to say to my mom to make her calm down."

Mary Margaret suddenly gasped, grabbing Henry by his cheeks and squeezing them. "Henry, that's it!" She exclaimed.

"What's it?" Henry mumbled through his smushed lips.

"That's how I can make amends with Regina, or, at least start to." Mary Margaret explained, releasing her grandson's face. "I have to find Shae! Cora didn't actually kill Archie, so maybe she's still alive too!"

"Mary Margaret, we saw Cora stab her in the heart with a silver dagger." David said sadly. "That's the only way to kill a vampire. I'm sorry, but… She's gone."

Mary Margaret bit her lip, staring around at her family. "Well, then, we can find her body, that'll at least give Regina some closure, right? It'll give us all closure."

Emma nodded slowly. "Maybe you're right." She replied. "I mean, we never even got a chance to try and look for her with everything that's been going on."

"Yeah, you're right." Agreed David. "With Cora attacking us, that guy Greg wandering around, and you coming back to Storybrooke with Neal-"

"And finding out he's my Dad and Mr. Gold is my grandpa…" Henry cut in.

Emma chuckled. "Right, we've sure got one messed up family." She said, ruffling her son's hair. "So… Where do we even start? I'm more used to finding people that are still, you know, alive."

"We can try and have Ruby track her scent." Mary Margaret offered.

"Would that even work? She's been gone for weeks." Asked David.

"I don't know." His wife admitted. "But it's worth a try!"

And try they did. Mary Margaret and Emma left Henry at home with David, thinking it best that the young boy remain behind, in case they really did find Shae's dead body. They found Shae's bus parked outside of Regina's house, and got one of her old t-shirts from inside. With shirt in hand, they collected Ruby from the diner. Ruby was hesitant at first, still in a great deal of pain over Shae's loss, but she eventually relented, and agreed to help find her. The three women set off to the spot downtown where Pongo had seen Cora disappear, with Shae in tow.

"I'm sorry." Ruby said sadly, shaking her head at them. "I'm not getting anything. It's been too long, her scent's gone."

"No, I'm sorry, Ruby." Emma told her, rubbing her arm gently. "I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to… To say goodbye."

Ruby nodded sadly, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked down at Shae's t-shirt in her hands, and held it up to her face, sniffing it again, but this time only for her own benefit. She missed Shae terribly, and the shirt still smelled like her.

"What do we do now?" Mary Margaret asked, looking miserable again

"What about one of those, um… Locator spells?" Emma offered with a shrug.

"Oh! Yes! That's a great idea!" Exclaimed Mary Margaret, excitedly grabbing her daughter's arm. "We already have something of Shae's, we just need to get the potion to cast the spell!"

"Where are we gonna get a potion like that from, though?" Asked Emma. "Regina probably has one, but I don't think she'd be willing to give it to us in her current state. Not even… Not even for Shae."

"Gold! He's done it before, with Jefferson's hat." Mary Margaret replied.

Ruby gave her friend a skeptical glance. "You really think he'll help us?"

"Yes, of course!" Mary Margaret replied with a determined nod. Her face then fell, and she bit her lip. "Well… I don't know. But, we at least have to try. Come on!"

They hurried off to Gold's shop, but, once there, just as Ruby had suspected, they found him to be much less than helpful this time. He had been in a particularly foul mood ever since Belle was pushed over the town line by Captain Hook, losing her memories of him and everyone else.

"All magic comes at a price, dearie." He said with a sour smile. "And the price of a locator spell is quite steep, indeed. I'm afraid you just can't afford it."

"What exactly is that supposed to me?" Mary Margaret demanded indignantly.

"It means, 'go away.'" Gold snarled at her. "I've no patience for you and your family today."

"Come on, Gold, we're just trying to find someone we lost." Emma pleaded with him. "You lost Neal before, right? Wouldn't you have wanted someone to help you if they could?"

Gold narrowed his eyes at her and, for a moment, it seemed that he was going to continue refusing to help. He then let out a relenting, but still slightly irritated, sigh. He turned around, disappearing into the back room of his shop. When he returned, he placed a small, blue vial on the counter next to Shae's t-shirt.

"Very well, Miss Swan." He said with a small smile. "You do seem to have a knack for playing on people's sensitivities, don't you?"

"Thank you." Emma said, smiling gratefully.

"You're quite welcome." He said, uncorking the vial and pouring the liquid inside onto Shae's shirt. "I truly do hope you find our friendly neighborhood vampire. I was beginning to miss her biting wit."

Mr. Gold and the three women gathered in his shop all stared down at the t-shirt on the counter, waiting anxiously for something, anything to happen. Just when it seemed like the spell had failed, the three women gasped, jumping back as Shae's shirt suddenly lifted magically into the air. They gasped again, and whirled around as the door to Gold's shop was magically flung open. They all ducked as the shirt flew over their heads, through the front of the shop, and out the open door.

"Oh! Come on, hurry!" Exclaimed Mary Margaret.

"Good luck!" Gold called after them.

They rushed off after the shirt, following it as it floated along the streets of Storybrooke, gaining some curious glances from passersby. The shirt floated on and on, and they continued to follow it all the way out of the main part of town. As they hurried along, they realized that the locator spell was leading them into the marina.

They sped down the docks, and they all stopped when they reached the very end of the dock that Hook's ship was still tied to. The shirt, however, continued on across the water, rippling gently as the bottom of the shirt brushed against the top of the lake. It stopped right in the center of the lake, hovered there momentarily, then shot down into the water, lost from sight.

"D-Did it work?" Emma asked her mother, looking confused.

"Well, yeah, I think so." Mary Margaret replied uncertainly.

"Does that mean… Shae's at the bottom of the lake?" Ruby asked, fear in her eyes.

The three women all exchanged a nervous glance, then stared out at the water where Shae's t-shirt had disappeared. If the locator spell had actually worked, and Shae really was at the bottom of the lake, that was most certainly was not a good thing.

"Only one way to find out." Emma muttered, pulling off her jacket and handing it to her mother.

"Emma, no! You can't just go diving down there!" Cried Mary Margaret when she realized what her daughter was about to do.

"Relax, I was the captain of my swim team in high school." Emma told her mother. "Don't worry, I've got this. If Shae really is down there, I'll find her."

Emma continued to pull off her clothes until she had stripped down to only her tank top and underwear. She nodded at her mother and Ruby, and they nodded back, both giving her a weak smile. Emma stepped up to the edge of the dock, bending at the knees and bracing herself.

"Well… Here goes nothin'." She muttered

She drew in a deep, steadying breath, and dove gracefully into the water. Ruby and Mary Margaret clutched each other's hands anxiously as they watched Emma swim out to the center of the lake. She stopped momentarily, and they heard her draw in another deep breath, and she was lost from sight as she slipped underneath the water. Ruby turned to Mary Margaret, tears in her eyes.

"Snow… W-What if her body really is down there?" Ruby asked her, the tears now falling down her cheeks. "I… I don't… I don't know if I can do it… I-"

Ruby's voice broke into a sob, and Mary Margaret threw her arms around her, gently rubbing her back. "I know, sweetie, I know, I'm sorry." She said soothingly. "You won't have to do it alone, ok? Emma and I will be right here with you."

They both jumped when they heard splashing near them. Emma had surfaced again, resting her arms on the edge of the pier and breathing heavily.

"There's… There's something down there." She said gravely. "Ruby, do you got a knife on you?"

Ruby nodded, producing a small pocket knife from out of her jacket and handing it down to Emma. Emma nodded, taking a few more deep breaths.

"I-Is it Shae?" Ruby asked her anxiously.

"I'm not sure yet." Emma answered with a shake of her head. "I'll be back in a minute."

Emma swam out to the middle of the lake again, and dove down into the water. Mary Margaret and Ruby stared out into the still water, both holding their breath anxiously. For a few, impossibly long moments, they saw nothing, no ripples, no splashing, and no blonde head resurfacing. Mary Margaret turned to Ruby, panic in her eyes. She opened her mouth to voice her concerns when they heard a voice call out.

"Hey! Over here!"

Emma was several yards to their right, holding a human body under its arms and dragging it out of the water, onto the sandy shore. Ruby and Mary Margaret exchanged a horrified glance, and they rushed over to Emma and the body she had found at the bottom of the lake. When they got closer, they noticed the body's hands and feet were bound with rope, and a sack hood had been placed over the head. The person from the lake was dressed all in black, and was wearing a now water stained black leather jacket.

Emma set the body down gently in the sand, panting heavily. Ruby and Mary Margaret made it over to her just as she knelt down next to the body, pulling off the sack hood.

"SHAE!"

Ruby fell to her knees next to Shae's body, and Mary Margaret stood behind her, staring down at the vampire with her hands over her mouth, tears in her eyes. Shae looked to be more pale than she ever had been, her usual unruly black hair sticking to her forehead from the water, her eyes closed.

"Shae? Shae!" Ruby sobbed, shaking the vampire by her shoulders and slapping her cheeks. "Oh, Shae, please! Please, wake up!"

Emma glanced up at her mother, who was now crying, as Shae continued to lie completely still. "D-Do you think she's… You know…" She began to ask.

"I don't know…" Mary Margaret whispered sadly. "She doesn't breathe air, she's always pale. There's… There's no way to tell."

"Oh, Shae…" Emma breathed. "What the hell happened to you?"

XXX

"It's good!" Shae called out to Regina, throwing her a thumbs up as she leapt to her feet. "I'm all good!"

"Ow, shit, motherfucker…" She muttered as she limped down the sidewalk, her knee screaming in pain.

Once the pain, and the initial embarrassment from tripping and falling on her face, had subsided, she set a brisk pace down the sidewalk. Her body was still trembling slightly from the shock of having her heart returned, but it was much better now, now that she was sure of what she was feeling. Everything else was still muddled, her mind still reeling from the intense emotions, but she was sure of one thing. She loved Regina, she loved her more than anything. All she wanted was to be back at her side, back in her arms again.

Her heart sunk as she thought about Ruby. She did care about the young she-wolf, she cared about her very much, but not like she did about Regina. Now that her heart was back, she felt intense, bitter regret for what she had done to Ruby, for what she was about to do. She had to tell Ruby that she didn't love her, that she loved Regina, and it was going to break the poor girl's heart.

Shae rounded the corner around a building, Granny's Bed and Breakfast coming into sight a few yards ahead. She slowed her pace slightly, trying to think of what exactly she was going to say to Ruby. She knew, though, that there was nothing she could say that would make it hurt less.

She stopped suddenly, roused from her musings when she heard frantic barking. She turned her head and found Pongo rushing across the street toward her.

"Pongo? What are you doing out here, buddy?" Shae asked the dog, kneeling down in front of him.

Pongo continued to bark alertly at her, spinning around in circles. The canine was obviously upset about something, and Shae frowned as she patted him on the head.

"What's up with you, Pongo? Are you-" Shae started to ask him, but stopped when a cloud of purple smoke behind him caught her eye.

Pongo barked furiously as Regina stepped out of the cloud, a grin spread across her face that gave Shae instant chills.

"Regina? W-What are you doing here?" Shae asked her as Pongo continued barking, backing away from her.

"Hello, Shae." Regina said, her voice layered with malice. "So nice to finally meet you."

Shae's brow furrowed in confusion. She was just about to ask what the hell she was talking about as Regina pulled out a dagger, her eyes flashing with wild rage. Regina stepped slowly toward her, raising the dagger into the air, her grin turning into a fearsome snarl.

"R-Regina? What are you doing? No! STOP!"

Shae cried out in pain as the woman she loved plunged the dagger into her heart, Pongo snarling and barking viciously. Shae fell to her knees, staring up at Regina in complete and utter shock.

"W-What? Why?" She breathed.

Regina sneered down at her, the look in her eyes so full of dark and dangerous hostility that it caused Shae's own to well up with angry and confused tears.

"Nothing personal, dear." Regina replied, sporting a triumphant grin. "I just need you out of the way."

Shae was about to question her again, but stopped short when Regina placed her hand on her shoulder, and she was engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke. She felt her body being lifted into the air, and all she saw was a cyclone of purple smoke whirling around her. She started spinning wildly, her ears ringing with the rushing, swirling wind.

Suddenly, her hands and knees made contact with solid ground, and she found herself staring down at wooden planks. She pushed herself to her feet, gazing bewilderedly at her surroundings. She was standing on the deck of some sort of ship, staring out into the dark and quiet lake. She stumbled back a step, her back hitting something solid. She glanced up, and found herself staring up at a tall mast and white sails.

She jumped when she heard a chuckle, and she realized that Regina was still standing in front of her, grinning deviously. She disappeared in another puff of purple smoke, and a different woman took her place, a woman that Shae was horrified to find that she recognized.

"You…" Shae breathed, her red eyes wide with shock. "Y-Your… Regina's mother!"

"Yes, I don't believe we've ever been properly introduced." Regina's mother replied, still grinning deviously. "I'm Cora."

Shae eyed Cora warily as the red-hair woman slowly sauntered closer to her, staring intently at the vampire's face. Shae remained fearfully still as Cora grabbed her by her chin, turning her head side to side, examining her closely.

"So… You're the disgusting creature that stole my daughter's heart." Cora sneered, her tone heavy with contempt. "I'm afraid I just don't see the appeal."

"Disgusting? That's pretty damn harsh, don't you think?" Shae quipped in reply, grinning cheekily down at Cora. "I prefer… Deplorable. Got a better ring to it."

Corra narrowed her eyes irritably at the vampire. "I have heard stories about your incessant wit. Can't say that I care for it."

"Tough shit." Shae spat, glaring furiously at her. "What do you want? How the hell are you even here? Emma and Snow stopped you from coming through the portal."

Cora laughed loudly. "Oh no, dear, those two fools had no idea exactly who they were dealing with." She sneered. "I'm nothing if not determined. I will be reunited with my daughter, and now, I won't have you standing in my way."

"What are you going to do to Regina?" Shae asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

The vampire suddenly grew extremely dizzy. She tried to take a step forward, but stumbled, falling to her knees again, her legs suddenly feeling like they were made of jelly. She stared down at the dagger that was still in her chest.

"This isn't silver…" She breathed in utter confusion.

"No, no, my darling, I'm not trying to kill you." Cora replied, cupping her hand under Shae's chin and turning her face upward. "I only want my daughter to think that the one she loves is dead."

"Why?" Shae asked, eyes wide with horror.

"Because, the only way she's going to let her mother back into her life is if she's completely and utterly broken." Cora replied, staring down at her with a smirk. "Everyone in town will soon turn against her, even her boy, Henry. And now, with you gone, she will soon be good and broken. She will soon need her mother again."

"You are one evil bitch…" Shae snarled viciously.

"My, my, how vulgar." Cora replied, seemingly offended. "You really are quite… Deplorable."

Shae groaned as the world once again spun around her. She fell forward onto her hands and knees, feeling her body growing weaker by the second, her vision starting to blur.

"W-What is this? What have you done to me?" She asked, pushing herself back up onto her knees and glaring up at Cora's hazy figure.

"A sleeping curse, darling." Cora replied with a wicked sneer. "This way, Regina still thinks her lover is dead, and I can store you away for… Safe keeping. Who knows? I might find a pet vampire useful someday, my daughter certainly did."

Cora knelt down in front of Shae as the vampire blinked furiously, trying to keep her heavy eyelids open. "Before you sleep, I want you to know something." Cora said, grabbing Shae by her chin, bringing her own face dangerously close, glaring viciously into the vampire's eyes.

"You will never see my Regina, EVER again."

Cora released Shae's chin, and the vampire slumped sideways to the ground, now under full effect of the sleeping curse. Cora gazed down at the unconscious vampire, gently brushing a stray lock of her messy black hair off her forehead.

"Yes, I suppose I do see the appeal." Cora muttered to herself, then called over her shoulder. "Captain!"

A few moments later, Killian Jones, better known as Captain Hook, poked his head out of his cabin. He sauntered over to Cora, staring down at Shae's senseless body.

"Is that who I think it is?" He asked, his eyebrows raised in shock.

"Indeed, it is." Cora said with a grin, getting to her feet.

"Well done." Hook said, grinning back at Cora with admiration. "I've never crossed blades with a vampire myself, but I've heard taking one down is quite an impressive feat."

"Oh, it was quite easy, dear." Cora replied, waving her hand dismissively. "I simply used the thing she loved most against her."

"Regina?"

"Indeed." Cora said with a triumphant smile. "Now everyone in town will think my daughter murdered that loathsome cricket, and the one she loved."

"That is quite clever, my dear Cora." Hook said with another grin. "Now, what are you planning on doing with our undead friend here?"

Cora grinned back at him. "We're going to take her for a little boat ride."

A few moments later, Hook and Cora loaded the sleeping vampire into a rowboat, and Hook rowed them out into the middle of the lake. Hook tied a sack hood over Shae's head, and bound her hands and feet together with some rope.

"So, your daughter, is she broken yet?" Hook asked Cora as he tied the rope dangling from Shae's feet to a sack full of cannonballs.

"Not yet, but she will be." Cora replied with a knowing smile.

Cora and Hook rolled Shae's unconscious body over the side of the boat, and watched as the sack of cannonballs attached to her feet dragged her down into the black depths.

Cora chuckled darkly. "There. Now my daughter has truly lost everything."

XXX

Emma stared down at Shae's lifeless body miserably, watching as Ruby gently brushed the wet hair off of her forehead. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears running down her face. She suddenly noticed that the dagger was still protruding from Shae's chest. Emma pulled it out with a shaky hand, setting it down onto the sand. She used Ruby's knife to cut Shae's hands and feet free, and she took one of Shae's cold, wet hands in both of her's.

"Shae… Just… What… What do we do?" Emma asked, choking back a sob.

"I don't know, Emma." Ruby replied, shaking her head as tears streamed down her face. "I just… I don't know."

Mary Margaret suddenly gasped, and Emma and Ruby turned their tear stained faces onto her. "Mother Superior, T-The Blue Fairy!" She exclaimed. "Shae's a vampire, and vampires are magical creatures, right?"

When Emma and Ruby both nodded uncertainly, Mary Margaret went on. "S-So, Blue, maybe she can, I don't know, sense the magic in Shae, see if she's still alive somehow!"

Emma and Ruby exchanged a silent, skeptical glance. "Just…. You two stay here, I'll go get her!" Mary Margaret said, not waiting for a reply.

Mary Margaret rushed off, and Emma went back to the pier and gathered up her clothes, pulling them back on. When she returned, Ruby was still sitting next to Shae, softly brushing back her hair as she cried quietly. Emma sat down on Shae's other side, staring down at her pale face. She looked so peaceful, as if she were only sleeping. But Emma knew better. She had seen enough darkness in her life to know that Shae was gone, that she wasn't coming back. She didn't want to quash her mother's hopes, though, or Ruby's either, so she decided to hold her tongue.

Emma smiled, gently stroking Shae's cold cheek as she reminisced about the year that they had spent together in Boston, how happy Shae had made her. When she left, Emma had been so angry at her for such a long time. And now, now she was gone, and Emma felt a painful, immeasurable guilt.

Ruby and Emma both sat next to Shae for a long time, neither of them speaking, both feeling the heaviness of Shae's loss bare down upon them. Finally, Mary Margaret returned, followed closely by Mother Superior.

"Sorry that took so long." Said Mary Margaret, who was looking a bit irritable. "She took a little… Convincing."

"I'd rather not waste what precious little magic I have on… Her." Mother Superior said, staring down at Shae with a look of disgust.

"Yes, you've said that several times now." Muttered Mary Margaret, rolling her eyes.

"Please, we have no other way of telling if she's really… Gone." Ruby said pleadingly, staring up at Mother Superior with more tears in her eyes. "We… We just…"

"We just need to be sure." Emma finished when Ruby's voice broke with emotion.

Mother Superior's expression softened when she looked down at Emma and Ruby's tear soaked faces. She nodded at them, and the two women got up, backing away to give Mother Superior space to work her magic.

Ruby, Emma, and Mary Margaret all squeezed each other's hands as they waited for Mother Superior to tell them something, anything. She pulled out her wand, and Shae's body began to glow with a soft blue light as she swept the wand back and forth over it. When she was finished, she glanced up at the three waiting women, her face grave.

"Well, I'm afraid I have good news and bad news." Mother Superior said gently.

"What? What is it?" Ruby asked, looking panic stricken.

"The good news is… Your vampire… Shae. She's alive."

Emma, Ruby, and Mary Margaret all gasped, smiles spreading across their faces as they looked around at each other. Emma let out a stunned but happy laugh. Shae was actually alive? She could barely believe it. Her smile suddenly faded. If that was the good news, what was the bad news?

"Wait, so, what's wrong with her?" Ruby asked, voicing Emma's own concerns, her smile disappearing as well. "Why isn't she waking up?"

Mother Superior sighed, staring sadly down at Shae. "That's… The bad news." She replied slowly. "Shae has been placed under a sleeping curse."

All of their faces fell, and they gazed around at each other in silent shock. "What?" Emma breathed.

"Why? Why would Cora do this?" Ruby asked, looking panicked again.

"I don't know… Maybe she didn't have a way to actually kill her." Guessed Mary Margaret. "Or… She wanted to keep her hidden away so she could use her for something later."

"I really don't think the 'why' matters right now." Emma said, turning her shocked gaze onto Mother Superior. "How do we wake her up?"

"True love's kiss." Replied Mother Superior. "It's the only way."

The three women exchanged a silent, worried glance. "Well… Who's Shae's true love?" Asked Ruby.

"You are, of course!" Mary Margaret exclaimed, smiling excitedly at Ruby.

"W-What? Me?" Ruby asked, bewildered. "N-No, I don't think so."

"You have to be!" Mary Margaret insisted. "You guys were together for a while, right? And you're a werewolf, she's a vampire. You guys just kinda, you know, go together!"

Ruby remained silent, staring from Shae's unconscious body back to Mary Margaret. "Just… Go kiss her. I'm sure she'll wake up." Mary Margaret said with an encouraging smile.

Ruby bit her lip hesitantly, gazing back at Shae. She then smiled too, and nodded her head. Emma pulled her mother aside as Ruby knelt down next to Shae once again, dropping her voice low.

"Did you forget about what Regina told us?" Emma asked her heatedly. "She said when Shae got her heart back she realized she still loved Regina. If anything, it's her, not Ruby. You're giving her false hope!"

"That doesn't mean anything!" Mary Margaret whispered in retort. "Regina was the last person Shae loved before she lost her heart, that doesn't mean she really still does. It's probably just a… Residual effect, or something. Regina can't be Shae's true love. There's just… There's no way!"

"NO!"

Emma and her mother both whirled around, and both of their hearts sunk deep into their chests. Ruby was kneeling next to Shae, kissing her lips over and over again, but nothing was happening. Shae remained as still and lifeless as ever.

"Why isn't she waking up?" Ruby cried desperately, turning her tear stained face to Mother Superior.

Mother Superior stared down at Ruby sadly, and shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry, Ruby, but I'm afraid you're not Shae's true love."

Ruby choked out a sob, burying her face in her hands. Mary Margaret rushed over to her, kneeling down and pulling Ruby into her arms as she sobbed. She glanced over at her daughter, looking thoroughly miserable. Emma bit back an, 'I told you so.'

"I-If it's not me…" Ruby said, pulling away from Mary Margaret and wiping furiously at her eyes. "Then… It's Regina, isn't it?"

Emma exchanged another knowing but sad glance with her mother. Ruby pushed away from Mary Margaret, getting to her feet and stomping furiously away from her and Shae's still unconscious body. She stood at the edge of the water, wrapping her arms tightly around her torso and staring out at the lake as tears rushed down her face.

"Hey, you know, we don't know that for sure. Maybe it's not Regina either." Emma said, as she joined Ruby by the water, attempting to comfort her.

Mary Margaret also joined them, rubbing Ruby's arm gently. "Emma's right, it might not be Regina." She said with a sad smile. "Shae, she… She's done a lot of really bad things in her life. Plus, she's a vampire. Maybe… Maybe she doesn't even have a true love."

"Then she'll never wake up." Ruby replied miserably, continuing to gaze out at the water.

"Yeah, that's not great either, is it?" Mary Margaret muttered.

Emma and Mary Margaret both glanced at each other sadly. Emma turned back to Mother Superior, who was still standing next to Shae's lifeless body.

"Is there really no other way?" Emma asked the former nun.

Mother Superior shook her head sadly, and Emma sighed. She turned back to Ruby, placing her hand gently on the young woman's shoulder.

"Ruby, I'm sorry, I know this all sucks but… I've got to go get Regina." Emma told her gently. "We've got to at least have her try."

"I know…" Ruby replied quietly. "Just… Go. I'll be fine."

Emma smiled slightly, and nodded. Emma left to go get Regina, and Mother Superior left too, back to the convent. Mary Margaret stayed with Ruby, attempting to comfort her friend. Ruby stood behind Shae's head, staring down at her. Her tears had subsided, but her eyes were still full of sorrow.

"Oh, Ruby… Ruby, I'm so sorry." Mary Margaret said, gently rubbing her back. "I know… I know you really care about her-"

"I love her." Ruby said quietly.

"Oh…" Breathed Mary Margaret. "Oh… I'm so sorry."

"Me too." Ruby replied with a sad smile. "I guess this kind of stuff happens when you fall for someone who doesn't have a heart."

Not able to come up with anything else to say, Mary Margaret simply gave her a sad smile back. The two of them stood around waiting for Emma to return for a long while. A few times, they had to shoo away a few shocked passersby, but thankfully none of them caused a fuss. In fact, once they found out that it was Shae lying the sand, they promptly scurried away in fright. Mary Margaret was starting to worry that Emma had failed to convince Regina to come, and was just about to voice her concerns to Ruby when they heard two car doors slamming shut.

Emma was getting out of her car, with Regina close behind her. "Sorry about that." Emma said to her mother and Ruby. "Regina took some convincing too."

When Regina spotted Mary Margaret, and Ruby just behind her, her lips curled into a fearsome snarl. "What is she doing here?" She growled at Emma. "You've led me into a trap, haven't you?"

They all cried out in alarm as Regina summoned a fireball into her hand. She drew her arm back, and was about to hurl it at Mary Margaret when Emma grabbed her arm.

"Regina, no!" Emma shouted, struggling against Regina, who was surprisingly strong.

"Get your hands off me you little-" Regina snarled at her.

"No! Regina, no, it's not a trap!" Mary Margaret cut in quickly. "Here, look!"

She and Ruby both stepped aside, and Regina let out a shocked gasp, extinguishing the fireball. When she saw Shae lying on the shore, her expression softened, and her eyes immediately welled up with tears. She took a few steps forward, staring down at the woman she loved, who she had thought was gone forever. She stopped and turned back to Emma, who smiled at her.

"You… You found her." Regina breathed. "I-Is she-"

"Dead? No, she's still alive." Emma told her. "But… She's been put under a sleeping curse, and she needs true love's kiss to wake her up."

Regina stared around at all of them in silent shock. "And you all think… You think I'm Shae's true love?" She then started to laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. "Oh, please, don't be absurd. If anyone is her true love it's her wolf girl here."

"I… I already tried…" Ruby replied quietly, glancing away from Regina and biting back more tears. "Turns out I'm… I'm not Shae's true love."

Regina's face fell, and she stared down at the ground. "I see. Well, I am… Sorry to hear that."

"That's why I brought you here." Emma said to Regina. "You told us yourself that Shae said she still loved you. So… It… It has to be you, right?"

Regina glanced over at Shae, suddenly looking very sad. "No, I'm sorry, but it isn't." She said slowly. "As much as I want to it to be it… It just… I'm just not."

"How do you even know, Regina?" Mary Margaret asked pleadingly. "You haven't even tried, you just-"

"I know because I already know who my true love is, and it's not Shae!" Regina snapped.

A stunned silence fell over the women gathered at the shore. Regina stared down at the ground again as they all silently gaped at her.

"What do you mean, you already know who it is?" Emma asked her, eyes wide with shock.

Regina sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's… A long story but… It was years and years ago, when I first married King Leopold." Regina explained, though a bit begrudgingly. "A fairy came to me, and she cast a spell, a spell that took me to a tavern, and my true love was inside. He had a… Specific tattoo, one that Shae does not, and has not ever had."

"W-What happened to him?" Mary Margaret asked, looking just as shocked as her daughter.

"I… I don't know." Admitted Regina, her eyes growing even more sad. "I never met him. I… Was afraid, so… I-I ran. I've never seen the man since then."

Silence fell over the group as they pondered Regina's story with heavy hearts. Was this it, then? Was Shae doomed to remain under her sleeping curse forever?

"Well, it still won't hurt to try, right?" Mary Margaret asked, her eyes still hopeful. "Please, Regina, we just want Shae back."

"And you think I don't?" Regina snapped at Mary Margaret again. "I'm sorry, but… It won't work, it's pointless."

"Please, Regina." Ruby suddenly said, breaking her sad and angry silence.

Regina drew back a step, eyeing her warily as the she-wolf stepped up to the former Queen. Ruby took Regina's hands in both of hers, staring intensely and desperately into her eyes.

"Please." Ruby begged her again, her voice cracking with emotion. "I know you love her too. So just… Please. Please, just try."

Regina stared back at Ruby in silence and, for a moment, Emma was worried that there was going to be another fight. But, Regina gave Ruby's hands a gentle squeeze, and nodded.

She walked slowly over to Shae and, when she stared down at her pale, lifeless face, she was suddenly overcome with emotion. She choked out a sob as she knelt down next to the woman she loved, gently brushing back her damp, black hair. She gasped in horror when she saw the gaping stab wound over Shae's heart, and she noticed the dagger lying next to her.

"Oh, Shae…" She whispered as tears ran down her face. "What did my mother do to you?"

She let out another sob, squeezing her eyes shut. She wished so terribly much that her kiss would wake her, that it would return the one she loved to her. But she knew it wouldn't. The man with the lion tattoo, the one she had run away from all those years ago was her true love, not Shae. As she gazed down at her lover's face, gently running her finger across the wound in her heart, she wished ever so desperately that she was.

"Regina…" Mary Margaret said quietly, sensing her confliction. "If it doesn't work then… Well, then at least you get to kiss her goodbye."

Regina squeezed her eyes shut again, more tears rolling down her cheeks, and slowly nodded. Mary Margaret, Emma, and Ruby all huddled together as they watched Regina staring silently down at Shae. She sobbed again, gently placing her hand on Shae's cheek.

"Oh, Shae… Shae, I love you." She whispered to her softly.

Regina leaned down, pressing her lips gently to Shae's. Emma, Mary Margaret, and Ruby all gasped when a pulsewave of magic shot out from between their lips as soon as they touched. Regina gasped too, leaping to her feet and stumbling backwards in alarm.

They all cried out in shock as Shae sat bolt upright, drawing in a heaving, shuttering gasp, her eyes now wide open. She rolled over onto her hands and knees, violently coughing up lungful after lungful of lake water. Regina and Ruby both stood rigid and silent in shock as Emma and her mother both rushed forward, grabbing Shae's arms as the dazed and confused vampire pushed herself shakily to her feet.

"Oh my god… I can't believe it worked." Mary Margaret said, staring up at Shae's face in wonder. "Regina really is-"

"W-W-What? Where… What happened?" Shae stammered, finally finding her voice, her eyes wild with shock.

"It's alright, Shae! You're alright!" Mary Margaret exclaimed, her eyes shining with tears.

"S-Snow? Emma?" Shae asked, glancing between the two women standing in front of her. "What are you… W-Where… Just… What?"

"It's alright, you're safe now." Emma told her, placing her hand on Shae's cold, wet cheek, grateful tears leaking out of her eyes.

"Regina saved you!" Mary Margaret exclaimed, shedding happy and grateful tears as well.

"R-Regina?" Shae asked them, her eyes still slightly deranged with shock. "Saved me? W-What… I-I don't-"

Shae stopped her stammering when she finally saw Regina, and her eyes suddenly focused, her eyes lighting up with joy.

"Regina!" She shouted.

Shae pushed away from Emma and her mother, rushing forward. Regina let out another strangled sob, smiling and reaching her arms out to the woman she loved. The smile on her face disappeared as Shae suddenly stopped in her tracks, her own face panic stricken.

"NO!" She screamed, staggering and stumbling backwards, her eyes suddenly filled with pure terror. "No, no, no! T-T-That's not-"

Regina gasped as Shae tripped and fell backward to the ground. When she made to go help her, Shae's face grew even more terrified. She crawled and scrambled backward, away from her. Emma and Mary Margaret once again pulled her to her feet, and Ruby rushed forward, grabbing Shae's face in her hands, attempting to calm her

"Shae! Shae, calm down… You're ok..." Ruby said soothingly, trying in vain to get Shae's terrified eyes off of Regina.

"T-That's not… She's… She's not…" Shae stammered, tugging on the arm of Emma's jacket and pulling her back with her, pointing a shaky finger at a now mortified Regina. "S-S-She's not Regina! Cora, it's Cora! S-S-She did this to me!"

"No, Shae, Cora's gone! It's really Regina, I promise." Mary Margaret said in the same soothing tone as Ruby.

None of their words seemed to be getting through the still disoriented vampire. She continued to stare at Regina, her red eyes bulging and wild with fear. She kept backing slowly away, pulling on Emma's jacket, shaking her head and muttering the word 'no' over and over again.

"I think she's in shock or something!" Ruby cried, her eyes full of concern.

"Stand back, I've got this." Emma suddenly said, yanking her arm out of Shae's grip and standing squarely in front of the panicking vampire.

"What are you - Oh!" Mary Margaret started to ask, then gasped when a loud smack resonated around the marina as Emma slapped Shae hard across the face.

"Emma!" Ruby chastised her.

"Hey… Hey!" Emma said to Shae, snapping her fingers in front of the vampire's face. "Earth to Shae! You alright?"

Shae had stopped backing away and now stood rigidly still, blinking several times. She then glanced around at them, her eyes now calm and clear.

"Yeah…" She breathed, smiling at Emma. "Much better, thanks."

"Oh… It… Worked?" Mary Margaret asked in shocked but pleasant surprise.

Shae nodded, and was about to respond when she noticed Regina again, who was still standing rooted in her spot. When she realized Shae had broken out of her crazed trance, she smiled a hopeful smile. It disappeared as suddenly as it came when Shae's face fell into furious snarl.

"YOU." She growled, stomping toward Regina.

"SHAE, NO!" Emma bellowed as her, Mary Margaret, and Ruby all rushed forward and grabbed onto Shae, attempting to hold her back.

"It's Regina, it's really Regina!" Mary Margaret shouted.

"Shae, it's me!" Regina said pleadingly, tears welling in her eyes. "It really is me, I promise!"

"PROVE IT!" Shae shouted at her furiously. "If you're really Regina, then tell me something only her and I would know!"

Shae then dropped her voice into a low and menacing growl. "And if you can't, if you're actually Cora, then I'm gonna rip your FUCKING LUNGS OUT!"

"Well, at least we know she's back to normal." Muttered Mary Margaret.

Regina thought for a few long, silent moments, her eyes shifting all around her, her mind turning wildly. Emma, Mary Margaret, and Ruby all clung to Shae's arms, watching Regina with bated breath. It was beginning to seem like she was coming up empty.

"I fucking knew it, it's Cora!" Shae snarled, shoving the three women holding her back away from her, stomping toward Regina again. "You're gonna pay for what you did to me, you evil fucking BITCH!"

"I always come back!" Regina shouted suddenly, her eyes wide with fear.

Shae stopped in her tracks, the snarl fading from her face at Regina's words. Her expression softened, and she stood rigidly still, staring at Regina with wide eyes.

"What?" She breathed.

"That's what you would say, any time you had to leave my side, any time we were ever apart." Regina went on, her eyes shining with tears. "I'd say, 'you came back,' and you'd say-"

"I always come back." Shae finished for her, now smiling too. "It really is you!"

Regina nodded, choking out a sob as she smiled, once again reaching her arms out to the woman she loved. Shae rushed forward, and threw herself into Regina's arms. Regina sobbed loudly and gratefully as Shae held her, wrapping her arms tightly around her neck. Shae dropped to her knees, crying as she held the woman she loved desperately in her arms. Regina went down with her, and they kissed passionately, the whole rest of the world disappearing around them. They were finally back together, finally in each other's loving arms once again.

"You came back!" Regina whispered as she pressed her forehead to Shae's, gently caressing her cold, pale face.

"I always come back." Shae whispered back.

They both laughed, and kissed again. Emma smiled at her mother, who smiled back, her eyes shining with happy tears. Shae looked up at them, and she smiled a shocked and grateful smile. Her and Regina both got back up, and Shae embraced both Emma and Mary Margaret gratefully.

"You're all wet." Emma said with a laugh, brushing the water off of the front of her clothes.

"I am?" Shae asked, looking down at her clothes. "Oh no! This was my favorite jacket!"

Regina laughed as Shae pouted her lips. "Here." She said, and she waved her hand in front of Shae.

Emma and Mary Margaret both leapt back as Shae was momentarily consumed by a cyclone of rushing wind. When it stopped, she was completely dry, her hair once again messy and sticking out at all angles like it usually did.

"Thanks!" Shae said, smiling gratefully at Regina and taking her hand. "Why, uh, why was I all wet?"

"You were at the bottom of the lake." Mary Margaret answered.

Shae raised her eyebrows in alarm. "Oh! Well, uh, that's-"

She suddenly gasped, urgently grabbing Regina's arm. "Cora! We have to stop her!" She exclaimed. "S-SHe said she was coming for you, t-that she-"

"It's alright, my mother, she's…" Regina began, pausing to shoot a quick glance at Mary Margaret. "She's dead now."

"Oh…" Shae breathed, glancing around at all of them in shock. "Are you sure? Cuz we thought she was dead the first time, but I guess it didn't take."

"Yes, that was all a clever ruse, one we both fell for." Regina replied sourly. "But… She really is gone now."

Shae's face fell as she watched Regina fighting back tears. "Regina, I… I'm so sorry." She said quietly, taking both of Regina's hands in her's. "I know you didn't exactly get along but… She was still your mother."

"Yes, she was." Regina replied softly.

She looked up at Shae, and was once again overcome with emotion as she looked into the eyes of the woman she loved. She smiled, tears welling up in her eyes as she placed her hand on Shae's cheek, gently caressing it with her thumb.

"I'm just… I'm so glad you're ok." She whispered, a single tear leaking out of her eyes.

Shae smiled too, placing her hand on top of Regina's. "Me too."

Shae's face suddenly fell. "Oh no…" She muttered. "Ruby… Where's Ruby?"

They all glanced around, and found Ruby nowhere to be seen. Shae looked up toward the road, and spotted her walking away from the marina, shoulders hunched.

"I think… I think you'd better go talk to her." Emma said when she spotted Ruby as well.

Shae looked at Regina, her eyes suddenly full of pain. "Emma's right, I never got a chance to before Cora got to me." She said sadly. "I-I gotta talk to her, try and explain-"

"It's alright. Go." Regina whispered, once again placing her hand on Shae's cheek.

Shae nodded, leaning forward and placing one last kiss on Regina's lips. Regina smiled, putting her hand on the back of Shae's head, holding her there for a moment. She then let go, and Shae rushed off after Ruby.

Nearby, unbeknownst to everyone, Greg Mendell had been quietly observing them from his car that was parked along the street just outside the marina. He had watched as Emma pulled a dead body out of the water, watched as a nun waved a magic wand over it, the body glowing magically. He gasped as the Mayor knelt down and kissed the person's lips, a pulsewave of magic shooting out from between them. He stared in wonder at the dead body that was now up and walking around. He pulled out his cellphone, hastily finding the contact named, 'Her.'

"Hey, it's me." He said into the phone, an excited smile spreading across his face. "You'll never guess what I just saw!"

XX

Shae jogged down the street, trying to hastily come up with what she was going to say to Ruby as the young woman's back grew closer and closer. She came up empty.

"Ruby!" She called out. "Ruby, wait!"

Ruby stopped walking, and turned around slowly. Shae stopped too, and her heart sunk when she saw Ruby's tear stained face.

"What, Shae?" Ruby asked her irritably. "What could you possibly have to say to me? That your sorry?"

Shae shrugged, staring sadly down at the ground. "Well, I-I mean, yeah." She muttered.

"You have no reason to be sorry." Ruby said, smiling at her sadly. "Regina… She's your true love!"

Shae's face fell into shocked confusion. "Huh?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ruby eyed curiously. "You don't know?"

When Shae shook her head, Ruby sighed. She grabbed Shae's hand, and led her over to a nearby bench. Once they both sat down, she went on.

"Shae, Cora put you under a sleeping curse." Ruby went on slowly.

"Yeah, I know, I remember that." Shae replied with a nod, but still looked confused.

"Don't you know that the only way to break a sleeping curse is with true love's kiss?" Ruby asked her, and when Shae continued to look puzzled, she went on. "Regina, she… She kissed you, and you woke up. She's your true love."

Shae's eyes grew wide with shock. She turned away from Ruby and leaned back against the bench, staring out in front of her, blinking slowly.

"Oh." Was all she had to say.

Ruby laughed bitterly, shaking her head in disbelief. They sat in silence for a while, Shae still in shock over what she was just told, and Ruby quietly grieving for the love she had just lost, for the second time.

"I think… I think I kinda always knew, you know? I knew that you wouldn't end up loving me." Ruby said quietly, wiping away a tear. "I was actually sort of hoping that you wouldn't get your heart back. I was afraid that… That when you did, you wouldn't feel anything for me."

"Ruby, I… I do feel something for you." Shae replied gently. "I really do care about you. But… It's just… It's not-"

"Not the same as the way you care about Regina." Ruby finished for her. "I get it. I kinda always felt like there was still something between you two. I just… I never thought she'd actually be your true love. It just… Doesn't make sense."

"Yeah, I know…" Shae muttered in agreement. "But, someone told me recently that love is the one thing in this life that makes the least sense of all."

Ruby breathed out a bitter, sour laugh. "Ain't that the truth."

"Yeah, it sure as shit is." Shae muttered again. She sat forward, turning her body to face Ruby. "Ruby I… I really am sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."

Ruby smiled sadly, taking one of Shae's hands and squeezing it gently. "I know you didn't, and it's ok. I'm not mad at you."

Shae looked surprised. "You're not?"

Ruby shook her head slowly. "No, I have no reason to be. Regina said that when you realized you still loved her, you left to go tell me. You wanted to do the right thing, Cora just… Got in the way."

Shae nodded sadly, and Ruby let go of her hand, moving it to her shoulder. "Just… Promise me something, ok?" Ruby said seriously.

"Yeah, of course." Shae replied, nodded again earnestly.

"Don't… Don't let Regina change you." Ruby went on slowly.

"What do you mean?" Asked Shae, brow furrowed in confusion.

Ruby sighed heavily. "Just… When was the last time you did something really bad?" Ruby asked. "I'm not talking about some of the shady stuff you told me you did when you were running around out in this world. You know, like, picking pockets, stealing cars, impersonating a priest…"

Shae chuckled. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that."

Ruby laughed too, shaking her head slowly. She then went on, staring very seriously into Shae's eyes. "I'm talking about the last truly bad, truly evil thing you did, since you've been away from Regina."

Shae sighed as she finally understood what Ruby was getting at. "She's changed."

"I know, and so have you." Ruby replied. "Just… Don't let her change you back. Maybe… Maybe the two of you can help each other… Keep changing. For the better."

Shae gave her a small smile. "Yeah… I think we can."

Ruby nodded, smiling back, though still sadly. She then stood up, turning to Shae and staring down at the ground. "Look, um, I just… I need some time, you know?" She said slowly. "I need to be alone for a little while."

"Right, yeah, I understand." Shae replied earnestly as she also got up from the bench.

Ruby smiled, and put her arms around Shae's neck, pulling her into a gentle hug. Shae hugged her back, her heart heavy with sadness. When they pulled away, Ruby placed her hand on Shae's cheek, smiling into the vampire's blood red eyes.

"One more for the road?" She asked.

Shae smiled back, and nodded. She leaned forward, gently placing her lips against Ruby's, kissing her one last time. Ruby sighed, cupping Shae's face in her hands as tears rolled down her face.

"Oh, Ruby…" Shae whispered, pressing her forehead to Ruby's. "I don't… I don't think I ever really deserved you."

Ruby shrugged. "Probably not." She said with a coy grin.

Shae laughed, and Ruby laughed with her, wiping away her tears with her sleeve. She then took Shae's hand, squeezing it gently.

"Goodbye, Shae." Ruby said with another sad smile.

"Bye." Shae replied with a sad smile of her own.

Shae watched Ruby go for a moment, then she squeezed her eyes shut, tears leaking down her cold, pale cheeks. Her heart still ached with guilt and regret for breaking Ruby's heart, but she knew it had been the right thing to do. She only hoped she could keep her promise, and continue to do the right thing.

Shae turned and started her walk back to Regina's house and, was once again, completely unaware that she was being watched. Greg Mendell had followed Shae in his car, curious about this new card that had been dealt into the game.

"Hey." He said into his cellphone. "No, I still don't know who she is. No, I haven't seen any more magic, she just sat and talked with that girl from the diner, the waitress. Ruby, yeah, that's it. A werewolf? Huh, wow, that's interesting."

He paused, gazing up into his rearview mirror at Shae's back as she walked away. "Don't worry, we'll figure out exactly who and what she is soon enough."

XX

Shae's heart was still heavy with sadness as she walked up the sidewalk to Regina's house. She turned past the fence and onto the walkway leading up to the house. As soon as she did, the door swung open, and all the guilt and sadness that hung heavy in her heart lifted away when she saw Regina's face. She ran up onto the porch, and immediately took Regina in her arms, kissing her deeply. Regina smiled, kissing her back with immensely grateful passion.

"You came back." Regina whispered, cupping Shae's face in her hands, joyful tears running down her face.

"I always come ba-." Shae replied, but, when she saw the look on Regina's face, her brow furrowed. "Wait… You really didn't think I was coming back, did you?"

Regina bit her lip, glancing away as she placed her hands on Shae's chest, fiddling with the front of her jacket. "Well… W-With everything between you and Ruby, I… I was afraid that…"

Her voice broke with emotion, and she squeezed her eyes shut, more tears leaking out of them. Shae gently wiped them away with her thumb, sadness in her eyes.

"Regina…" She breathed, then let out a sigh, pulling her into the house and shutting the door behind them. "What Ruby and I had it was… Nice. But… Hey, look at me."

Shae placed her fingers under Regina's chin, tilting her head up. When Regina gazed into her eyes, she smiled, gently caressing her cheek.

"I love you." Shae whispered. "I don't think I ever stopped, I just didn't know it, not without… Without, uh…"

"Without your heart." Regina finished for her, her tone layered with guilt. She then cupped Shae's face in her hands again, staring deep into her eyes. "Oh, Shae, Shae I'm so sorry for what I did to you, for what my mother did to you…"

"It's alright, it's all in the past. Right now, I'm much more concerned about the present." Shae replied with another smile. "Besides, you saved me today."

"Well, technically Mary Margaret and Emma saved you. I suppose I should thank them, I-"

"No, YOU saved me." Shae cut in, shaking her head. "Ruby told me about how you woke me up with… With true love's kiss."

Regina's face fell, and she stared down at the floor. "Oh, I see."

An awkward silence fell between them as they both pondered the fact that what they had was actually true love. "That, uh… That sure is something, huh?" Shae asked with a weak smile.

"Yes… It… It certainly is." Regina replied.

They fell into uncomfortable silence once again. Just a short while past, they had both joked about the possibility of people like a blood sucking vampire and The Evil Queen ever finding true love, about how it was most likely not possible. Neither of them had thought villains and evil creatures like themselves were allowed true love, but now, now they knew that they indeed did. They had both changed dramatically over the years and, maybe, just maybe, that meant that they weren't truly villains any more.

"You, uh, wanna just not talk about that and go back to kissing?" Shae asked with a shrug.

Regina laughed, nodding earnestly. "Yes, I'd like that very much."

They wrapped their arms gently but tightly around each other, and kissed passionately again. Regina sighed contentedly as Shae kissed her, as she held her in her arms. She couldn't remember the last time she had been this happy. But, one thing wouldn't stop nagging at her. How was it possible that she had woken Shae? Tinkerbell had told her that the man with the lion tattoo was her true love. Had she been wrong? Had her spell been wrong? Or, was it possible, that someone could have two true loves?

"Shae, wait, there's something I need to tell you." Regina said, pulling back from their embrace.

"What? What is it?" Shae asked, staring down at her with concerned eyes.

Regina bit her lip, thinking about the man with the lion tattoo again. She felt that Shae should know about him. It was possible that he was still alive somewhere. What if their paths crossed? What would happen? Regina had no answers, only more and more questions.

"Just… Nevermind, it's not important right now." Regina replied, wrapping her arms around Shae's neck and kissing her again.

They kissed with passionate urgency and, as their embrace deepened, they began to tug at each other's clothes. Regina tossed Shae's leather jack aside, and gasped as the vampire slid her cold hands underneath her shirt.

"Oh, Shae…" Regina whispered against her lips. "Twenty eight years is much too long."

"I couldn't agree more." Shae replied with a grin.

Regina laughed as Shae grabbed on to her thighs and lifted her into the air. Regina wrapped her legs around Shae's waist and kissed her again as Shae carried her effortlessly up the stairs and into her bedroom. They broke their embrace momentarily as Shae set her down, and they both tore urgently at each other's clothes.

As soon as they were both naked, they immediately fell onto the bed together. They found each other's lips again, and Regina climbed on top of Shae, straddling her waist. Shae sat forward, breaking away from Regina's lips and plunging her face into Regina's breasts. Regina moaned, digging her nails into the vampire's back and scalp as Shae took one of her nipples into her mouth.

Regina grabbed Shae's face urgently, pulling her away from her breast and kissing her again fiercely. She couldn't stop kissing her lips, she didn't want to. Shae had always had an uncanny ability of knowing exactly what Regina wanted, and she kept her lips locked together with Regina's as she shifted her arm, slipping her fingers deep inside her.

Regina moaned against Shae's lips as she urgently and vigorously began pumping her fingers. Shae moaned with her, still kissing her ferocously as she thrust faster and harder. They moaned together, kissing fiercely, their tongues battling back and forth. Regina felt her climax coming, and she snapped her head back, finally releasing her lover's lips as she came. Regina cried out in pure, unadulterated pleasure, pleasure that she hadn't experienced with anyone else in twenty eight years. Shae kissed her neck, and Regina arched her back, she squeezing fistfuls of Shae's hair as wave after wave of her orgasm crashed over her. When she finally settled back into Shae's lap, the vampire's brow furrowed in concern when she saw the tears running down Regina's face.

"You're crying…" Shae whispered, searching her eyes in confusion. "Was I really that bad?"

Regina laughed, shaking her head slowly, gently caressing the vampire's face. "No, no, it's not that." She reassured her. "I know you're perfectly aware of just how good you are."

Shae laughed too, giving Regina one of the quirky grins that she loved so very much. "Yeah, you're right, I'm pretty damn amazing."

Regina laughed again, wrapping her arms around Shae's neck, kissing her tenderly. Shae removed her hand from between Regina's legs and curled her arms around her, holding her tight. Shae's familiar and loving embrace brought tears to Regina's eyes again. She couldn't remember the last time she had been this happy, and she was terrified about it.

"Regina…" Shae breathed, now gravely concerned as Regina let out a strangled sob. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Oh, Shae…" Regina sobbed, gently stroking Shae's hair. "Shae, I'm so scared…"

"Scared? Scared of what?"

"Of… Losing you." Regina whispered softly. She hugged Shae's head against her chest, squeezing her eyes shut as more tears leaked out of them. "I love you so much, and I'm so happy that you're back in my arms again. But I… I'm so scared that something or someone is going to take you away again. I… Just… I can't…"

Her voice broke into another sob. Shae took her face in her hands and softly pressed her lips to both of Regina's cheeks, kissing her tears away.

"Now, listen to me very carefully." Shae said seriously, staring intensely into the eyes of the woman she loved. "I'm not going anywhere. No one is taking me away from you, I won't let them. If anyone tries, I'll scoop their eyeballs out with my own two hands, squish them into jelly, put it in a mason jar, and stick it on your mantelpiece for decoration."

Regina laughed, shaking her head slowly. "You really have a way with words."

Shae gave her another quirky grin. "What can I say? I'm a goddamn poet."

Regina laughed again, and sighed as Shae tenderly kissed her lips. She smiled, pressing her forehead to Shae's and gently caressing her cold, pale face.

"Hey, listen, I get that you're scared." Shae told her gently. "But, trust me, nothing is going to take me away from you, I promise. I'm not going to let that happen."

Regina nodded, gently brushing back Shae's messy black hair. Once again, Shae was able to make her laugh, to make all the fear and the heartache clouding her mind fade away.

"I love you." Regina whispered.

"I love you too." Shae whispered back.

The two lovers spent almost the whole entirety of the first night of their reunion making tender and passionate love. As the sun began to set, Greg Mendell pulled out his cellphone again. He stared out of his car window at Regina's house, waiting and watching for the mysterious stranger he saw being woken from the dead at the marina.

"Hey." He said when 'Her' finally answered. "She hasn't come out yet, and I don't think she's going to any time soon. I saw her getting pretty damn cozy with the mayor. The Evil Queen, yeah. Don't worry, I'll find something out. Well, the mayor seems to like me a lot ever since I called her about her son running around alone in the woods."

He paused as he glanced back over at Regina's house, a devious grin spreading across his face. "Don't you worry, babe, we'll make her spill every single one of her secrets soon enough."

XX

The next night, Emma decided to throw a welcome back party for Shae. Since Ruby was still recovering from the breakup, and the fact that mostly everyone in town was terrified of the vampire, it was a much smaller crowd than it had been for Emma and Mary Margaret's party. Since it was such a small group, they held the party in Emma and Mary Margaret's apartment. Emma, her parents, and Henry were all there, and Emma had decided to invite Neal and his fiance Tamara, who Neal just recently told about his past. Tamara had taken it surprisingly well for someone who only knew their stories as fairy tales.

Emma had also invited Regina, but she couldn't help feel relieved when Shae showed up alone. "Is my mom not coming?" Henry asked as he hugged Shae.

"Uh, no, she's not." Shae replied slowly. "She's um… Busy."

"She still hates my guts, doesn't she?" Mary Margaret asked with a frown.

Shae gave her a shrug. "Well, you know, she's kinda always hated your guts."

"Yeah, well, we were working on it." Mary Margaret replied indignantly. "Well, before I… Um..."

Emma quickly stepped in before her mother had to say any more. She introduced Shae to Neal and Tamara, and Shae was shocked to learn that Neal had actually told Tamara all about The Enchanted Forest. Neal, in turn, was shocked that Shae somehow knew all about him, that he had sent Emma to jail, and that he was Henry's father.

"How do you know about all that?" Neal asked, eyeing Shae warily.

Shae raised her eyebrows silently, then turned to Emma. "You, uh… You didn't tell him?"

Emma shrugged slightly. "Well, you know, I didn't exactly know how to tell my ex that the party we're throwing is for my other ex." She replied defensively.

"Probably could have just said that." Shae replied, also shrugging.

"Hold up, you two… Uh… Dated?" Neal asked slowly, glancing between Emma and Shae. When they both nodded, he raised his eyebrows in shock.

"It's all good though, right?" Shae asked after a moment of awkward silence. "You've got someone, I've got someone, Emma's got… Uh… Henry. It's not weird, this isn't weird."

"Oh, no, of course not." Neal replied, exchanging a nervous glance with Tamara.

"Absolutely. All good." Shae said earnestly.

"Yep."

"Totally."

"Cool. Cool, cool."

Emma let out an exasperated sigh, and her mother chuckled. "There, now aren't you glad we got that out of the way?"

"Oh, yeah, that wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest." Emma replied sarcastically.

"So, um, Neal told me who everyone else here is." Tamara cut in, breaking another awkward silence. "So, uh, who are you, Shae? Or, I mean, who were you, back in The Enchanted Forest?"

Shae chewed on her lip ring silently for a moment, glancing over at David and Mary Margaret. "Well, uh… Nobody." She finally replied. "I was nobody. Nobody important, at least."

"Shae's a vampire." Henry said matter-of-factly.

"Dude!" Cried Shae.

"What? She already knows about everything else." Henry replied with a shrug.

"Woah, seriously?" Neal asked, his mouth gaping open. "You're a vampire? Like… An actual vampire?"

"Well, I sure hope so, otherwise I've been drinking people's blood for no reason." Shae replied with a quirky grin.

When Tamara and Neal both looked horrified, Shae went on hastily. "No, no! Sorry, joking, I was joking!" She said with a nervous smile. "Well… Mostly joking, anyway. I uh… I am a vampire, but I don't drink human blood. You guys are safe from me."

Neal, being from a land of magic, simply shrugged it off. Tamara, however, still seemed to be a bit nervous."Oh, uh, well that's good, I guess." She muttered

"It's alright, Tamara, really. Shae's a friend." Mary Margaret told her gently. "It… May not have started out that way, but she helped us save Emma, and she's done a lot of good since then."

"I propose a toast!" David announced, holding up his glass. "Though we've had our differences in the past, Shae became, and has remained, a powerful and loyal friend. We're all so happy that you're heart has finally been returned, and we're especially glad that you're not dead."

"To Shae!" Mary Margaret said happily.

"To Shae!" Everyone echoed.

After the toast was done, they all sat around the table, eating and drinking merrily. Tamara and Neal both shared their stories with Shae, and the vampire was positively shocked to find out that Neal was actually Baelfire, which made Rumpelstiltskin Henry's grandfather. The two of them in turn questioned Shae about her story, but Shae, who was trying to forget about the past, was evasive about the details. Wanting to respect her privacy, the others also remained silent, Emma giving Henry a light kick from under the table when the boy almost blurted out all of Shae's vampire powers. Tamara was particularly interested in Shae's powers, and practically begged the vampire to show her what she could do.

"Come on, please? I haven't gotten to see much magic since I've been here!" Tamara cried pleadingly.

"I'm not a show off." Shae replied dismissively.

"'Not a show off?'" Mary Margaret cried indignantly. "The only reason we even captured you back home was because you were so busy showing off!"

Shae opened her mouth to retort angrily, but then shut it again, pointing an insistent finger at Mary Margaret. "I'm not a show off any more."

"Alright, alright, I get it." Tamara said with a chuckle, raising her hands in defeat. "So, um… How did you guys first meet? In The Enchanted Forest, I mean."

She posed the question to David, Mary Margaret, and Shae who both exchanged an uncertain glance. "Uh, well, I… I don't know if Shae really wants to relive all that." Mary Margaret replied hesitantly. "The three of us didn't exactly meet under the best of circumstances."

"Nah, it's alright, I'm not ashamed of my past." Shae told her with a small shrug. She then turned to Tamara, and went on. "I, uh, I used to work for The Evil Queen."

"Oh, that's uh… Regina?" Tamara asked, looking to her fiance. "She's The Evil Queen, right?"

"WAS." Shae said in emphasis. "Regina WAS The Evil Queen. And I was her… Royal Protector. One day, she sent me out into the forest to… To kidnap Snow White, er… Mary Margaret."

Tamara raised her eyebrows in shock. "You… You tried to kidnap her?"

"Well, sure, she did at first." Mary Margaret cut in. "But, in the end, Shae ended up saving me, she saved both of us. And then we saved her."

"Yeah, I remember." Muttered David. "You fought off that werewolf, uh… Oh, what was his name?"

Shae balled her hands into fists. Even though he was now long since dead, the very thought of her old nemesis still made her blood boil with rage.

"Van Helsing…"

XXXXX

The Evil Queen glared down at the unfortunate soldier kneeling before her. Her morning had started out quiet and peaceful. She had been pouring over an old spell book in her study when the soldier had interrupted her, and not with good news. He had just told her that Snow White had eluded her men once again.

"Apologies, Your Majesty." The soldier said shakily, bowing his head, not even daring to look The Queen in the eye. "B-But she had a man with her, one very skilled with a sword. The two of them took down at least seven of us all on their own."

Regina's lips curled into a snarl, and she rose slowly to her feet. The soldier's armor clattered softly as he quaked with fear.

"I care not for your pathetic EXCUSES!" The Evil Queen roared with rage, grabbing the flagon of wine from off the table and hurling it at the door.

At that exact moment, Shae stepped in. The flagon sped right toward her head, but she used her lightning quick reflexes to lean to the side, the flagon sailing harmlessly over her shoulder and out into the hallway.

She glanced over her shoulder at it, then back at Regina, her red eyes wide with shock. "That was good wine!" She cried, pouting slightly. "What did it ever do to you?"

The Queen waved her hand dismissively at the soldier, who rose to his feet, standing at attention against the far wall. Regina sank back into her seat, staring bitterly down at the floor.

"Snow White has outwitted my soldiers once again." She told her Royal Protector.

"Excellent!" Shae replied chipperly. "The rest of the wine will be delighted to know that it is not responsible for your sour mood this morning."

Shae grinned cheekily at her, but Her Majesty was not amused. She narrowed her eyes at the vampire, glowering irritably at her.

"I haven't the patience for your wit today." She growled.

Shae frowned, pouting her lips again. "I thought you liked my wit!"

"Not presently…" Regina spat through gritted teeth.

Shae sighed, rolling her eyes. "Alright, alright, no need to get your panties in a twist." She muttered. She then turned to the soldier. "Where was she last seen?"

"Just a few days ride east of the Troll Bridge." The soldier replied, still standing rigidly at attention.

"When?" Shae asked again.

"Just last night."

Shae nodded slowly, tapping her finger on her chin. "Yes, I believe I know the area."

A devious grin suddenly spread across her face. She marched over to The Queen, dropping down on one knee in front of her, taking one of her hands in both of her's.

"Send me after her, my Queen." Shae told her, still grinning. "I will hunt her down and bring you her heart on a silver platter, if you like."

Regina stared down at her vampire protector, pondering her request. Her lips then curled into grin just as evil and devious as Shae's. She leaned forward in her chair, and gently cupped her hand under Shae's chin, staring into her blood red eyes.

"Bring her to me, alive." Regina said in a dark whisper. "That way, I can gain the satisfaction of tearing her heart out myself."

Shae's evil grin broadened. "Your wish is my command."

Regina nodded, and then gripped Shae's chin tightly, drawing her in even closer. She smirked when she felt the vampire draw in a sharp breath, quivering with anticipation as Regina brought her lips mere inches away from Shae's. She had sensed the desire in the vampire's heart ever since the day she had brought Shae to her castle, and she immensely enjoyed toying with her.

"If you fail…" She whispered dangerously, her lips ever so slightly brushing against Shae's. "Well, I'm sure I needn't remind you what happens to those who disappoint me."

Shae's grin got broader still, and she stared into Regina's eyes with an immeasurable amount of desire. "I would never dream of disappointing you, my Queen." She whispered.

"Good." Regina said grinning into the vampire's blood red eyes. She then pushed Shae's face away and released her chin, leaning back in her chair. "Now, go."

Shae continued to stare wantonly at her for a moment. She then shook herself and got to her feet, giving The Queen a small bow. On her way out, she turned to the soldier who was still standing at attention. She placed her hand on his shoulder, grinning back at Regina.

"Sorry, my friend, but I do believe you've disappointed The Queen." She whispered in the poor man's ear.

Shae stepped out into the hallway, and chuckled as the soldier's screams echoed off the walls. She grinned, her blood rushing with excitement. She enjoyed a good hunt, and she would hunt Snow White and bring her back to her Queen, no matter what.

XX

Snow White shoved Prince Charming roughly as he bent to drink from the rushing river. He cried out as he fell into the water face first, and Snow gazed out at his shock plastered face as the flowing waters carried him away. Snow bit her lip. She felt a tiny bit of guilt over what she had just done, but she had better things to do than be dragged through the forest by some selfish royal.

She sped off back into the forest, and once again found the main road. She set off down the road at a run, her heart soaring. She was finally free and clear, finally back on track to finding passage out of The Enchanted Forest. All she wanted was to live in peace, far away from The Evil Queen's vengeful wrath.

She skidded to a stop, her heart sinking deep into her stomach as three of Regina's black knights rounded the bend in front of her on horseback. She knew it was pointless to try and run, so she remained where she stood, her heart hammering in her chest.

"Well, well, well… Look who we've found." One of the knights sneered as he and his fellow knights surrounded her.

They swiftly dismounted, and two of the knights grabbed her roughly by her arms. "There's nowhere to hide, Snow White." The knight who spoke before said. "The Queen wants your heart, and we're not going to disappoint her."

The black knights dragged her off of the main road and into a grassy clearing in the trees. The two holding her arms pinned her against a tree, and Snow White started to panic as the third pulled out a dagger, grinning dangerously at her. Snow closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to come. This was it, it was all over, just like that. Regina was finally going to get her heart, she was finally going to have her revenge.

"Oi! Shit for brains!"

Snow snapped her eyes open, and saw the knight standing before her whirl around. His body jerked violently as he grunted in pain, and he slumped to the ground, a dagger protruding from his forehead.

"You! What are you doing here?" The knight holding her left arm demanded of the person standing across the clearing.

A strange looking woman was sauntering toward them. She wore black leather armor, similar to the kind the knights were garbed in, and a long, black overcoat that fell past her knees. She had a short crop of messy black hair on her head, pale gray skin, and deep, blood red eyes. There was a strikingly ornate sword strapped to her back, a black gem gleaming at the tip of the golden pommel.

The woman didn't reply. She simply grinned silently in a dark and devious way, drawing the sword on her back. Snow was shocked to see that the blade of the sword was tinted blue, and glittered like diamonds in the sunlight.

Snow gasped as the woman rushed forward and, faster than she could blink, cut down the knights holding her with two swift strikes of her blade. Once the knights had fallen lifeless to the ground, she sheathed her sword, grinning silently at Snow White.

"T-Thank you!" Snow breathed, smiling at her in wonder.

"Oh, I wouldn't thank me just yet, Snow White." The woman replied, tapping a finger on the sigil inlaid on the left side of her overcoat.

Snow's smile instantly faded when she recognized the sigil. "Y-You're one of Regina's knights?" She asked, staring at the stranger in shock and confusion. "Why would you kill your fellow soldiers?"

The woman barked out a mocking laugh. "Me, a knight? Hardly." She replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "No, what I do for Her Majesty is much more… Technical."

She then glanced down at the dead knights. "As for these idiots, well, I simply just didn't have the time or patience to explain to them why exactly I'm doing their job for them."

"So, Regina has sent you to kill me instead?" Snow asked, her heart pounding with fear.

"No, my dear, I'm only here to deliver you to The Queen." The woman replied with another evil grin. "She's going to be the one to kill you, which is extremely unfortunate for you. At least her knights would have given you a swift death, but I imagine what Her Majesty has in mind is much more on the slow and painful side."

Snow was about to retort furiously, when she made a sudden realization. "I know who you are…" She breathed, her eyes wide with shock. "You're a vampire… The one that Regina's had working for her, aren't you?"

"In the flesh." The vampire replied, grinning proudly. "It's Shae, by the way. I can see I've already built myself a reputation. Well, I have to say that's-"

There was a hollow sounding thump, and Shae stumbled forward a step, grunting in pain. She whirled around, an arrow protruding from her shoulder blade.

"Get away from her!"

Charming was standing on the other side of the clearing, notching another arrow onto his longbow, aiming it straight at the vampire's head. Shae reached her arm back, and pulled the arrow out of her shoulder, tossing it casually to the side. Charming's face fell in confused horror.

"Oh, that tickled!" Shae said, laughing dangerously.

"Charming, no!" Snow shouted at him. "She's the vampire that's working for Regina! Just… Just run!"

"I'd listen to her, if I were you." Shae said to Charming. "Snow White is mine, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"Actually, she's ours!"

Shae and Snow both whirled around, and saw a score of armed men stepping through the trees, bows, swords, and spears all trained on the vampire standing in the middle of the clearing. They appeared to be knights of some kind, for they were all wearing white, chainmail armor, with a red sun emblazoned on the front.

"Van Helsing." Shae snarled, glaring viciously at the large bearded man standing at the front of the group of knights. "What the fucking hell are you doing here?"

"We're taking Snow White for ourselves." The bearded man named Van Helsing replied. "King George has also placed a high price on her head, and we're going to collect the bounty."

"What the hell do you need all that gold for?" Shae snarled again, glaring all around her as she was surrounded by the white knights.

"Don't you know? Wars cost money." Said the tall, red headed woman glaring at Shae from Van Helsing's side.

"Who the hell are you?" Shae snapped at her.

"This here is my wife, Aela." Van Helsing replied, smiling fondly at the red head. "She's a fearsome huntress, and she's joining me at my side while I wage war on the dark and evil magic of this world."

"Really, war, again?" Shae asked with an exasperated sigh. "Didn't you learn your lesson last time, Van Helsing?"

Van Helsing pointed a furious and accusing finger at the vampire, glaring viciously. "The lesson I learned is that foul creatures like you must purged from this world and all the others that be!"

"And what about the foul creature that you are, hm?" Shae said scathingly. "Does your wife know about that little tidbit?"

"Of course I do." Aela replied heatedly. "It was because of magic that my husband was tricked into becoming a monster. Magic is evil, and it must be destroyed!"

Shae sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You people, my god." She muttered. "Look, I'm tired of wasting my time on you. I'm delivering Snow White to The Queen and you'll stay out of my way, if you know what's good for you."

Van Helsing chuckled darkly. "I should have known you would ally yourself with another dark sorceress." He snarled. "Men! Put your silver swords through this parasite's heart, and bring me Snow White!"

A rousing battle cry echoed among the trees, and utter chaos ensued in the clearing as Van Helsing's knights charged at the vampire. Shae drew her sword once again, and was lost from sight as the knights set upon her. Snow White sprinted toward Charming, who was firing off arrows left and right at the knights that were chasing her down.

As Snow White and Charming crashed through the woods, Shae skillfully fought off knight after knight. She searched all around her as she plunged her sword through one man's chest, turning and raising her sword to block another.

"DAMMIT!" She roared as she noticed Snow White was nowhere to be found.

"Men! With Aela, after Snow White!" Van Helsing commanded as he drew his own sword. "I'll deal with this creature myself."

Aela and the knights all sped off after Snow White and Prince Charming, and Shae stood alone in the clearing with Van Helsing. They circled each other slowly, their sharp eyes trained dangerously on each other's every movement.

"As much as I really do want to tear out that throat of yours, I'm afraid I just don't have the time." Shae sneered at her nemesis. "I promised my Queen that I would deliver Snow White to her alive, and I intend to do just that."

Van Helsing let out a low, menacing laugh. "You certainly have an affinity for dark and evil witches, don't you?"

"Yes, I suppose I do." Shae agreed with a grin. "And you seem to have an affinity for dirty whores."

Van Helsing let out enraged roar, charging at the vampire, sword in the air. Shae brought her sword up just in time to block his blow, swiftly crossing blades with him several more times.

"Still got that damn sword, I see." Van Helsing snarled as their swords collided, both pushing against each other.

"Did you really think I'd leave it behind?" Shae snarled back.

"You're not worthy of it!" Van Helsing bellowed.

"And you are? At least I have some class." Shae replied with a taunting grin. "You're just a damn dirty dog!"

Van Helsing howled with rage again as he shoved the vampire backward. He rushed at her, bringing his sword down through the air, only have to have it cut through a column of blood red smoke.

"Well, it sure has been fun catching up." Shae called out as she appeared behind him. "But I really must be going now."

"Enough with your dark magic!" Van Helsing bellowed furiously. "Come and face me like a man!"

Shae fixed him with a mockingly offended stare. "Well, first of all, I'm not a man." She replied matter-of-factly. "Second of all… No thanks. Bye now!"

Shae chuckled as she reappeared on the main road, Van Helsing's roar of rage ringing in her ears. She knelt down, brushing her fingers along the fresh hoof prints in the dirt. She straightened up again, sniffing the air, grinning triumphantly as she caught Snow White's scent. She followed her trail on and on up the road, and her brow furrowed curiously as she began to hear sounds of shouting from around the bend that lie ahead. When she rounded the bend, she saw that Aela and her knights had run into a band of The Queen's own soldiers. The two groups were in the midst of a fierce scuffle.

Shae slipped into the woods, carefully creeping around all the knights. Once she was out of their line of sight, she found the road again, and the trail of hoofprints. She continued on, stopping when the road broke out of the trees. The road led on into a large clearing with a deep, gaping canyon in the center, a single bridge stretching across it. She grinned as she spotted Snow White and Prince Charming standing on the Troll Bridge.

"Charming!" Snow White shouted as Shae appeared in a puff of blood red smoke behind The Prince.

"Hello!" Shae said chipperly, and whacked Charming in the side of the head with her fist.

Shae laughed as Charming instantly hit the ground. She then turned her blood red eyes onto Snow White, sporting a dark and evil grin.

"Now then, you're coming with me." She said, stepping slowly toward Snow White.

Snow grabbed up Charming's fallen sword, brandishing it at Shae. "I won't let you take me alive!" She replied defiantly. "I'd rather die than be left in the hands of-"

"Wait! Wait… Did you hear that?" Shae suddenly said, her red eyes wide.

They both stopped to listen. They heard only the sounds of the crickets chirping in the forest for a moment, but then, there was a long, low howl from deep in the woods.

"No… No, no, no…" Shae muttered, wildly searching the trees with her eyes.

"It was just a wolf." Snow said, confused at the vampire's fearful muttering.

Shae turned back to her, her eyes full of sudden horror. "Not just a wolf, a werewolf."

"A-A werewolf?" Snow stammered, starting to feel the terror herself.

"Van Helsing, his rage must have triggered a transformation." Shae replied, her voice full of fear.

Shae jumped, and Snow drew in a sharp gasp as they heard another howl, and, this time, it was much, much closer. Shae and Snow watched in horror as the tops of the trees started to rustle. Something very large was moving straight toward them.

Shae whirled around, staring at Snow White, then down at Charming, who was now regaining consciousness, moaning and groaning with pain. Shae gazed from Charming and Snow, back toward the continually rustling trees, and back again, muttering angrily to herself. She seemed to be conflicted about something.

She suddenly groaned, squeezing her eyes shut, running her hands through her hair. She turned to Snow, who was eyeing her warily, sword still in hand.

"Take him and run." Shae commanded, pointing down at Charming. "I'll hold Van Helsing off while you escape."

Snow raised her eyebrows in shock, then narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the vampire. "Why? Why are you letting me go?" She asked carefully.

Shae let out a frustrated sigh. "Because, that werewolf is in the middle of a frenzied, rage filled transformation." Shae replied irritably. "If you don't get far enough away now, he'll follow your scent and hunt you down."

"Why do you even care?" Snow asked, still wary. "Regina wants me dead."

"Well, I promised her I'd bring you to her alive." Shae snapped back. "I can't exactly do that if Van Helsing rips you to shreds, now can I?"

Snow let out a frightened gasp, her eyes wide with terror. She pointed behind Shae's head, and the vampire slowly turned around, already knowing what she was about to find. Van Helsing, in his wolf form, had finally crashed through the trees.

The wolf Van Helsing was terrifyingly large, standing as tall as two full grown men, the muscles in his legs, arms, and chest massive and bulging. Where other werewolves ran on four paws, Van Helsing stood on two hulking hind legs, long, sharp claws protruding from his fur covered feet and hands. The rest of his body was mostly covered with brown fur, but patches were missing, revealing the skin underneath. His face was that of a wolf, a long, pointed snout, and massive, sharp fangs protruding from his jaws, dripping with saliva. He was truly, half man, half wolf.

The werewolf turned his bulging black eyes onto Shae, and let out a fearsome roar. He dropped down onto four legs, running headlong toward the vampire, his claws sending grass and dirt flying up into the air.

"GO!" Shae shouted at Snow White. "RUN! NOW!"

Snow White hastily pulled Charming to his feet, and the two of them hurried off across the bridge as Shae charged headlong at the werewolf. She leapt through the air, full on tackling the werewolf to the ground. They rolled around on the grassy ground for a moment, and Shae was sent careening through the air as Van Helsing knocked her back with his hulking, furry arm.

Shae slammed painfully into a tree, and crashed to the ground. She picked her head up, and drew in a gasp as she saw Van Helsing charging at her again. She disappeared in a puff of red smoke just as the werewolf crashed through the trees, and reappeared behind him.

Shae drew her sword as the werewolf spun around, snarling viciously at her. Her sword wasn't silver, but it was at least unbreakable. She at least stood a chance of holding Van Helsing off long enough for Snow White and Charming to escape safely.

"COME ON, YOU GREAT UGLY BRUTE!" Shae screamed at him tauntingly.

Van Helsing roared, and charged at her once again. Shae slashed at the werewolf's chest with her sword, but the wolf didn't even seem to notice. The vampire was sent flying backward as the werewolf swung his arm out again, her sword flying out of her hand. Shae slid across the ground, and right over the side of the ledge of the deep canyon behind her. She managed to grab onto the ledge just in time, dangling dangerously over the gap.

The werewolf stood at the ledge over her, and, just as he opened his jaws to swallow her head, Shae let go of the ledge with one hand and sent the wolf hurtling backward with a telekinetic blast. She pulled herself up over the ledge, and sat back on her knees. Van Helsing charged toward her again, and Shae outstretched her hand at her fallen sword. The sword flew into her hand, and she plunged it into the werewolf's chest just as he reached her.

Van Helsing roared and howled in pain, slashing Shae in the chest with his claws, sending her skidding across the grass. Shae slid to a stop, and screamed in pain, clutching the deep, aching gouge marks on her chest. They sizzled and smoked, but instead of black smoke when she was cut with silver, the smoke rising from her wounds was white, and they burned with white hot pain. Van Helsing was suddenly upon her again, and she managed to grab his jaws just before they closed over her head.

The vampire's strangled cries and screams of pain echoed around the trees as Van Helsing slashed at her over and over again with his claws, his jaws still firmly in Shae's grip. He gouged her torso, her legs, her arms, her face, tearing her armor and flesh to shreds. Shae Screamed into the silence of the forest, her flesh burning, sizzling, and smoking. She finally managed to throw the werewolf backward, and her arms fell limply to her sides, the last of her strength draining away.

Van Helsing stood over her once again, and Shae started to laugh bitterly, her entire body screaming in agony. "Y-You finally did it… You bastard…" Shae choked out weakly. "You finally… Got me…"

The werewolf's jaws gaped open as he let out a triumphant roar. The roar suddenly caught in his throat, fading into a strangled gurgling as an arrow shot straight into his jaws and through the back of his throat. Shae watched as the hazy figure of Prince Charming leapt over her, slashing the werewolf's chest with his sword. Shae heard the familiar sound of sizzling and burning flesh, and watched Van Helsing clutching at his chest as wisps of black smoke curled into the air from his wound.

Van Helsing let out one last strangled gurgle, then turned tail and ran. Snow White suddenly appeared in Shae's line of sight, firing arrows from a longbow at the werewolf. Once he had disappeared into the trees, she dropped her bow, breathing heavily.

"What… Was that?" Charming breathed, staring down at his sword in wonder.

"S-Silver." Shae choked out. "Y-You're blade… Must be… Silver."

Shae attempted to sit up, only to slump back down again, crying out as white hot pains shot throughout all the claw marks in her body. Snow White knelt down next to her, looking gravely concerned.

"My god…" She breathed, staring down at Shae's mangled body.

Shae suddenly reached out and grabbed the front of her cloak, yanking her down closer. She stared intensely into Snow White's eyes, her whole body shaking and shivering in pain.

"Why?" Was all she managed to choke out.

Snow White understood what the vampire was asking, and she gazed down at her sadly, then gave a small shrug. "You saved me, so I saved you. We're even." She replied.

Shae nodded, her vision starting to blur. "Thank you." She whispered.

Her arm fell limply to her side, and she promptly lost consciousness. Her last thoughts were of Regina, of how she had failed her Queen. No one who had disappointed The Evil Queen had ever gotten a happy ending, and if she thought she was in pain now, she knew it would be nothing compared to what fresh hell Regina had in store for her.

XX

Shae heard voices, muffled, strange voices. She opened her eyes, and a blurry, hazy figure swam before her. She blinked several times, trying to make sense of what was happening. All she knew was that she was in pain, horrible, agonizing pain.

"Shae? Shae! Can you hear me?"

Shae opened her eyes again at the sound of the familiar voice. She turned her head to the side, and saw the hazy form of a face swimming before her.

"Shae! Here, drink this. You have to drink."

She felt hands pushing on her back, helping her to sit up. Something cold and metallic was then placed against her lips, and a warm, thick liquid slipped between them and onto her tongue. As soon as she tasted it, she knew exactly what the liquid was. She grabbed the goblet that was being held to her mouth, tilting it back and drinking greedily. She slumped back down, and her body jerked, her eyes snapping open as the blood pulsed through her veins.

The pain started to subside, and her vision finally cleared. She was lying on a cot in a small room with stone walls, a room she recognized as part of The Queen's castle hospital. She glanced down at her own body, and saw her tattered and torn armor, and the gouge marks that had partially healed in her flesh beneath them.

"Shae… Shae, are you alright?"

Shae turned her head to the side again, and smiled when she saw Regina, her Queen, kneeling beside her cot, her eyes full of fearful concern.

"I've had worse, believe it or not." Shae said hoarsely, managing a weak grin.

"Your wounds… They're not healing." Regina said, frowning down worriedly at Shae's body.

"They will." Shae reassured her with a weak smile. "Wounds caused by a werewolf's claws take… Longer, but they will. Trust me, I've… Been through it before."

"Is that how you got these?" Asked Regina, brushing her fingers gently across the scars on Shae's face.

Shae smiled as Regina gently touched her face, and she nodded. She then grabbed her hand, grimacing in pain. She glanced up into her Queen's eyes sadly.

"R-Regina, I… I'm sorry." She whispered desperately. "I-I found Snow White, but… Van Helsing, he found me… Attacked… I… I failed you."

Regina smiled down at her, gently brushing back her messy, jet black hair. "Shh, it's alright, just rest." She said soothingly.

Shae smiled at her touch again, but then her brow furrowed in confusion. "Y-You're not…"

Regina slowly shook her head, already knowing what she was going to ask. "No." She replied with a smile. "I am simply… Happy that my protector is safely back at my side."

Shae gave her another weak smile. She reached out a shaky hand, and gently caressed Regina's cheek. The Queen was caught by surprise by Shae's gentle touch, but she didn't recoil. Shae smiled again, brushing her fingers softly across Regina's lips. She opened her mouth to speak, but her words were lost as she fell unconscious, her arm falling limply down the side of her cot. Her last thoughts were, once again, about Regina. About how grateful she was that her Queen was not angry, that she had not disappointed her, and about how she so desperately wanted to kiss her.

XXXXX

Mary Margaret glanced over at her husband, and lovingly caressed his cheek. "Shae was there when we found our true love." She said with a smile. "There, on that Troll Bridge."

Shae wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Oh, barf…" She muttered.

Mary Margaret snapped her head over to Shae, looking offended. "Hey, now, don't be so judgemental!" She cried indignantly. "You've got true love now too, you know!"

Shae opened her mouth to respond, but then shut it again, glancing down at the table and chewing on her lip ring. Emma glanced curiously over at her, and was about to question her when Tamara cut in.

"So… All that stuff about true love… It's actually real?" She asked, her eyes filled with wonder.

"It sure is." David replied, taking his wife's hand and smiling affectionately at her.

"How do you know if you've found true love?" Tamara asked, smiling at Neal, who smiled back.

"Um… Well, it's kinda hard to describe, but it's just kinda like this… Feeling you get, you know?" Mary Margaret replied. "And then there's true love's kiss, that's definitely one way to know for sure. It can break any curse. Shae actually was just put under a sleeping curse, and she woke up when Regina kissed her."

"Uh, sorry, sleeping curse?" Tamara asked, looking confused.

As Mary Margaret explained the details of sleeping curses to Tamara, Emma leaned over to Shae, dropping her voice low.

"Hey, so, uh…" She whispered. "Have you and Regina, you know, talked about the whole true love thing yet?"

Shae gave her a shrug. "Sort of?" She replied uncertainly. "I dunno, we started to, then it got kinda weird and we, uh… You know… Instead."

Emma looked puzzled for a second, but then her eyes shone with understanding. "Oh! Oh god, gross!" She cried in disgust.

"Hey! That's not what you were saying a few years ago!" Shae replied with a scoff.

"T-That was different!" Emma replied defensively. "That was you and me, but thinking about Regina like that is really… Just… Its weird!"

"Oh, come on, you can't tell me that you don't think she's hot as hell." Insisted Shae, rolling her eyes at Emma.

"Well, I dunno… Maybe, in like a… 'I'm gonna kill you' kind of way."

"I know, right?"

"What are you guys talking about?"

Emma and Shae both glanced at Henry, who was staring up at them with an expectant smile. They then looked around the table, and realized that Mary Margaret and Tamara had finished talking.

"Uhhh…" Emma and Shae both stammered in unison.

"Sports!"

"Politics!"

They both exchanged an unsure glance. "Uh, sports politics!" Shae said with a confident nod.

Henry eyed them both suspiciously. "That's not a thing."

"Hang on, so, lemme get this straight…" Neal began, which Emma and Shae were both grateful for. "Regina, The Evil Queen… She's your true love?"

Shae breathed out an exasperated sigh. "She used to be The Evil Queen, ok?" Shae replied, a bit irritably. "That's not who she is anymore. She's changed."

Suddenly, there was a loud, ringing sound. Tamara pulled her cellphone out of her pocket, and heaved a heavy sigh.

"It's work." She said with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, but I gotta take this."

"Sure." Neal replied, smiling back at his fiancee.

Tamara got up from the table, and stepped out of the apartment. She left the building, and hurried out onto the sidewalk. She glanced all around her, then rushed across the street, getting into the passenger seat of a parked car.

"Hey." She said to the man in the driver's seat. "We've got a problem."

"What is it?" Greg asked her, brow furrowed in concern.

"That woman you saw come back from the dead?" Tamara began. "Her name's Shae. She's a vampire."

Greg's mouth dropped open. "A vampire? Are you serious?" He exclaimed, and when Tamara nodded gravely, he shook his head in shocked bewilderment.

"There's something else." Tamara said, eyeing him seriously.

"What? What is it?"

"She's with Regina, The Evil Queen. Apparently she's her true love or something. That's how they woke her up, with true love's kiss."

Greg rubbed his chin, staring out of the windshield of his car. "That kinda puts a damper on our plans." He muttered.

"Yeah, I know." Tamara replied bitterly. "How are we supposed to get to The Evil Queen with a fucking vampire hanging around her? How the hell do we even take out a vampire?"

"The Home Office didn't prepare us for this." Greg muttered again. He then pulled out his cell phone, hastily dialing a number. "They're gonna have some explaining to do."

He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel of his car as the phone rang, and Tamara waited silently and anxiously. She continued to wait as Greg explained the situation to the person on the other end of the phone, and silently prayed that they would have some sort of answer for them.

"So? What'd they say?" Tamara asked anxiously when Greg hung up the phone.

"It's ok, they had a solution." He replied, turning his head and grinning into Tamara's eyes. "We're gonna need silver bullets. Lots of 'em."

XX


	7. Chapter 7, A Vicious Sort of Love

CHAPTER 7

Emma Swan breathed out a long, irritated sigh, resting her arms on the counter of Granny's diner. Even though she was a full grown adult, and had spent almost her entire life without them, her parents still managed to irritate her with their chastising. She had voiced her concerns about Neal's fiancee, Tamara, to Mary Margaret and David. From the moment she had met the woman, Emma got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't quite place it, but she knew something was off about Tamara. She had a gut feeling, and her gut never lied to her.

"I'm telling you, Tamara is the 'she' that August was trying to warn us about!" Emma exclaimed in frustration.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret scolded her, glancing nervously all around them and dropping her voice low. "Keep your voice down!"

"What? Don't 'Emma' me!" Emma snapped back.

"Emma, listen…" David began in a gentle tone. "We know Neal bringing his fiancee here has been hard for you, but-"

"No, this isn't about me!" Emma cut in insistently. "This is about August! He died trying to warn us about some woman, the exact same day Tamara rolls in to town."

When David and Mary Margaret exchanged a skeptical glance, Emma let out a frustrated sigh. "Look, she even has a list of people who live here, and what their fairytale names are." She went on. "Doesn't that worry you?"

"There could be a million different explanations for what you saw." Mary Margaret replied with a shake of her head.

Emma sighed again, rubbing her already aching forehead. "We just… We don't know anything about her!" She cried stubbornly. "And she lied to me! She looked me in the eye and told me that I could trust her, and she lied."

"Look, we know you rely heavily on your 'superpower,' but it has been known to be unreliable sometimes." David said in the same slow and gentle tone. "Especially when you're, you know… Emotional."

Emma narrowed her eyes at her father, pointing an irritated finger at him. "For the last time, I do not still have feelings for Neal!"

Her parents exchanged another knowing and skeptical glance, and Mary Margaret was about to respond when the bell over the diner's door tinkled, and Shae walked in. She was garbed head to toe in black as usual, sporting her signature leather jacket and combat boots, her jet black hair sticking up and out at odd angles as it always did.

"Sup Charming's, Swan Song?" The vampire said in greeting, nodding at them and sporting one of her quirky grins.

"Hey, Shae!" Mary Margaret said with a warm smile. Her smile then faded, and she glanced nervously over the vampire's shoulder at the door. "Is, uh… Is Regina with you?"

"No." Shae replied. Her grin then disappeared, and she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Mary Margaret. "Why? Why does everyone keep asking me that every time they see me?"

"Well, I just thought… Um, you know…" Mary Margaret stammered, exchanging an unsure glance with her husband.

Shae looked puzzled for a moment, but then her eyes shone with understanding, and she sighed. "You thought Regina wouldn't let me go anywhere without her."

Mary Margaret gave an awkward shrug, once again glancing nervously at her husband, but Shae only chuckled. "No, it's cool, I get it." She said with a small smile. She then sat down at the counter next to Emma, and gave them a shrug of her own. "But things are… Different now. I do my thing, she does her thing, and, at some point during the day, our things… Coincide."

"Shae! Come on, that's just... Gross!" Emma cried, grimacing in disgust.

"Dude! That's not even what I meant!"

Just then, Granny bustled out from the back of the diner, smiling a friendly smile. "Sorry about the wait, I was just-"

She stopped short, and narrowed her eyes at Shae as soon as she saw her. "What do _you_ want?" She grumbled at the vampire.

"Woah, hey, I thought we were cool, Granny!" Shae cried, shocked by her icy tone. "Why are you being a jerk all of a sudden?"

"We were 'cool' until you broke my Ruby's heart." Granny spat bitterly at her. "She's been crying over you for days, you know."

Shae's face fell, and she suddenly looked immensely sad. "Oh…" She mumbled in reply.

"Granny, the whole situation was really complicated." Mary Margaret explained gently. "Shae and Regina, they have-"

"Look, I really don't want to do this right now, ok?" Shae interjected irritably. "Can I please just get a black coffee and a sesame seed bagel?"

Granny raised an eyebrow at the vampire. "Funny, that's our mayor's usual order."

"Yeah, well, it's for Regina, alright?" Shae snapped back at the old woman. "Just get me the coffee and the bagel and I'll get right out of your hair, ok?"

Granny eyed Shae icily for a moment, then turned around, muttering angrily as she went over to the coffee maker. Shae sighed, hanging her head, her eyes still very sad. Emma glanced over at her parents, who were both looking just as sad as Shae.

"So, uh, getting breakfast for Regina, huh?" Mary Margaret said after a moment of awkward silence. "That's really sweet of you, Shae. I'm sure she'll love that."

"You should really try cooking her breakfast next time." David told her with a knowing nod. "Women love it when you cook for them."

"Oh, he's right, we really do." Mary Margaret earnestly agreed.

"Yo, chuckleheads!" Shae exclaimed irritably. "Regina and I were together for years, I don't need advice on how to make her happy!"

"Er… Right, sorry." Mary Margaret muttered awkwardly. "I, um… I-I really hope that with you back in her life, Regina can start to heal from… From what happened with Cora."

"Oh, you mean when you tricked her into killing her own mother?" Shae asked, her tone laden with sarcasm. "Yeah, I don't know, Snow. That was pretty… Well…"

"Awful?" Mary Margaret muttered miserably.

"I was gonna say, 'shady.' But, yeah, 'awful' works too." Shae replied with a dry chuckle.

"Here you go." Announced Granny, setting Shae's order down on the counter, glaring maliciously at her once again. "One bagel, and one coffee as black as you and your Evil Queen's hearts."

Shae laughed loudly, shaking her head as she set some money down on the counter. "You know, I was really starting to miss your seething hatred." She replied, giving Granny a wink. "Glad things are back to normal."

Granny glowered at the back of Shae's head as the vampire made her exit. Emma bit her lip, once again thinking about Tamara. Her parents refused to believe her, but Shae had always trusted Emma's gut instincts. She knew she was going to need some help if she was going to find any dirt on Tamara, and if anyone was going to take her side, it would be Shae. She needed the vampire's help, and she needed it soon.

XX

Later that night, Shae was sitting on the couch in Regina's living room, Regina herself sitting next to her. She pulled out her cell phone that was ringing from inside her pocket, but decided it was likely best to ignore the call. She gave Regina another nervous, sideways glance. The two of them were watching Walt Disney's 1937 film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

Shae had advised Regina against watching the film, but Regina had insisted. She was curious to see what this world's interpretation of her and Snow White's story was. Shae kept glancing anxiously over at Regina throughout the movie, watching her as she seethed silently. Impressively enough, Regina was able to hold in her outrage until the credits started rolling.

"WHAT?"

"Yep."

"THAT'S IT?"

"Uh-huh."

"T-That's just… It's not… Not even… Just…"

Regina stammered into shocked and appalled silence, staring wide eyed at the TV screen. She then turned her head to glare at Shae, who had started to laugh at the horrified look on her face.

"Hey, don't look at me like that!" Shae exclaimed, raising her hands in surrender. "I told you it would only make you mad. And look, now you're mad!"

Regina glared furiously from Shae, to the TV, and back again silently several times, her mouth still hanging open in shock.

"The inaccuracy of it all!" She cried, once she finally found her voice.

"I told you." Shae replied with a shrug.

"They completely left you out!"

"Rude, right? I did a lot of stuff!"

"And all because the idiot mirror told her that Snow White was prettier than her?" Regina asked in total outrage.

Shae shrugged again. "Pretty much."

Regina fell into stunned silence again, glaring at the TV screen. "Well, I don't know why that Queen was so surprised." She finally said with an indignant huff. "That outfit was absolutely hideous!"

"I know right?" Shae vehemently agreed. "Old Walt obviously didn't know the real you, cuz your outfits back home were always FAB-U-LOUS."

Shae snapped her fingers sassily with each syllable, and Regina laughed lightly. Her anger and irritation over the movie they had just watched melted away, and she smiled at the woman she loved, wrapping her arms around Shae's torso and nuzzling her face into her neck. Shae smiled too, placing her arm around her and and kissing her on the forehead. They sat in silence for a moment, both smiling contentedly, enjoying the feeling of being in each other's arms.

"What would you say you prefer?" Regina asked Shae quietly. "The way I dressed back home, or the way I do now?"

Shae thought silently for a moment, then grinned down at her. "I prefer you in no dress at all, actually."

Regina laughed, tilting her head up and kissing her lover gently. "You're terrible." She muttered against Shae's lips.

Shae simply chuckled deviously in reply. They fell silent again, slowly and gently enjoying each other's lips. Shae then pulled back slightly, raising an eyebrow at her curiously.

"What about me?" She asked. "Do you prefer the old Shae or the new model?"

Regina traced her finger along one of the scars on Shae's face as she thought. "Well, I do think the leather jacket is quite sexy." Regina replied in a sultry tone. "But, I have to agree, I really prefer you in nothing at all."

Shae laughed this time, humming happily against Regina's lips as they kissed again. "Well, we're not wearing nothing right now." She cheekily observed.

"Oh, we absolutely must do something about that." Regina said with a provocative grin.

She threw her leg over Shae's lap, kissing her again as she straddled her waist. Shae smiled against her lips, running her hands gently up Regina's back. Regina pulled back after a few moments, and gazed down into the blood red eyes of her lover. She smiled, gently brushing back her jet black hair. Her smile was one that only Shae ever got to see. It was warm, tender, and loving, her brown eyes shining with blissful contentment. The people of Storybrooke had only ever seen The Evil Queen and her terrifying, vengeful wrath. But only Shae got to see her other side, the woman underneath all the rage, the pain, and the heartache. That was the woman she loved most.

"I love you." Shae whispered, smiling up into her eyes.

"I love you too." Regina whispered back.

Regina smiled again, just as she did every time Shae told her she loved her. It made her heart flutter every time the vampire uttered the words. She gently placed her hands on her lover's face, and kissed her tenderly. Just then, Shae's cell phone went off again. Regina pulled back, reaching into Shae's pocket and pulling out her phone. She raised a slightly irritated eyebrow, showing Shae the screen that said, 'Swan Song,' Shae's nickname for Emma.

"I'll call her back later." Shae told her gently. She took the phone out of Regina's hand and set it down on the couch next to her. "After all, I'm pretty busy at the moment."

"Yes, you are." Regina replied with another sultry grin.

They kissed passionately again, their arms wound tightly around each other. Shae broke away from Regina's lips, and began pressing gentle kisses up and down her neck. Regina smiled, gently running her fingers through Shae's soft and messy hair. They found each other's lips again, and Shae slowly began unbuttoning Regina's blouse. Once she was finished, she pulled back momentarily, admiring the view of Regina's breasts nestled in a sheer, red lace bra. She tore her eyes away and frowned down at her phone, that was once again ringing.

"What does that infernal woman want?" Regina muttered angrily, also staring down at the screen flashing 'Swan Song.'

"Don't know, don't really care." Shae replied with a shrug.

Regina gasped as, without warning, Shae dove forward into her neck, biting into her soft and tender flesh. She moaned softly as Shae placed her hands on her breasts, roughly brushing her thumbs across her already firm nipples. They kissed again, their embrace swelling with intensity. Their tongues battled back and forth, and their lips parted again and again with passionate urgency.

Regina slipped her hands under Shae's shirt, brushing her fingertips up and down her cold and scarred torso, gently teasing her with her soft touch. She slowly drew her hands down, and the vampire drew in a sharp breath as Regina gently squeezed the inside of her thighs. Regina pulled away from Shae's lips, grinning down at her as she started working on the button of her jeans. Regina felt Shae's body tense up as she slipped her hand down her pants, and she caught Shae's gasp of pleasure with her lips as she gently stroked a finger along her clit.

"Oh, fuck…" Shae moaned against Regina's lips.

Regina grinned, kissing her again as she began slowly and gently running her finger up and down Shae's clit. She moaned against Regina's lips, gently massaging her nipples with her thumbs. Regina let out a soft moan as she felt her lover getting harder and wetter with each of her strokes. She began stroking her faster and faster, and Shae matched her pace against Regina's nipples, their moans of pleasure rising together.

DING-DONG

They stopped dead, staring wide eyed at each other at the sound of the doorbell. They waited for a long, silent moment, Regina's breaths slightly ragged with arousal. Once it appeared that their untimely visitor had left, Regina turned her attention back onto Shae.

Shae cried out in part pleasure and part shock as Regina suddenly began stroking her wildly. She snapped her head back, and Regina dove into her neck, biting down hard into her flesh and rubbing her vigorously. Shae's moans of pleasure rose in volume, and she bucked her hips in time with Regina's strokes, digging her thumbs into her nipples.

DING-DONG

"Don't stop!" Shae whispered urgently, grabbing a fistful of Regina's hair. "Please, Regina… Please, don't stop!"

Regina obeyed, ignoring their unwelcome visitor and resuming vigorously stroking Shae's now swollen and soaking clit. Their lips crashed together again, and Shae released Regina's breasts, digging her nails roughly into her back. She moaned louder and louder into Regina's mouth as Regina stroked her harder and faster.

"OH, FUCK! REGINA!" Shae shouted, snapping her head back again as she neared her climax.

DING-DONG, DING-DONG, DING-DONG

"SON OF A BITCH!" Shae bellowed furiously.

Regina breathed out an irritated sigh, pressing her forehead against Shae's and squeezing her eyes shut, trying to even out her breaths. She slid reluctantly off of Shae's lap, shooting a furious glare over toward the door.

"This better be really damn important." Regina muttered bitterly.

She hastily buttoned up her blouse, and stomped over to the door. Shae let out a frustrated sigh, slumping down head first onto the couch and burying her face in the cushion. She grumbled incoherently into the fabric, squirming slightly as she attempted to calm herself down.

"You have a visitor." Regina announced in a sour tone as she re-entered the living room.

Shae sat up again, craning her neck backward to see just who exactly had interrupted their passionate engagement. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw Emma, smiling at her nervously and giving her a small wave. Shae hastily buttoned her up her pants and got to her feet.

"Emma! Uh… Hey!" Shae said, glancing apprehensively over at Regina, who was not looking at all pleased. "W-What are you doing here?"

"Sorry to barge in like this, but I really need to talk to you." Emma replied slowly, then shot a pointed glance at Regina. "In private."

Regina narrowed her eyes dangerously at Emma, and slowly folded her arms across her chest. "Whatever you have to say to Shae, you can say in front of me." She snapped angrily.

"Yeah, I highly doubt that." Emma muttered in reply.

"Excuse me?" Regina demanded in outrage, taking an angry step toward Emma.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Shae exclaimed, hastily stepping between the two bitter women. "Regina, it's alright. Emma, just… Come on, let's go for a walk."

Shae didn't wait for a response from Regina. She grabbed Emma by the arm, and pulled her back out the door, getting her as quickly away from Regina as possible. She stomped down the sidewalk, Emma's arm still in her hand and, once they were a safe distance away from Regina's house, Shae rounded on her.

"What the hell were you thinking, coming here like this?" She demanded furiously. "Regina hates your guts just as much as Snow's, and if she tries to vaporize you, I probably can't stop her. She's a lot stronger than me in this world, you know!"

"It's not my fault your girlfriend's a stone cold bitch." Emma muttered bitterly.

Shae raised an eyebrow at her, folding her arms across her chest. "Really? Come on, Emma, 'jealous ex' is not a good color on you."

"Oh my god!" Emma cried incredulously. "I am not jealous, and you know that!"

"Well…" Shae muttered with a shrug.

Emma let out a frustrated huff. "Look, I just really need to talk to you, alright?" She said seriously. "It's important."

Shae sighed heavily, running a hand through her messy black hair. "Fine, fine. Whats up?"

Emma bit her lip, staring down at the ground silently for a moment. She then proceeded to tell Shae about what happened with August, aka Pinocchio, while she was still under the sleeping curse. She told her all about how he had tried to warn her about something, said Storybrooke wasn't safe, but was unable to finish before he 'died' and then was turned back into a boy.

Shae nodded slowly, listening intently. "Ok…" She muttered, gesturing for Emma to go on.

"I know this might sound crazy…" Emma went on hesitantly. "But… But I think the 'she' August was trying to warn me about was… Tamara."

Shae raised an eyebrow at her again. "Tamara? As in, Neal's fiancee, Tamara?"

When Emma nodded, Shae rolled her eyes at her. "Oh, Emma…" She muttered.

"Come on, Shae, don't do that, not you!" Emma begged, her voice full of desperation. "I have a gut feeling, ok? You always said how great my gut was, remember?"

Shae's brow furrowed for a second, but then she grinned cheekily at her. "Are you sure you're not confusing 'gut' with 'butt?'"

Emma narrowed her eyes irritably at the vampire, then smacked her upside the head.

"Ow!" Shae cried. "What the hell?"

"Can you be serious for like, five minutes?"

"Alright, alright, geez." Shae muttered, rubbing her head. "What exactly makes you so sure it's Tamara?"

Emma heaved a heavy sigh, rubbing her still aching forehead. "Like I said, I've just got a gut feeling, ok?" She said in reply. "Besides, she lied to me. She told me I could trust her, and she lied about it."

Shae nodded slowly. "I see…" She mumbled. "It's the uh… Superpower thing, right?"

Emma nodded back. "Yeah. Turns out, my superpower is actually, you know… A superpower. It's part of my… Magic, I guess."

Shae continued nodding, silently pondering everything Emma had said. She then breathed out a relenting sigh, and smiled down at her. "You're right, your gut is always on point." She said. "And your superpower thing is pretty… Super."

Emma smiled hopefully. "So… You'll help?"

Shae nodded again earnestly. "If you think Tamara is up to something shady, then she probably is. I'm in."

Emma threw her arms around Shae's neck, hugging her gratefully. "Thank you, Shae. You and Henry are the only ones that got my back on this."

Shae laughed, hugging her back tightly. "Hey, you know I always got your back, Swan Song."

Emma pulled back, smiling and squeezing Shae's arm gently. "Thanks." She replied. "Just uh… Don't… Don't tell Regina about all this, ok?"

Shae's brow furrowed again. "Why? It's not like she's gonna care."

Emma raised a knowing eyebrow at her. "Really? She's not gonna care that you're out running around with your ex-girlfriend, who happens to be the Savior, and biological mother to her son?"

Shae opened her mouth to retort, but then shut it again, breathing out a sigh. "Yeah, alright, I won't tell her."

"Yeah, I think that's best for both of us." Emma agreed with a laugh. "Alright, well, meet me outside Granny's tomorrow around noon. We're going on a stakeout."

Shae nodded, and Emma gave her one last grateful hug. Shae watched her pull away in her little yellow bug, then started back to Regina's house. She had experienced Emma's superpower for herself many times, so she knew that if Emma suspected Tamara of something, then she was probably right. She just hoped they could find out what she was up to quickly and quietly.

"Sorry about that!" Shae called out as she stepped through the door. "Now, where were… We…"

Shae frowned when she found the living room empty. She stood in her spot for a moment, breathing out a disappointed sigh. She then shrugged unconcernedly and plopped onto the couch, flicking on the TV, not at all aware of just how concerned she should actually be.

Unbeknownst to her vampire lover, Regina had been up to some shady activities herself. She was furious when she found out that Henry was Mr. Gold's grandson, insisting that he himself had something to do with it, since he had been the one that found Henry for her as a baby. Gold denied any involvement, but Regina was not convinced. To get back at him, she cast a spell on Belle, returning the young woman's lost memories. However, they were not the correct memories, and she was no longer Belle. She was now Lacey, a wild and carefree spirit with a bit of a drinking problem. Belle may have loved Rumplestiltskin, but Lacey did not.

Regina knew that Shae would not approve of what she had done, so she had decided not to tell her. Shae, meanwhile, was too blinded by her newly restored love for Regina to notice what was going on right before her eyes. She was convinced that Regina was on the path to real change, and that she would continue down that path, they both would, together.

A heated conversation with Emma days earlier had roused suspicion in Regina that Mary Margaret and David had somehow found a way back to The Enchanted Forest. She was currently down at the Storybrooke harbor, disguised as an old and grizzled fisherman. She was listening in on a heated discussion between Mary Margaret and David, and realized that her suspicions had been correct. To her own horror, she also discovered that, not only were they planning on returning home, but they were going to leave her behind, and take her son with them.

"What about Henry?" Mary Margaret asked her husband, folding her arms across her chest. "He won't like it. She is his mother, despite all the horrors."

David breathed out an exasperated sigh. "Mary Margaret, those horrors will only continue!" He insisted. "Do you really want to give her another chance? Because every time we do, she-"

"She slips, I know." Mary Margaret finished sadly. "So… What do we do?"

David thought silently for a moment, slowly rubbing his chin and staring down at the ground. "Instead of a second chance, we give her a choice." He muttered, glancing back up at his wife. "Come back with us, and live out her days in Rumpelstiltskin's cell. Or, stay here."

Mary Margaret bit her lip, nodding slowly. "Alright… Then what about Shae?"

"What about her?"

"Her and Regina are back together again. She's not going to let us lock her up. She'll be furious!"

"So, we'll lock her up too." David replied with an unconcerned shrug. "We've done it before."

"Yeah, after she slaughtered dozens of our soldiers!" Cried Mary Margaret. "I know she's changed and everything, but… I don't know, David. Regina's her true love! I'm sure she'd kill even more to protect her, no matter how much she's changed."

David thought silently again for a moment. "So, we separate them." He finally said with a determined nod. "They're too dangerous together, anyway, and getting Shae away from Regina will only help her. There's a lot of good in her, we've both seen it, but there's also a lot of darkness. Regina… She'll only exploit that darkness, and turn Shae back into what she was before. We can't let that happen. She's come too far."

"I know, I know, you're right." Mary Margaret muttered sadly. "But, how exactly are we supposed to separate them? There's no way Shae would even begin to agree to that."

"She'll have to, we'll give her a choice as well." David replied. "If they both come back with us, then Shae lets us lock Regina up, and goes somewhere far away. That way, Regina won't come to any harm. Or, they can both stay here, together."

Mary Margaret looked positively appalled. "What? You aren't suggesting that we actually… Kill Regina if Shae refuses, are you? David, we've been through all this before, it's not-"

"No, no of course not!" David interjected, shaking his head vigorously. "But Shae doesn't know that. If she thinks that there's any chance we'll harm Regina in any way, she'll agree. The last thing she wants is for the woman she loves to be in any pain."

Mary Margaret nodded slowly, staring at the ground while she silently pondered her husband's plan. She then let out a heavy sigh, glancing back up at him sadly.

"I suppose we have no other choice." She said quietly.

David nodded sadly, placing a gentle hand on his wife's shoulder. "No, we really don't. Shae and Regina together are just too dangerous, too powerful. Splitting them up is the best option, for everyone."

Regina had heard enough. She stepped around the side of the nearby fisherman's shack, changing out of her disguise with a puff of purple smoke. She clenched her fists, her body quaking with rage, her lips curling into a fearsome snarl.

"You will not take the ones I love away from me, Snow White."

XX

The next day, Emma was sitting in her car, with Henry in the passenger seat. They were staring intently at the door of Granny's Diner, watching, waiting for Tamara to leave so they could sneak in and search her room at the bed and breakfast. As a bail bonds person, Emma had been on countless stake outs, and they were usually exceptionally boring. But this one was different. She had Henry with her, and her son made the waiting much more enjoyable.

Just the previous day, Emma's parents had revealed to her a shocking secret. Cora and Hook had brought Anton the giant to Storybrooke from The Enchanted Forest, and he and the seven dwarves had been busy growing magic beans. Anton told them that they should be sprouting soon, and David and Mary Margaret had plans to use the beans to return home, to the life that had been taken away from them. Emma, however, was apprehensive. She had never been to The Enchanted Forest, and was nervous to leave her life, her world behind. But, she knew that Henry was her world now, and if he wanted to go, then she would have no choice but to go with him.

Emma asked her son if he would want to go back, if there were a way. Henry was an extremely perceptive child, and he immediately knew something was up as soon as the words left her lips.

"There is a way back, isn't there?" He asked, eyeing his mother suspiciously. "Like… A magic bean, or something. The giant brought some with him, didn't he?"

Emma sighed, then let out a surprised chuckle. "You are one smart kid, Henry."

Henry's face lit up with excitement. "That's so awesome!" He exclaimed. "Maybe we could get a castle together, you, me, and Neal!"

Emma's face fell. "Woah, hey now. T-That's not… We're not… Um…"

Emma and Henry both practically leapt out of their skin as there was a sharp knock on Emma's window. Shae had finally arrived, and was glancing carefully over her shoulder back at the diner.

"Finally." Emma muttered, opening her door.

There was some grunting and groaning as Shae clambered awkwardly into Emma's tiny, two door bug, attempting to squeeze her long and lanky limbs into the back seat.

"Hey, watch it!" Complained Emma as Shae's leg accidentally kicked the back of her head rest.

"Dammit, Emma… You and your tiny ass car…" Shae grumbled as she laid across the back seat, pulling her legs in so Emma could shut her door again.

"Hey, my car suits me just fine, thank you very much!" Emma cried indignantly. "It's not my fault you're freakishly tall, and have crazy long… Giraffe legs!"

Henry giggled, and Shae breathed out a frustrated sigh as she finally managed to push herself into a sitting position. "Hey, Henry." She said, nodding at the boy.

"Hey, Shae!" Henry replied chipperly. "Thanks for helping us with Operation Praying Mantis!"

Shae raised a curious eyebrow at him. "Operation what now?"

"Well, when we were trying to break the curse, we called it Operation Cobra." Henry explained. "But this time we're trying to keep Storybrooke a secret by hiding in plain sight. So… Operation Praying Mantis."

Shae nodded slowly in understanding, grinning at Henry. "Dude! That is a DOPE name! I love it."

Henry laughed, smiling up at his mother as Shae gave him a high five. "So… What the hell took you so long?" Emma asked the vampire. "We've been here for like, twenty minutes already!"

Shae shrugged, ruffling her messy black hair. "Well, you know, I was… Busy."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Come on, man! Is that why you guys have barely left the house in days?"

"It's been twenty eight years, Emma!" Shae cried defensively. "Twenty eight years!"

Henry glanced between them, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Nothing!" Emma and Shae both replied.

"DUCK!" Henry suddenly shouted.

Emma and Henry both slid down low, and Shae threw herself down across the back seat. They waited for a moment, then slowly lifted their heads up, peeking out the windows. They all breathed out a collective, disappointed sigh. Leroy had just exited the diner, not Tamara.

"Hey, Shae? Can I ask you something?" Henry asked the vampire. When she nodded, the boy went on. "If… There was a way to go back home, to The Enchanted Forest… Would you want to go?"

"And leave behind the internet? And… And video games? No way!" Shae replied. "Besides, there's ogres and stuff, and the whole place smells like horses."

"What if my mom was going?" Henry asked again.

Shae glanced uncertainly at Emma. "Well, I mean, if Emma wants to go it's her choice, but I-"

"He means Regina." Emma interjected.

"Oh." Shae muttered, chewing on her lip ring as she pondered. "Well, then… Yeah, I'd go."

Emma's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Really? Just like that?"

Shae shrugged. "Er… Well, yeah." She replied hesitantly. "I love her… So, I guess I'd follow her wherever she wants to go."

"So, what, you would just go back to her castle and you guys would go back to being The Evil Queen and… Whatever it is you were?" Emma asked her.

"I guess you could say I was part bodyguard, part bounty hunter, part assassin… Oh, and court jester!"

"Really?" Henry asked, looking shocked.

"Nah, I'm just hilarious." Shae replied with a grin, giving Henry a wink.

Henry and Emma both laughed, and Shae went on. "But, uh, you know, things are… Different now. I don't exactly know what we'd do, but we wouldn't just go back to being our old evil selves. Regina's changed, and so have I."

"I don't know, Shae." Emma replied skeptically. "You didn't see all the crap her and her mother did to this town."

Shae sighed, frowning down at her feet. "No, I guess I didn't." She muttered. "But… Regina, she was… Hurting. She thought I was dead, the whole town and her own son thought she was a murderer… Regina and I we're… Just the same in that way."

"In what way?" Asked Henry.

Shae sighed again, leaning forward and placing her elbows on her knees. "See, your mom and me, when we're… Hurt, we don't just get angry, we… We rage." She explained. "We're consumed by it, by getting revenge on the thing or person that hurt us. Being out in this world all this time has helped me… Let go of some of that rage. But Regina? She's never really had the chance. She's always had a hard time letting go."

When Henry stared sadly down into his lap, Shae placed her hand gently on the boy's shoulder. "Hey, I'm gonna try my hardest to help her, ok?" She said with a smile. "It's just… Gonna take some time. I think you and I both know just how difficult she can be sometimes."

Henry laughed, nodding in agreement. "Oh! Guys, get down!" Emma suddenly exclaimed.

They all ducked down in their seats again, peering carefully out of the windows. Tamara was finally leaving the diner, arm in arm with her fiancee, Neal. Once they were out of sight, they all sat up again. Henry grinned excitedly at them.

"Operation Praying Mantis is a go!" He said.

They all got out of the car, Shae struggling awkwardly once again, and they hurried through the diner and into the back that was connected to the bed and breakfast. Once outside Neal and Tamara's room, Emma used some bobby pins to pick the lock. Henry stayed outside to be the lookout, and Emma and Shae entered the small room, closing the door carefully behind them.

They searched the room quietly, stopping when Emma stumbled upon a loose floorboard. They were about to pry it open when Neal caught them in the act. Emma attempted to explain to Neal why exactly they were there, but he wasn't buying any of it. They were forced to tell him that they were investigating Tamara. Neal was angry and bewildered, but eventually agreed to let them search under the floorboard. To Emma's shock and disappointment, there was nothing there. They had found nothing. Emma had been wrong.

Shae stared glumly down into her glass of whiskey, glancing quickly over at Emma, who was seated at the bar next to her. They had decided to go to The Rabbit Hole for a drink that night after failing to find any dirt on Tamara. Emma was miserable, thoroughly embarrassed that she had been wrong.

"Hey, come on, cheer up Swan Song." Shae said, gently nudging her with her elbow. "Just because we didn't find anything today doesn't mean that there's nothing to be found."

Emma gave her a weak smile. "You really think so?"

Shae nodded, smiling back. "You're superpower has never been wrong before, what makes you think it's wrong now? That's just not the way magic works."

Emma heaved a sad, heavy sigh, taking a sip of her drink. She then smiled at Shae, gently nudging the vampire's own elbow. "Hey, thanks for believing in me." She said with a grateful smile. "I'm really glad you came back to Storybrooke. I know it was… Weird, at first, but I'm glad we're ok. You're a good friend."

"Thanks, Swan Song, you are too." Shae replied, smiling back at her. "I'm really glad you were able to get over your extremely intense feelings for me. I know it's difficult, I'm quite a catch, but-"

Shae laughed, catching herself before she fell off her barstool as Emma shoved her shoulder roughly, rolling her eyes at the vampire. Shae's cell phone suddenly began to ring, and she pulled it out of her pocket. Emma rolled her eyes again when she saw that the screen said 'Regina.' Shae held up a finger to her, pressing the answer button.

"Whaddup doe?" Shae said into the phone. She then chuckled, grinning cheekily at Emma. "Why yes, I do answer my phone that way just to irritate you. Oh, come on, you know you like it."

Shae's grin suddenly disappeared, and she frowned, looking concerned. "Is everything ok?" She asked Regina. "Ok… Uh, yeah, I'm on my way right now."

"What's going on?" Emma asked as Shae put her phone back in her pocket.

Shae drained the rest of her whiskey in one gulp, then got up from her seat. "Not sure." She replied with a small shrug. "Call me if anything else comes up, ok?"

Emma nodded and Shae headed toward the door. "Hey! Aren't you gonna pay for-" Emma called after her. "This…" She muttered as the door swung shut behind the vampire.

Emma sighed, pulling out her wallet and slapping some money down onto the bar. Meanwhile, Shae was climbing into her bus. She drove speedily down the main street of Storybrooke, heading toward the far edge of town. Regina had sounded strange over the phone. Something was up, and it made the vampire nervous. She pulled her old VW bus to the side of the road, behind Regina's own car. When she got out, she glanced curiously all around her. Regina said she had found something interesting, but Shae saw nothing but an empty field. Not only was she nervous, but she was now confused.

"Hey." She said as Regina joined her. "What's going on?"

Regina stood on her tiptoes, placing a quick, tender kiss on her lover's lips. "You'll see" She whispered, gently patting her cheek.

Shae furrowed her brow at the grave and serious look on Regina's face. She took Shae by the hand, leading her across the street and toward the empty field. Once they had crossed the street, she paused momentarily. She then took another step forward, and Shae followed suit. She gasped as their air shimmered before her eyes, and the empty field was revealed to be not empty at all. It was filled with rows and rows of tall, green plant stalks, all hidden by a cloaking spell.

"Uhh… What exactly am I looking at here?" Shae asked, staring confusedly down at Regina.

"Beans." Regina replied pointedly, gazing out at the stalks.

Shae raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you… Making chili?"

"What? No!" Regina replied exasperatedly. "They're magic beans! The kind that open portals, portals to other worlds."

"Oh." Shae replied, still not quite grasping the concept of what was happening. Once she finally did, her eyes grew wide with shock.

"Oh…" She breathed. "So that's why Henry asked me about The Enchanted Forest…"

"What are you talking about?" Regina asked her.

"Earlier today, Henry asked me if there was a way to go back, would I want to go." Shae explained, still staring wide eyed at the beanstalks. "I thought he was just being… Hypothetical. But I guess he meant that there actually WAS a way to go back."

"Wait a minute… Henry knows about the beans?"

Shae shrugged, giving Regina a nod. Regina clenched her fists, curling her lips into a snarl. "It seems the two of us are the only ones who don't."

Shae's brow suddenly furrowed in confusion. "Wait a minute, yeah… If Snow and Charming have been planning this the whole time, then why didn't they tell us?"

"Because, those fools aren't planning on taking us with them." Regina answered darkly.

Shae stood in baffled silence for a moment, staring at Regina with wide and confused eyes. She then shook her head slowly. "Hold on, how do you even know that?"

Regina's snarl grew worse, and she crossed her arms over chest. "I overheard the two of them talking earlier." She explained in the same dark and quiet tone. "They think with you back by my side, I'll be too powerful. They're planning on giving me a choice. Either stay here in Storybrooke, or return to The Enchanted Forest with them, where they'll lock me in Rumplestiltskin's old cell for the rest of my days."

Shae fell into shocked silence again, and she once again shook her head, sporting her own angry snarl. "No! Absolutely not! I won't let them do that to you." She replied heatedly.

Regina smiled, placing her hands gently on Shae's chest. "I know, my love, I know." She said softly. "But so do they. They're giving you a choice as well."

"What kind of choice?" Shae asked warily.

"Either stay in Storybrooke with me, or let them lock me away." Regina replied, removing her hands from Shae's chest and glowering down at the ground. "Then, they expect you to leave, never to see me again."

"Why in the hell would I even agree to that?"

"Because, if you don't… They'll kill me."

Shae's mouth dropped open in horrified shock. "What? No! They… They can't! They wouldn't!"

Regina laughed sourly. "No, of course they wouldn't. Those imbeciles are much too soft." She replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "But they're convinced that you will think that they would, which is why you'll agree to leave, so I will remain safe and unharmed."

Shae laughed too, shaking her head slowly in shocked disbelief. "Those sneaky bastards…" She muttered furiously. "Pretending to be nice to me, pretending to be my friends. All while planning this bullshit?"

Shae fell silent for a moment, staring down at the ground and balling her hands into fists. Pure and unyielding rage began to bubble in the pit of her stomach, and she started pacing furiously.

"Oh, those ASSHOLES! They used Emma and Henry against me!" She spat furiously. "That's why Emma asked for my help, had me investigating Tamara with her. She told me Tamara was up to something, all just to distract me. But it was her and her stupid ass parents that were up to some shady shit. Oh, I can't believe I fucking fell for it…"

Regina grabbed her arm, stopping her angry and frantic pacing and gently placing a hand on her cheek. "Don't fret, my love. I have a plan."

Shae raised an eyebrow at her, her scowl slowly spreading into a grin. "You do?"

Regina's lips curled into a dark and devious grin, and she nodded. Shae's grin grew wider, her eyes sparkling with deviousness. She suddenly reached out and grabbed Regina by her hips, pulling her against her body and kissing her fiercely.

"God, you're sexy when you're scheming…" She muttered lustfully.

Shae kissed her again, and Regina laughed, pushing her back slightly. "Calm yourself, dear. I haven't told you my plan yet."

Shae breathed out a disappointed sigh, but then nodded. "Yeah, alright, lay it on me."

Regina grinned again, gently running her finger along Shae's strong jawline. "I've already stolen a stalk for us, and soon we will have our own magic beans." She whispered to her lover. "We will open up our own portal, and return to The Enchanted Forest ourselves. We can start a new life, together, just as we planned, you, me, and Henry. We can be a family, a real family."

Shae smiled, her blood red eyes shining with wistful yearning. "A family…" She whispered softly. "Something I've never really had. That sounds… Wonderful."

"It does, doesn't it?" Regina agree with a soft smile. "We can go back to my castle, and I can teach Henry how to use magic. We can teach him how to use a sword, ride a horse, and you can teach him how to properly lead a waltz."

"Oh, yes, waltzing is very important." Shae replied with a quirky grin. "It's the only way he can hope to charm the ladies back home."

Regina laughed, wrapping her arms around Shae's neck, kissing her tenderly. Shae sighed contentedly, placing her hands on Regina's hips once again. She was finally going to start a new life with the woman she loved, she was finally going to have a family of her own. The vampire was ready, willing, and blissfully excited.

"What about the rest of them?" Shae asked after a few moments, incling her head at the beanstalks. "What do we do with them?"

Regina sported another wicked grin, gently stroking the vampire's cheek. "Well, that's why we're here, darling." She replied. "We're going to destroy them."

Shae grinned back at her, nodding slowly. "Yeah, I think that's best." She agreed. "I just wish I could be here to see the look on Charming and Snow White's stupid faces when they see that their stupid plan has failed."

"Yes, that would be quite satisfying, wouldn't it?" Regina replied with a laugh. "But, it'll be better to get it done sooner rather than later."

Regina turned around to face the rows of beanstalks. She laughed again as Shae stepped up behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist. Regina drew in a sharp breath as Shae's cold lips pressed against her neck, and she grinned, her heart racing with the excitement of once again destroying Snow White's happiness.

"Do it." Shae whispered in her ear.

Shae grinned deviously, wrapping her arms tightly around the woman she loved. She was furious at Emma and her family, seething with rage at the fact that they had tricked her, that they had been planning to tear her and Regina apart, pretending to be her friends the whole time. Her heart soared with a strange sort of satisfaction, a satisfaction that she hadn't felt in a very long time. It was the satisfaction of knowing that she was about to get revenge.

Regina summoned a fireball into her hand, and Shae's heart gave a strange lurch. Since she had only had her heart back for a short time, it took her a moment to realize what exactly it was that she was feeling. She recognized it as… Guilt. Suddenly, Ruby's words were ringing in her ears.

"Don't let her change you…"

Regina extinguished the fireball as Shae suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist, and she spun around to face her. "What exactly do you think you're doing?" She demanded.

"Wait! We can't… We can't do this…" Shae replied hesitantly, releasing Regina's wrist.

Regina scoffed indignantly. "And why not?"

Shae sighed, running her hands through her messy black hair. "Because… It's just… It's not right. The people in this town, all they want to do is go home. We can't destroy their only chance."

"Weren't you listening to anything I just told you?" Regina asked angrily. "The people in this town are trying to take away our happy ending! If Snow White and her damn Prince return to The Enchanted Forest with us, they'll try and take the ones I love away from me. I'm not going to let that happen!"

Regina summoned another fireball, and was about to hurl it at the beans when Shae grabbed her wrist again. "Regina, stop!" Shae shouted, gripping her wrist tight. "We'll find another way!"

Regina extinguished the fireball again, and rounded furiously on the woman she loved. "There is no other way!" She snarled. "Snow White and her husband want to take away our happiness, and they must be stopped!"

"Yeah, I agree with that part, alright?" Shae replied gently. "But… But there's a better way to do it than destroying the beans, there has to be!"

When Regina only continued to silently glare at her, Shae breathed out a sigh, taking Regina's hands in both of her's. "Look, the only reason Snow and Charming want to break us apart is because they still only see us as The Evil Queen and her terrible, destructive, blood sucking protector."

She squeezed Regina's hands, placing them on her own chest and staring deep into her eyes. "If we can show them that you've changed, that we both have, then… Then I'm sure they'll reconsider locking you up."

Regina gazed up into her lover's blood red eyes, then slowly shook her head, pushing away from her and turning her back. "No, they won't." She replied quietly. "You don't know those fools like I do. I will never be anything but The Evil Queen to them."

"Well, I know them pretty well now too." Shae retorted, placing her hand gently on Regina's shoulder. "And I'm sure if we just talk to them about all this they'll change their minds. We can still get our happy ending, you'll see."

Regina shrugged Shae's hand away, and whirled around to face her, angry tears in her eyes. "No, we can't!" She snarled furiously. "Not with Snow White and Prince Charming breathing down our necks! No… They must be destroyed."

Regina held out her hand to summon another fireball, but Shae quickly stepped in front of her, standing defiantly between Regina and the beans. Regina eyed her lover with sad and angry perplexity, her mind flashing back to the day, twenty eight years ago, when the woman she loved stood before her in the bedchamber of her castle, a black satchel in her hands. She flashed back to when Shae stood before her again in Snow White and Prince Charming's castle, ready to stop her from getting to their baby, ready to stop her from getting her happy ending.

"You said you loved me…" Regina whispered softly.

"I do love you, Regina." Shae said, a deep sadness in her eyes. "But I won't agree to this. If this is the path you're going down, I'm not following you."

Regina squeezed her eyes shut, tears leaking out of her eyes. Her heart was suddenly heavy with sorrow, with pain. Once again, she had lost the one she loved all because of Snow White, and what her family of fools had turned Shae in to. They had poisoned her mind against Regina, and she was not about to let that go unchecked. She would have her revenge.

"I'm sorry, Regina." Shae said, her own eyes shining with tears. "But… But I have to stop you."

The pain in Regina's heart suddenly shifted, morphing into a dark and dangerous rage. She clenched her fists, snarling fiercely at the woman she loved, the woman that was, once again, about to betray her.

"Need I remind you what happened the last time you decided to betray me?" She asked her lover, sporting another dark and evil grin.

"I'm not betraying you, Regina!" Shae replied, her voice cracking with emotion. "If anything, _you're_ betraying _me_! I stood up for you, told everyone how much you've changed. But you haven't, have you? You're just the same as always, I've just been too blind to see it. This damn heart has my head all screwed up, I couldn't even see what was going on right in front of me."

"Perhaps I should have just kept it, then." Regina said scathingly.

Shae chucked dryly. "Yeah, I really wish you would have."

Regina's eyes flashed with rage, and she threw her hand out at the vampire. Shae was sent hurtling backwards, crashing through the beanstalks. She groaned, the world spinning wildly around her for a moment as she hit the ground. She got back to her feet just in time to see Regina hurl a fireball at the stalks, and Shae outstretched her hand, stopping the fireball in its tracks. She sent it flying to the side, away from the beans, just as Regina threw another one. Shae deflected it, and then another, walking slowly forward as Regina hurled fireball after fireball at the beans.

Regina stopped, her chest heaving, her eyes filled with malice. She howled with rage, throwing her arm out at Shae again in attempt to throw her back. Shae brought her hand up too, just in time to stop Regina's blast with one of her own. They pushed against each other, the air in front of them humming and shimmering with their power. Regina used her other hand to push Shae back, but so did the vampire. The humming grew louder, and the air pulsated with telekinetic energy as they pushed harder and harder.

Shae finally let go, leaping to the side as the energy before them shot toward her. She used her superhuman speed to rush at Regina, and leapt into the air, fist raised. Regina moved shockingly fast, sending Shae flying straight up into the air just before the vampire was upon her. Shae screamed in shock as she went soaring into the air. She saw another fireball in Regina's hand as she fell toward the ground, and managed to throw her hand out toward her, knocking Regina backward and off her feet.

The vampire and The Queen both hit the ground hard, groaning in part rage, part pain. They both got to their feet, and Shae once again planted herself firmly between Regina and the magic beans. Regina grinned devilishly at her, and let out a low, menacing laugh.

"Don't you realize how much stronger I am than you here in this world?" Regina called out to her. "Your power will be drained before long!"

"Then I guess I'd better move fast." Shae snarled back.

She rushed at Regina again, her body a black blur of motion. Just before she reached Regina, something suddenly grabbed hold of her feet, and she jerked to a violent stop, crashing face first into the dirt. She felt the ground shaking underneath her, and she clawed at the grass as she was dragged backward. She glanced back at her legs, and was horrified to find that the very earth was swallowing her body, pulling her down further and further into the dirt.

Regina laughed again, sauntering slowly toward her, her arm outstretched down at the vampire. Shae grunted as she was pulled down into the earth up to her shoulders, only her head poking out of the ground. She tried desperately to jerk free, tried to use her powers to break up the dirt surrounding her body, but she couldn't. She was trapped.

"Now then, where was I?" Regina sneered down at her. "Oh yes, I was about to roast some beans. I suppose I'll have to figure out exactly what I'm going to do with you later."

Shae furiously attempted to free her arms from the earth as Regina turned away from her, turning to face the beanstalks. But it was no use, she knew there was only one thing she could do to free herself from Regina's spell, but she was hesitant. She knew it would use up what remained of her magic, but she had to do something.

Flames erupted in both of Regina's open palms, her eyes flashing with vengeful rage. She drew her arms back, shooting them out again, sending a massive jet stream of roaring fire toward the beanstalks. Shae disappeared in a puff of blood red smoke, reappearing in the path of the flames. She threw up her hands just in time to stop the flames from consuming her, and she used her power to push them back.

Regina howled with rage, pushing back against the vampire's magic. Shae stumbled back a step, but was able to keep the flames at bay. She could feel herself getting weaker and weaker by the second, her magic draining as she pushed back against Regina's wall of fire. She knew she had to do something to stop Regina, before she was completely drained.

Shae made a snap decision, and drew her arms back, shoving them forward again, stomping forward, bellowing furiously into the night air. She pushed with all her might, used every last ounce of her strength to throw Regina back. And it worked. A massive explosion erupted in the air before them, a pulsewave of magic shooting out all around them. The leaves of the beanstalks rustled violently, but were otherwise unharmed. Regina was sent careening backward, and remained motionless as she crashed back to the ground.

Shae's arms fell limply to her sides, and she dropped to her knees, all of her power, all of her energy completely spent. She slumped face first into the grass, her entire body powerless and weak. She let out a low, feeble chuckle. It didn't matter how weak she was now. She had stopped Regina, and that was all that mattered. She knew Snow White and Charming would be back to check on their beans eventually, and they would deal with Regina. All she had to do was wait to be found.

"Oh my, did you actually think you'd stopped me?"

Shae gasped, and she picked her head up, finding herself staring at a pair of legs. Her heart sunk deep into the pit of her stomach. She felt hands grabbing her arm, and she was rolled over onto her back. She clenched her fists as she stared up into Regina's rage filled eyes.

"I told you, dear, I'm much stronger than you." Regina said, grinning triumphantly as she knelt down next to Shae.

Shae burst out into bitter, resentful laughter. "It looks like our true love is just one vicious cycle, doesn't it?" She asked, grinning weakly back at her. "Here we are again, you trying to destroy Snow White's happiness, me trying to stop you, me failing to stop you."

"Yes, and I think we both know what comes next." Regina snarled dangerously.

Shae managed to prop herself up on her elbow, and she suddenly reached out and grabbed Regina's wrist. She jerked her forward, placed Regina's hand on her own chest, right above her heart. She glared into Regina's eyes, her own welling with tears.

"Go on then, TAKE IT!" She spat in Regina's face, tears rushing down her face, her hand shaking with rage and pain. "We both know that no matter if it's in my chest or not, no matter what I do, my heart will always belong to you."

Regina stared down into the blood red eyes of the woman she loved, her own heart filled with unbearable sorrow. She gently placed her free hand on Shae's cold, pale cheek, and leaned forward, placing a tender kiss on her lips. She held her there for a moment, feeling Shae's lips trembling beneath hers. When she pulled away, she found Shae's face was twisted in sorrow, tears streaming down her pale face.

"I was right, you know… All those years ago, the night we first met." Shae choked out weakly. "Love is pain."

Regina turned her face away, choking back a sob as tears streamed down her face. Shae reached out and grabbed the front of Regina's jacket, pulling her back in roughly. She brought her face up close to Regina's, glaring into her brown eyes.

"Loving you…" She whispered. "Is nothing but pain."

Regina felt a terrible, aching pain in her heart as it shattered to pieces. Shae slumped back onto the ground, her own heart laden with misery. Regina stared down at her as she began to sob bitterly, her whole body shaking with emotion. She then got to her feet, turning away from the woman she loved, the woman that had betrayed her for a second time. She held out her hand, and the last thing Shae saw before she fell unconscious was the beanstalks, the last hope the people of Storybrooke had of returning home, being engulfed in flames.

The Queen and the vampire had been, once again, completely unaware that they were being carefully watched. Once Regina had driven away in her car, and was safely away from the clearing, Greg and Tamara stepped through the cloaking barrier. Both their jaws dropped open in shock when they saw the roaring flames.

"What do we do now?" Tamara asked, her eyes wide with horror. "T-The beans, we needed those for the next phase!"

"Don't worry, we'll still be able to move on to the next phase." Greg reassured her. "I'd bet money that Regina took some for herself before she set the fire. We just have to find them."

Greg then noticed the unconscious vampire lying on the ground a few feet away from the blaze. "Ah, more good news!" He announced, pointing over at Shae. "Looks like we won't have to deal with the vampire to do it."

"Lover's quarrel?" Tamara asked, raising an eyebrow as she gazed over at Shae's senseless body.

Greg shrugged. "Guess so. Either way, we need to move fast. We need to get to those beans before Regina has a chance to use them. I can't let her get away. She still needs to tell me where my father is. She will tell me… One way or another."

XX

Emma sipped on her morning coffee as she drove behind David in his truck, Henry once again sitting in her passenger seat. Henry had asked to see the magic beans that they had been growing, and David and Mary Margaret, along with Leroy, who was in charge of the whole project, were happy to oblige. Henry was practically bouncing in his seat as they drove, and Emma was smiling down at him. She was still unsure about going back to The Enchanted Forest, but her son was obviously very excited about it. She was starting to think she would have no choice.

"You know, Leroy, we're going to need your help restoring the palace once we're back home." Mary Margaret was saying as they all got out of their cars and walked toward the seemingly empty field.

"Cosmetic, or total teardown?" Leroy asked.

"Uhh… Burn down." Mary Margaret replied, glancing over at her daughter.

Emma laughed, but her laughter instantly caught in her throat. They had just stepped through the cloaking shield, and were horrified by what they found. The beanstalks were all black and burnt to a crisp, every single one of them.

"What happened?" Henry asked, his mouth gaping open in shock.

"No… No, no, no…" David said in a panicked whisper, rushing forward and inspecting one of the beanstalks. "T-The beans… They're gone!"

They all stared around at each other in complete and utter horror, their mouths hanging open just like Henry's. Leroy's face then fell into a fierce snarl, and he balled his hands into fists.

"Nobody steals from a dwarf." He growled dangerously.

"I-I don't understand…" Mary Margaret breathed, her eyes shining with tears. "Who… Who would do this?"

Leroy raised an eyebrow knowingly at her. "Who do you think?"

"Hey, look!" Henry suddenly shouted, pointing a finger over toward the left side of the stalks. "It's Shae!"

In their shock at finding the burnt stalks, they had all failed to notice the person lying motionless on the ground. They all followed Henry as he rushed forward, and found that it was indeed Shae, lying unconscious on her back in the grass.

"Shae? Shae!" Henry cried, kneeling down next to the vampire and shaking her shoulder.

They all gathered around, and Emma knelt down on Shae's other side. The vampire's eyes slowly fluttered open, and she let out a soft, feeble groan.

"Shae! Hey, are you ok?" Henry asked her.

"H-Henry?" Shae muttered, staring dazedly up at him.

"What the hell is the bloodsucker doing out here?" Leroy asked, glowering down at Shae.

"Shh! She's saying something!" Henry told the dwarf.

Shae was muttering something incoherently under her breath, her eyes fluttering open and closed weakly. Henry leaned forward, holding his ear over Shae's lips.

"Uh… Blood? She said blood." He announced, gazing around at the others.

"She must be injured or something." Emma said, staring down at Shae with concern. "She needs blood to heal herself."

"Leroy, you're a good hunter." Mary Margaret said, turning to the dwarf and grabbing his arm. "Can you go find her a… Rabbit, or a squirrel, or something?"

Leroy furrowed his brow at her. "What? No way I'm helping The Evil Queen's pet!" He snarled. "She's probably the one who did this, her and Regina."

"If they did, why was Shae injured and left behind?" David mused quietly. "No… Something's not right here, something happened."

"Please, Leroy. Shae's the only one that can tell us what happened." Mary Margaret pleaded with the dwarf.

Leroy glanced silently between Mary Margaret and David's expectant faces for a moment, and then sighed. "Fine, I'll be right back." He said in a relenting grumble.

The dwarf then stomped off into the trees. Shae had fallen unconscious once again, and Emma and Henry both got to their feet. Henry stared around at his family, his eyes shining with tears.

"What are we going to do now?" He asked, glancing longingly over at the charred beanstalks.

"It's gonna be alright, Henry, we'll figure all this out." David told him gently, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

While waiting for Leroy to return, they all walked among the burnt stalks, searching them for any remaining beans that might have survived the fire. They all came up empty though, and their hearts hung heavy with sorrow. How were they going to get back to The Enchanted Forest now? More importantly, who had done this, and why?

Leroy finally returned, holding a furiously struggling squirrel by the scruff of its neck. Emma placed her arm around Henry's shoulders, drawing him away from Shae and the poor, defenseless animal that she was about to drain dry.

"You don't want to watch this, kid." Emma told her son gently.

"D-Do you really think my mom did this?" Henry asked her, his eyes glistening with tears once again.

"I don't know, Henry, I just don't know." Emma replied sadly. She then glanced over her shoulder, and saw that Shae was now sitting up. "But I know who does, come on."

"That's much better, thank you." Shae was saying as Emma and Henry returned to her.

"What happened to you Shae?" Mary Margaret asked the vampire.

"More importantly, what happened to our beans?" Growled Leroy.

Shae's brow furrowed in confusion, her mind still muddled from being knocked out. "Beans?" She asked.

When the vampire finally noticed the burnt stalks behind them, her eyes grew wide, and her jaw dropped open in horror. "Oh no…" She breathed.

Shae shakily scrambled to her feet, and they all watched with heavy hearts as she stumbled over to the charred remains of the beanstalks. She reached out to touch some of the burnt leaves, and choked out a sob as they crumbled to ash in her fingers. Shae fell to her knees, burying her face in her hands.

"No… No, no, no…" She muttered, her body shaking with sobs. "Oh god… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

"You're sorry?" Leroy asked furiously. "God dammit, I knew it! I told you guys it was her and Regina! You all were so convinced that they'd changed. Bullshit!"

"Leroy, that's enough!" David commanded. "We don't know that for sure. Any number of things could have happened, it could have-"

"No, he's right… The fucking dwarfs right…" Shae muttered miserably, getting back to her feet and turning to face all of them. "It… It was Regina."

A shocked silence fell over the charred and blackened field. Everyone exchanged a miserable glance, then gazed down at Henry. The boy's face was riddled with pain, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

"What?" He breathed.

Shae turned her tear stained face onto Henry, and she rushed forward, falling to her knees again in front of him, grabbing him by the shoulders.

"Oh, Henry… Henry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She whispered. "I-I tried to stop her, I swear. But… I-I couldn't…"

"'Couldn't' or 'didn't want to?'" Leroy snarled at the vampire. "You probably helped her do this! The whole being knocked out thing, the crying, it's all more bullshit, just you trying to cover your own ass!"

"Leroy, stop, that's enough!" Mary Margaret scolded him, echoing her husband's words. She then turned her attention back to Shae. "Why, Shae? What happened? Why did Regina do this?"

Shae got shakily to her feet again, shoving her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket and hanging her head. "She… She overheard you guys talking yesterday." She replied, nodding at David and Mary Margaret. "She found out about your plan to either leave her here, or lock her up once we all got back to The Enchanted Forest."

"What?" Emma asked this time, staring at her parents in horrified shock.

David and Mary Margaret exchanged a nervous glance. "Look, we didn't have any other choice!" David exclaimed defensively. "Regina is just too strong! Just… Just look at what she's done here!"

Emma was about to reply, but her mother cut her off. "Listen, we'll… We'll talk about that later, ok?" She said gently, then turned back to the vampire. "What happened to you, Shae? Why did she leave you behind?"

"You really did try to stop her, didn't you?" David asked.

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, running a shaky hand through her hair. "Not at first." She admitted sadly. "When Regina told me about your plan I… I was… Angry. I was going to help her destroy the beans, to… To get revenge. But… I changed my mind, tried to talk to her, tried to reason with her. But she wouldn't listen."

Shae's face twisted in pain again, and she buried her face in her hands, her body shaking with emotion. "I'm so sorry…" She whispered. "I-I… I really thought…"

"You really thought she'd changed…" Mary Margaret finished for her, glancing at her husband and daughter sadly.

Shae nodded, lifting her head back up, her pale face stained with tears. "She's so consumed by her fear, she always has been." She told them quietly. "All you people see is the rage, the evil, the lust for revenge… But really she's just so… Scared. So scared of losing me, losing Henry, that she'll do anything to hold on to us. Even… This."

She gestured miserably over at the charred remains of the beans, then hung her head, wiping the tears off her face. The others glanced around at each other, all looking hopeless and dejected. They would never get home now, Regina had taken away their only hope of returning to The Enchanted Forest. All was lost.

"W-We have to find her." Shae suddenly whispered, her red eyes wide with fear. "S-She stole a stalk for herself, was going to use it to take me and Henry back home before you all could. But… I-I have no idea what she's going to do with the beans now."

Emma exchanged a shocked glance with her parents and Leroy, and then looked down at Henry, whose eyes were now shining with hope. Apparently, all was not lost. Regina still had some beans, and they had to find them, quickly.

"Come on, we gotta hurry." David said urgently.

"W-Wait!" Henry cried out, grabbing his mother's hand. "When you find her… Y-You're not gonna hurt her, are you?"

"No, Henry, of course not." Emma told him gently. "We just want the beans she stole from us, that's all."

Henry nodded, and the boy stayed behind with Leroy as the dwarf continued to search through the charred stalks, attempting to find any other surviving beans. Emma, her parents, and Shae all sped off in search of Regina. They went to her house first, but found it completely deserted. The other two places they were likely to find Regina were her office, or her vault. They checked her vault next, but once again found it empty, so they hurried off to the town hall, where Regina had her public office.

To their surprise, they found Regina's office already unlocked, which was extremely unusual. They also found the beanstalk Regina had stolen, but were once again surprised to find that the beans had already been plucked off.

"Something's not right here." Shae muttered, frowning down at the empty stalk in it's glass tank. "Regina's too crafty, she wouldn't just leave evidence behind like this."

"Maybe she already used them to portal out of Storybrooke?" Mary Margaret offered.

"Without Henry?" Emma asked, raising her eyebrows at her mother. "Yeah, I don't think so."

Emma went over to the security alarm panel on the wall next to Regina's office door. Shae stood behind her, watching as she hit some buttons. "Says here the last time someone was in the office was around six this morning." Emma said. "They used an override code…"

"Why would Regina need to override her own alarm?" Asked David.

"She wouldn't." Answered Shae, looking troubled. "Someone else must have broken in here and stole the beans."

Mary Margaret wasn't convinced. "Why would you think that?"

"Because, we haven't found Regina anywhere, haven't heard from her." Shae explained. "If I know Regina, and trust me, I do, if she had the beans she would have made some sort of threat by now, demanded that you guys hand Henry over to her. No… Something's not right, something's happened to her."

"Gold." David suddenly said, his eyes growing wide. "He's the only other person, besides Shae, that could overpower Regina."

"No, I don't think so." Emma retorted, shaking her head slowly. "He's too busy with his new, er, old girlfriend. No, this wasn't Gold. This was Tamara."

A sudden silence fell over the group gathered in the Mayor's Office. Mary Margaret and David exchanged a skeptical glance, and Shae simply stared down at the floor, chewing nervously on her lip ring.

"Emma… Haven't you, you know, already gone down that road?" Mary Margaret asked her daughter carefully.

"Maybe not far enough." Emma replied, then turned to Shae. "Look, you said just yesterday that just because we didn't find anything doesn't mean there's nothing to be found, right?"

Shae heaved a heavy sigh. "Yeah, I did, ok?" She admitted. "But if Regina's in trouble, we can't just drop everything to follow a hunch."

"It's more than a hunch and you know that!" Emma said fiercely, pointing a finger at the vampire. "Besides, we're not going to drop everything. You guys go to Gold, he might at least have something to help find Regina. I'm going back to Tamara's room."

Emma didn't bother waiting for a response from either her parents or Shae. She promptly turned on her heel, and stomped determinedly out of Regina's office. Shae chucked as she watched her go, then turned to Mary Margaret and David.

"Well, come on, Charmings. Let's go see The Dark One."

XX

Shae, Mary Margaret, and David all got into David's truck, and they drove swiftly down to Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop. Shae chewed on her thumbnail nervously, her mind racing. What if something terrible had happened to Regina? The last time she had seen the woman she loved, the woman that was her true love, they had fought bitterly. What if the last thing Shae ever said to her was… She clenched her fists, biting back tears. They had to find her, and fast.

When they finally arrived at Gold's shop, they found him and Belle, who was actually now Lacey, sharing a drink together. Gold denied having anything to do with Regina's disappearance, and was stubbornly reluctant to even help. David quickly reminded him that he still owed the former Prince a favor, and Gold relented. He gave them a vial which contained one of Regina's tears, and told them that once it was combined with someone else's tear, all that person would have to do is drop some of the concoction into their eye, and they would instantly be connected with Regina. They would see what she saw, and feel what she felt. Shae immediately volunteered, but Gold said that the tears would only burn up in her blood red eyes. Mary Margaret stepped in next, and produced a single tear, which Gold added to the vial with Regina's.

With the vial of tears in hand, David, Mary Margaret, and Shae climbed back into David's truck, and he took them back to the tiny loft where he and his wife lived with their daughter, and Henry. Mary Margaret and David sat at the table, the vial from Gold sitting before them, and Shae nervously paced the length of the apartment.

"You don't have to do this, you know." David told his wife gently. "You've been through enough already."

"That's exactly why I have to do it." Mary Margaret replied determinedly. "My heart is blackened because of what I did to Regina. If I can help find her, help save her, maybe it'll help let some of the light back in."

"Oh, please!" Shae snapped sarcastically, rolling her blood red eyes. "You've got a tiny little black spot on your heart. So what?"

"So, I'd like to try and get rid of it, if I can." Mary Margaret replied.

Shae chuckled darkly. "Yeah, I don't think it works like that. Once you blacken your heart, it's black forever. Trust me, I know."

David and Mary Margaret exchanged a sad glance as Shae continued pacing the room. "Come on, Shae, you know that's not true." David said with a sigh. "What you did yesterday, trying to stop Regina, it was the right thing to do."

"Yeah, and look what doing the right thing got me!" Shae shouted furiously, rounding on David and Mary Margaret. "The woman I love is missing, probably in all sorts of danger, all because I was trying to protect you assholes! And you were just going to lock her up in a cell and force me to leave her there! Trust me, I won't be bothering to do the right thing anymore, not after this."

Mary Margaret sighed, taking the vampire's hand. "Shae, listen, I know you're upset but-"

"STOP IT!" Shae bellowed, ripping her hand out of Mary Margaret's grip, pointing an accusing finger at her. "Don't fucking touch me! Don't you dare try and start acting like you're my friend again, Snow White! I'm not falling for your fucking tricks any more."

Mary Margaret's mouth hung open in shock at Shae's sudden outburst, her eyes welling with tears. David placed his hand on his wife's, hanging his head sadly and sighing heavily.

"Just… Just do the fucking thing with the tears already!" Shae spat at them.

David nodded, grabbing the vial off of the table as he stood. He stood over his wife as she leaned her head back, and Shae waited anxiously behind him. He used an eyedropper to carefully lower a single drop of the tears into his wife's eye. He sat back down, and Shae stepped closer, both of them watching Mary Margaret carefully as she blinked several times.

"Well? Anything?" Shae asked her anxiously.

Mary Margaret sat silently for a moment, but then shook her head. "No, nothing. Maybe it didn't work, maybe-"

David and Shae both practically leapt out of their skin as Mary Margaret's eyes rolled back into her head, and her body suddenly jerked violently. Her mouth gaped open, and she let out a horrible, strangled scream of pain.

"SNOW!" Shae shouted, rushing toward her.

"MARY MARGARET!" Shouted David.

Shae and David cried out in alarm as Mary Margaret slipped out of her chair and onto the ground. She continued to convulse violently, screaming and howling in what appeared to be agonizing pain.

"SHAE!" She screamed. "SHAE!"

"Snow! Snow, it's ok, I'm here, I'm right here!" Shae told her desperately as her and David knelt on the floor beside her.

"SHAE!" Mary Margaret screamed again.

"I'm right here!" Shae shouted back at her, then turned her panicked eyes onto David. "Dammit, what the hell is going on?"

"I don't know!" David replied, looking just as panicked as the vampire. "Regina, she must be-"

He stopped short as Mary Margaret's convulsions suddenly stopped, and she slumped unconscious onto the floor. Shae and David exchanged another panicked glance as she continued to lie motionless for several long, agonizing moments. Her eyes then slowly fluttered open, and David and Shae helped her sit up.

"Mary Margaret, a-are you ok?" David asked his wife concernedly.

"Oh god… Oh my god…" Mary Margaret whispered, placing her hands over her mouth, her eyes shining with tears. "I-It was awful… T-The worst pain I've ever felt… Wherever Regina is, she's powerless, she can't fight back!"

"What?" Shae breathed, her red eyes still wide with panic. "How is that possible?"

"Could you see where she was, who was holding her there?" David asked in a rush.

Mary Margaret slowly shook her head. "I just remember… Pain, so much pain… And screaming."

She suddenly gasped, turning to Shae and grabbing the front of her jacket. "You… S-She was screaming for you!" She said, tears rushing down her face. "S-She wanted you… Wanted you to save her!"

Shae clenched her fists, rising slowly to her feet. She then let out a roar of rage, kicking a nearby chair and sending it flying across the room, where it shattered to splinters against the wall. David leapt to his feet, stomping over to Shae and grabbing her arm roughly.

"Hey! Calm the hell down, alright?" He shouted at her.

"DON'T FUCKING TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" Shae roared back at him. "The woman I love is being tortured, crying out for me, and I'm stuck here with you idiots!"

"I know that, I understand that you're upset, but this isn't helping!" David replied sternly.

David went back over to his wife, who had gotten shakily to her feet. "Mary Margaret, I need you to focus, concentrate." He told her gently. "Even the smallest detail can help us find her."

Mary Margaret nodded, and David and Shae watched anxiously as she closed her eyes, focusing on the brief ordeal she had just went through. "I-I remember… My hands were strapped down, my legs… It was cold, and it… It smelled… Weird. Like… Sardines? Oh, I don't know, I'm sorry."

David breathed out a sigh, then kissed his wife's forehead. "It's alright, you just relax. I'm gonna call Emma and tell her what we know."

Mary Margaret sat back down as David stepped into the kitchen, pulling out his cellphone. She glanced sadly up at Shae, who had gone back to pacing the length of the apartment.

"Shae, I'm sorry." Mary Margaret said quietly. "I'm sorry for everything."

When Shae didn't respond, and only continued pacing, Mary Margaret sighed. "I'm sorry we were going to lock Regina up." She went on. "I-It wasn't right, we shouldn't have-"

Shae suddenly stopped pacing, turning to Mary Margaret and shooting her an icy glare. "You're damn right you shouldn't have!"

"Hey!" David said, shoving his cellphone back in his pocket. "Emma thinks she knows where Regina is. We need to get down to the docks, NOW."

The Charmings and the vampire all rushed back down to David's truck, and they were once again speeding through the town of Storybrooke. Shae clenched her jaw, trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to leak out of her eyes. Only a few short days ago, she had been holding her true love in her arms, the two of them so blissfully happy to be reunited. They finally had a chance to start a new life, to start over, and now all this, it had happened all over again. Shae had betrayed Regina again, and now she was gone, kidnapped, and in a terrible amount of pain. Shae clenched her fists, and made a silent vow to never betray her again, no matter what.

Once they finally reached the docks, they hurried into the Storybrooke Cannery. They found it completely abandoned, and inside it was dark, cold, and definitely smelled like sardines. David gave Shae his extra sidearm, arming himself with his own gun. The crept slowly forward, carefully peering around the dark and abandoned cannery. After a few minutes of silent searching, they literally ran in to Emma and Neal. After they were all over the brief shock of almost shooting each other, Emma quickly came up with a plan.

"Alright, you guys take the basement." She told them in a commanding way. "Neal and I will search the main floor. Just be careful, this place is huge and dark, but Regina's got to be here somewhere."

They all nodded at each other, and Shae, David, and Mary Margaret made their way down into the basement. David took the lead, with Mary Margaret in the middle, and Shae at the rear, watching their backs. They had no idea who exactly they were up against, and they wanted to make sure they were covered from all angles.

"God, this place _is_ huge." Mary Margaret whispered as they slowly crept through the damp and dark basement. "How are we even supposed to-"

"AUGH!"

"SHAE!"

Shae had suddenly fallen to her hands and knees, her gun sliding across the floor. She let out another howl of pain, falling on her back and clutching her chest. Her body jerked and convulsed as she screamed, just as Mary Margaret's had when she used the concoction of tears earlier. Her and David watched in helpless horror as Shae writhed and screamed on the floor in front of them. Suddenly, it all stopped, and Shae was left staring bewilderedly up at them.

"Shae! Shae, what happened?" Mary Margaret asked, kneeling down next to her.

Shae sat forward, still clutching her chest, her eyes wide with confused shock. "I-It's Regina…" Shae breathed, her face twisting in pain. "I-I felt it… The pain… I-It was horrible…"

"What? But… How?" David asked, looking down at his wife, immensely confused. "You used the tears, not Shae. How can she-"

"It's their true love, it has to be." Mary Margaret whispered in wonder. "It hurts here, right?"

She gently poked the left side of Shae's chest, right over her heart, and the vampire nodded. "But… How come you're feeling it now?" Mary Margaret asked, her brow furrowed. "You didn't before right?"

Shae shook her head, grimacing in pain again. "Whoever's doing this, they must have upped the pain, somehow they-"

Shae's words caught in her throat, and Mary Margaret and David gasped as she screamed in pain once again. She fell back against the ground, her body convulsing violently. Mary Margaret and David stared at each other, then back down at Shae, once again powerless to help her.

"GO!" Shae screamed at them, her red eyes wild with pain and fear. "HURRY! THEY'RE GONNA KILL HER!"

Mary Margaret and David rushed off, Shae's screams and howls of agony ringing in their ears. Shooting, agonizing pain shot out from the vampire's chest, and began to spread all throughout her body. She screamed into the quiet of the cannery basement, her vision going completely black.

"SHAE!" She heard Regina's voice screaming in her head. "SHAE, PLEASE!"

Shae was suddenly staring up at florescent lights, her body lying on something cold and metallic. The pain stopped, and a man's face loomed hazily over her.

"Your little vampire friend isn't coming to save you now, Regina." The man sneered. "No one is coming to save you."

Shae heard the sound of a man laughing through her and Regina's screams as the pain returned once again. Shae writhed and squirmed, digging her nails into the floor as the unbearable pain shot through her body.

"You feel that, huh?" The man asked as the pain stopped once again. "That's the end of you. Scary, isn't it? Now, you'll never hurt anyone, ever again."

Shae screamed, the pain in her chest worse than ever before. Her head bounced painfully against the ground as she uncontrollably jerked and convulsed, horrible, agonizing pain consuming her entire body. She heard the sound of laughter again over her and Regina's screams, a terrible, almost insane sounding cackle, delighting in the fact that Regina was in so much pain. Tears streamed out of Shae's eyes as she felt all of her true love's pain, her fear, her hopelessness. She clutched the sides of her head, the pain and the pressure threatening to make her head burst.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, it was all over. Shae's vision cleared, and she was staring up at the ceiling of the cannery basement once again, lying on the cold, hard concrete. She sat forward, all the pain suddenly completely gone. She sat in stunned silence for a moment before sheer panic took hold of her.

"No… No, no, no…" She muttered, pushing herself shakily to her feet.

She stumbled forward down the long, dark hallway, her mind reeling. Regina had been in so much pain, a pain unlike anything Shae had ever felt before. But it had so suddenly stopped. Why had is stopped? She gasped, stopping in her tracks when she heard the sound of gunshots from the end of the hallway. She raced forward, turning into a room at the end of the hall.

"REGINA!"

Mary Margaret was standing next to a metal table, her hand over her mouth, her eyes shining with tears. Regina was lying motionless on top of the table, her eyes closed. Shae walked slowly forward, placing her quivering hand on the forehead of the woman she loved. As she stared helplessly and hopelessly down at Regina's unconscious body, Shae noticed that there were strange looking wires connected to each side of Regina's head, her chest, and her arms. She followed the wires with her eyes, and turned around to find they were connected to some sort of machine at the other end, a machine that was now riddled with bullet holes.

"W-What is this?" Shae breathed, looking at Mary Margaret, her eyes welling with tears. "W-What have they done to her?"

"I don't know…" Mary Margaret replied in a whisper. "It looks like some sort of… Electroshock machine."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, tears leaking down her face. She stared down at Regina's unconscious body, a terrible, vicious rage boiling in her chest. Her ears started ringing, and her hands shook as she balled them into fists.

"Who did this?" She asked Mary Margaret. When she didn't reply, Shae grabbed her roughly by her shoulders, shaking her violently. "WHO DID THIS?"

"Greg! Greg Mendell!" Mary Margaret shouted, and stepped back as Shae released her. "T-That guy that crashed his car just outside of town."

"Right… I'm gonna go rip his lungs out."

"Shae, wait!"

Mary Margaret grabbed the vampire's arm as she turned to leave. "We have to get her out of here!" She said urgently. "She'll die if we don't get her help! We need to get her to Mother Superior."

Shae glanced over at the door, then at Mary Margaret, then down at the woman she loved. She swallowed hard, and nodded silently. Her and Mary Margaret began removing the wires from Regina's body and, once they were all disconnected, Shae carefully lifted Regina into her arms, cradling her unconscious body against her chest. She followed behind Mary Margaret as she led them out of the cannery, and toward David's truck, where they met up with David himself.

The ringing in Shae's ears returned once again, her vision fading in and out as the pure, unadulterated fury burned furiously deep inside her chest. She heard David talking to her from the driver's seat of his truck, but she couldn't make out anything he was saying through the blood pulsing in her ears. The only thing she felt, besides her burning rage, was Regina's limp body cradled in her lap, her head resting in the crook of Shae's neck. Shae pressed her trembling lips against Regina's forehead, tears rushing down her face as she made another silent vow. She would find the man who did this to the woman she loved, and she would tear him limb from limb.

Shae stared down at Regina's unconscious body lying in Mary Margaret's bed. She heard voices all around her, saw faces swimming before her eyes, but she was completely numb to it all. She only snapped back to reality when Mother Superior arrived, and she explained to them all that Regina had lost her magic due to the strange leather cuff that she was wearing. They all stood around anxiously as Mother Superior waved her wand over Regina's body, the cuff disappearing from her wrist.

"There, the cuff is off." Mother Superior announced, turning back to them. "I believe, given time and rest, she will recover, and her magic will return."

"'Time and rest?'" Shae exclaimed heatedly. "You're a fucking fairy! Just heal her!"

Mother Superior narrowed her eyes irritably at the vampire. "Unfortunately, I cannot." She said in an even but irritated tone. "My magic specializes in external wounds, and Regina's are internal. I don't know what it is that man did to her, but it is too strong for my magic to heal."

"Then you're fucking useless!" Shae snarled furiously, her clenched fists shaking violently with rage.

"Excuse me?" Mother Superior cried indignantly.

Mary Margaret quickly stepped in, taking Mother Superior gently by her shoulders and herding her out the door. Once the door had snapped shut behind her, Mary Margaret rounded on the vampire.

"Is it your personal goal to piss off everyone you come in contact with?" She asked her heatedly.

"Yeah, maybe it is." Shae snapped back.

Mary Margaret was about to respond when the door swung open again, and Emma walked slowly in. Shae momentarily forgot about Regina when she saw the look on Emma's face. She looked as if she had just seen something completely and utterly horrible, her face ghostly white and stained with tears.

"Emma? What's wrong?" Mary Margaret asked her daughter, her voice heavy with concern. "Where's Neal?"

Emma stared down at the ground for a long, silent moment, then turned her wide eyes onto her mother. "He's gone." She said in a voice barely above a whisper. "Tamara, she… She killed him."

Dead silence fell over the tiny apartment. Emma's parents slowly stepped forward, taking their daughter gently by the arm and sitting her down on the steps leading up to her and Henry's bedroom. Shae knelt down next to the bed, shakily taking Regina's hand and resting her head in the crook of her arm. She listened, tears running down her face once again as Emma slowly explained to them what had happened at the cannery. Tamara had shot Neal, then used one of the magic beans she had stolen from Regina to open a portal, to stop Emma from chasing after her. Emma tried to save him, but Neal had fallen through. He was gone.

"Emma… I'm so sorry…" David whispered, sitting down next to his daughter and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"How… How am I gonna tell Henry?" Emma breathed, tears rushing down her face.

Mary Margaret turned away, her heart heavy with sorrow. She went back over to Shae, who was now slowly dabbing a cold washcloth on Regina's forehead. She watched silently for a moment as tears spilled down the vampire's face.

"How is she?" Mary Margaret asked her quietly.

Shae slowly shook her head. "Still burning up."

Mary Margaret sighed, placing her hand gently on Shae's shoulder. "She's gonna be ok, you know."

Shae sighed too. "I know." She replied softly. "I-Its… Its just…"

Shae sighed again, sitting down on the floor and leaning her back against the end table next to the bed, more tears slowly leaking out of her eyes. "I can't stop thinking about… What if… What if that bastard had killed her?" She went on, her voice cracking with emotion. "You know what the last thing I said to her was?"

Mary Margaret shook her head slightly, and Shae breathed out a bitter, sour laugh. "I told her that… That loving her, is nothing but pain." She said, her face twisting and distorting in immense sorrow. "I don't care what happened between us… Just… Who… Who the fuck says that to someone they love?"

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, biting back a sob as tears rushed down her cheeks. Mary Margaret watched her for a silent moment, and then smiled slightly, though her eyes were still full of sadness.

"Well, you two have always had a vicious sort of love…" She said with a small shrug.

Shae burst out in bitter laughter once again, wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "Yeah, we have, haven't we?" She agreed. "I don't know… I think maybe you were right, Snow."

Mary Margaret's brow furrowed in confusion. "Right about what?"

Shae slowly turned her tear stained eyes onto her, smiling sadly. "You told me once that… That people like us, an Evil Queen and a vampire, we're not supposed to have true love." She replied quietly. "I think you're right… But… Somehow, the gods must have fucked up, and it happened anyway. Or maybe they just thought it'd be funny, I don't know… Either way… I think that's why our love is so… Insane and… Angry, and weird. It's not supposed to be… But it is."

Mary Margaret sighed sadly, staring down at the vampire with pity in her eyes. She opened her mouth to reply, but stopped when her daughter stepped up next to her, still looking shaken.

"Hey, Emma, I-I'm really sorry about Neal." Shae told her sadly from her spot on the floor.

Emma nodded, managing a weak smile. "Thanks… I just… I wish I knew where Tamara went, and that asshole Greg." She replied quietly, wrapping her shaking arms around her torso. "They're obviously working together. I don't know what they're up to, but they need to be stopped. They… They need to pay."

Shae nodded slowly, and she gazed back over at Regina. Suddenly, she snapped her head back over to Emma, her blood red eyes wide. Emma and her parents all eyed her curiously as she scrambled to her feet, a slow smile spreading across her face, her eyes wide and wild. She then pushed passed Emma, Mary Margaret, and David, and rushed toward the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" David asked her, brow furrowed in confusion.

Shae slowly turned back around, a dark and devious grin on her face that gave the other three instant chills. "I'm going to find Greg and Tamara." Shae replied in an excited whisper. "I'm going to make them pay for what they've done."

"Shae! Wait!" Mary Margaret shouted, rushing forward and grabbing the vampire's arm as she threw the door open. "You can't kill them!"

Shae giggled in a devious sort of way. "Oh, I won't kill them. At least, not right away."

She made to step out the door, but Mary Margaret placed a hand on her chest, pushing her back. "Shae, stop! I know what they've done is terrible but killing them is not the answer. Its… Its not right!"

Shae's wild grin instantly fell into a fearsome glare, and she leaned in close to Mary Margaret. "I've already told you, Snow White… I'm done doing the right thing."

Mary Margaret gasped as Shae shoved her roughly out of her way. David rushed forward, placing his hands gently on his wife's shoulders. The door swung shut behind the vampire, and she was gone.

"S-Shouldn't we do something?" Emma asked, her eyes still wide with shock over the events of the last few hours.

"There's nothing we can do." David answered darkly. "Shae's too powerful, we'd never be able to stop her. The only one that can, the only that has any control over her, is Regina."

XX

Shae stomped through the woods of Storybrooke, one of Tamara's shirts clutched tightly in her hand. She had broken in to her and Neal's room, and was using the shirt to track Tamara's scent. It was leading her far into the woods on the outskirts of town. Emma had said that Tamara and Greg were working together, so she knew if she found Tamara, she would find the man that had tortured the woman she loved.

She stopped suddenly, carefully stepping behind a tree as she finally spotted them in a small clearing a few yards ahead of her. She stifled a laugh as her heart soared with exhilaration. She hadn't felt this feeling in a long, long time. It was the thrill she had always felt just before a kill. She wasn't just going to kill them, though, she was going to make sure they suffered. She was so tired of trying to be the good person the Charming family insisted she was. Shae knew exactly who she was, and it was time to finally embrace it.

"Does the home office know anything about it?" Greg was asking Tamara.

"Yeah, they did." Tamara replied excitedly. "You'll never believe what it does."

Shae's brow furrowed when she noticed a dark purple gem in Tamara's hands. She was just about to creep closer, when she felt her cell phone vibrate in her pocket. She let out a low grumble, reaching into her pocket and frowning down at her phone that read 'Charming.' Shae gritted her teeth, glancing back up at Tamara and Greg, and down at her phone again. Her thumb hovered over the 'Decline' button, but she knew if she didn't answer, Charming would only keep calling. He was annoyingly persistent that way.

"What?" Shae growled into her phone.

"Shae! It's David." Came the voice on the other end.

"Yeah, I fucking know that, numb nuts." Shae spat irritably. "What do you want?"

"Have you found Greg and Tamara yet?" Asked David, his tone concerned.

Shae glanced back up into the clearing, where Greg and Tamara were still conversing in hushed tones. "They're in my sights, but I haven't done anything yet." Shae replied quietly. "Why? Gonna beg me not to kill them? Save it, Charming. I told your wife that-"

"Its Regina." David interjected. "She's awake. She's still in a lot of pain, but she's asking for you, practically begged me to call you. Shae, she… She really needs to see you right now."

Shae's heart practically lurched out of her chest. The woman she loved needed her, but the man that had tortured her for hours was just within her grasp. She couldn't let him slip away.

"Tell her I'm a little busy at the moment." Shae said through gritted teeth.

She heard David sigh heavily on the other end of the phone. "Yeah, I tried that, but she's a bit… Hysterical right now. She won't even talk to us until she sees you."

Shae bit her lip, glowering at Greg Mendell as David went on. "Look, I get that you want to make the guy who tortured Regina pay. But… Shae, she needs you right now. Save the vengeance for another day, please."

Shae clenched her fists, watching as Greg and Tamara hurried off in the opposite direction, and were lost from sight. She breathed out a heavy sigh, running a hand through her hair.

"I'll be right there."

Back at Emma and Mary Margaret's apartment, David stepped out of the kitchen, joining his wife and daughter who were standing next to the bed, where Regina was still lying, now fully awake.

"I just talked to Shae, and she's on her way." David announced with a small smile. "She said- WOAH!"

Chaos ensued for a brief moment as Shae appeared in their midst with a whirl of blood red smoke. Mary Margaret cried out in alarm as the vampire stumbled backward into her, and crashed to the floor, the exertion of teleporting causing the world to spin wildly around her. Mary Margaret knocked into Emma, causing her to trip over Shae, who was trying to get back to her feet. David tried to catch her, but failed, and suddenly they were all a chaotic tangle of bodies and limbs.

"OW!"

"Son of a-"

"Shae, what the hell?"

"Regina?"

"Shae!"

When Emma, Mary Margaret, and David finally made it to their feet, they turned around to find Shae sitting on the edge of the bed, her arms wrapped tightly and desperately around the woman she loved. Regina sobbed as Shae held her, her head buried in the vampire's neck.

"Regina… Regina, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Shae whispered, gently cupping Regina's face in her hands. "I'm sorry for what I said, for… For the fighting, for all of it."

"No, no, I'm sorry, I-I shouldn't have…" Regina stammered, tears running down her face. "Oh, Shae… Shae, I love you, I'm sorry."

"I love you too…" Shae whispered back.

The two lovers kissed desperately and gratefully, their eyes streaming with tears. Emma and her parents all smiled around at each other. After all the horrors that they had faced that day, they at least got a little bit of joy from the fact that Shae and Regina's true love, no matter how insane and vicious it was, was restored once again.

"I'm so sorry they hurt you." Shae whispered to Regina, gently brushing her fingers along the bright red marks on either side of Regina's head. "I-I felt it, the pain… It was awful. I'm sorry I wasn't there, that I couldn't save you… I… Should have…"

Regina gently placed her fingers on Shae's lips as the vampire choked back a sob. "Shh, it's alright, I'm alright." She said soothingly. "You're here now, that's all that matters."

Shae nodded, taking Regina's face in her hands and kissing her again. Mary Margaret gently rubbed her daughter's back, who's own eyes were shining with tears, her heart aching with the loss of Neal, the man that she still loved.

"Where are they?" Regina asked, pulling away from Shae's embrace suddenly, her eyes full of malice. "Greg and Tamara?"

They all looked expectantly to Shae, who glanced away from them, nervously chewing on her lip ring. "Um, well, they're still alive but… They, uh… They got away." She replied slowly.

Regina's eyes suddenly grew wide, and the rage in them slowly turned into fear. "So… They… They still have it."

"Have what?" Asked Shae, her brow furrowed.

"The trigger."

They all stared around at each other in silent confusion. "The what now?" Emma asked, raising an eyebrow at Regina.

Regina bit her lip, staring down at the ground, seemingly hesitant to explain. "It's a gem…" She replied carefully. "A gem that activates a failsafe in the curse. A failsafe that will… Destroy Storybrooke."

They all fell silent again, but this time out of horror, not confusion. "Why exactly were you carrying something like that around?" Mary Margaret demanded.

Regina was about to reply, but David angrily interjected. "She was going to destroy us!" He snarled furiously, pointing an accusing finger at Regina. "She was going to use the beans to take Henry and Shae back home with her, and kill us all in the process!"

"HEY!" Shae shouted, swatting David's hand away and rising to her feet. "You assholes were the ones that were going to leave her behind, or lock her up in a cell! Did you forget about that?"

"I think we have a more pressing issue." Regina cut in, her face grave. "I no longer control the trigger."

David glared down at Regina, pointing another finger at her. "And who's fault is that?"

Shae smacked his hand away again, and shoved him roughly backward. "Point that finger at her one more time and I'll fucking rip it off!"

"HEY!" Emma bellowed, leaping between Shae and David, shoving them both away from each other. "That's enough! Don't do this! Not now, not today!"

Shae and David silently glared at each other, their clenched fists shaking with rage. Shae's face suddenly softened, and she glanced down at Regina as she sat forward, gently taking her hand. Shae sat back down on the bed, and pulled Regina into her arms once again, kissing the top of her head. Emma breathed out a sigh. Regina really was the only one that had any control over the vampire.

"Look, obviously this trigger thing is really important, and we need to get it away from Greg and Tamara." Emma went on slowly. "But… I still need to tell Henry about… About his father."

Mary Margaret and David exchanged a sorrowful glance. "Emma, honey, I don't think now is the best time…" Mary Margaret said softly.

"Please! He… He needs to know." Emma begged them, her voice breaking with emotion. "Please… I… I don't think I can do it alone."

Mary Margaret and David's faces both instantly softened, and they rushed forward, gently wrapping their arms around their daughter as she choked back a sob. They both agreed to help, and the three of them left together to go find Henry, leaving Shae behind to look after Regina. After a bit of stubborn protesting, Shae convinced Regina to lie back down and rest. She smiled down at the woman she loved, and leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"We really have to stop doing this to each other." Regina said, her face twisting in pain as she laughed.

"Yeah, we really do." Shae agreed with a smile. "You know, Snow… Er, Mary Margaret, she said something about our… Relationship earlier that I thought was pretty accurate."

"Oh? And what exactly did Snow White have to say about our relationship?" Regina asked sarcastically.

Shae laughed again, slowly shaking her head. "She, uh… She said we've always had a vicious sort of love."

Regina laughed too, cringing in pain once again. "Yes, I'd say that is surprisingly accurate." She smiled up at Shae, but then her eyes suddenly grew very sad. "Oh Shae, I'm so sorry. I wish… I really want to be the person that you and Henry want me to be."

"I don't want you to be any kind of person." Shae replied with a shrug. "Well, an alive one would be preferable, but not totally necessary I guess."

Regina gave her arm a weak shove. "That's disgusting." She said scoldingly. "What I meant was… I want to be the… The good person that you both want me to be."

Shae sighed, gently taking Regina's hand. "Regina, I love you just the way you are, you know that." She told her quietly. "And Henry… Well, he does too… But yeah, you're right, he wants his mother to be good, to be the hero for once. And if that's really what you want to be for him, then… Well, you'll figure it out eventually. I know you will."

"I should probably start by listening to you more often." Regina replied with a smile.

Shae nodded her head vigorously. "Oh, yeah, everyone should listen to me, all the time, about everything. Duh."

Shae gave her a quirky grin, and Regina laughed. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, and wrapped her arms around the woman she loved, kissing her gently. Shae smiled against her lips, breathing out a contented sigh.

After a few moments of enjoying the feeling of Regina's lips on hers, she pulled away, smiling gently into her eyes. "Hey, you need to rest, alright?"

"Hold me? Please?" Regina whispered, staring back into her blood red eyes.

Shae nodded, and climbed into Mary Margaret's bed next to Regina. She laid down on her back, and Regina slung her arm around across her torso, resting her head on Shae's chest. Shae wrapped an arm around her, gently running her hand up and down her back. They laid there in silence for a while, enjoying the feeling of being in each other's arms again.

"What are we going to do?" Regina suddenly asked, tilting her head up to look into Shae's eyes. "About the trigger? I don't know what they plan on doing with it… I… It's all my fault…"

Shae wrapped both arms around her, holding her tight as Regina's eyes welled with tears. "Hey, don't think about that right now, ok?" She whispered soothingly. "Just try and rest, you need to get your strength back."

Regina nodded, and craned her neck up, placing a soft kiss on Shae's lips. She rested her head on Shae's chest again, and Shae resumed rubbing her back. As Regina fell asleep, Shae lie there worrying about the very thing Regina had asked. What were Greg and Tamara planning on doing with the trigger? Were they going to destroy Storybrooke? She had no answers, only more and more questions. She gently kissed the top of Regina's head, hugging the woman she loved tight once again, whispering softly to her.

"I won't let anything else happen to you. I promise."

XX

Shae and Regina shared a quiet and peaceful hour wrapped up in each other's loving embrace, completely unaware that utter chaos was about to ensue within the town of Storybrooke. Emma, David, and Mary Margaret returned to the apartment with Henry, who was thrilled to find that his mother was alive and well. Their joyous reunion was violently interrupted as the ground quaked beneath their feet, and everyone in the apartment began to panic. Greg and Tamara had activated the trigger, and the destruction of Storybrooke was imminent.

After they all got over their initial shock, and spending a few moments bickering amongst each other, they came up with a plan to save the residents of Storybrooke, and return to The Enchanted Forest before the town was destroyed. Mary Margaret was to take Henry to round up all the townsfolk, and David was going with Captain Hook, who had suddenly appeared to lend a helping hand, to steal back the magic beans from Greg and Tamara. Meanwhile, Emma and Regina were to venture into the mines to find the trigger itself. Regina had told them that though she could not stop the magic of the trigger, she could at least delay it long enough for Hook and David to get the beans back, and lead everyone safely back home.

Shae chewed nervously on her thumbnail as she stood in Granny's Diner with the rest of the residents of Storybrooke. She had wanted to stay by Regina's side, but Regina herself had insisted that Shae go with Mary Margaret and Henry, to keep her son safe, in case anything went wrong. Shae had protested loudly, but eventually relented after Regina continued to insist. She begrudgingly kissed the woman she loved goodbye, and there was something about the look in Regina's eyes when they parted that was making Shae incredibly anxious.

The vampire was roused from her nervous musings when David and Hook entered the diner, announcing that they had found the magic beans. Not a moment later, they were followed by Emma, but Shae's brow furrowed when she noticed that Regina was not with her.

"W-Where's my mom?" Henry asked, voicing the vampire's own concerns.

Emma didn't respond right away, staring down at her son with eyes full of sorrow. The panic already bubbling in Shae's stomach started to boil over.

"Emma, where's Regina?" Shae asked her quietly.

"Regina, she… She can hold off the self-destruct device long enough for us to escape…" Emma began slowly. "But…"

"But what?" Henry asked, his eyes wide with fear.

Emma glanced between her son and Shae, her eyes shining with tears. "She… She won't survive."

Shae's heart dropped out of her chest, and her mouth hung open in silent horror. She heard Emma speaking to her, felt her hand on her arm as she ran for the door, but there was a sudden ringing in her ears that drowned everything else out.

"Shae, stop!"

Emma was suddenly standing in front of her, her hands placed firmly on the vampire's chest. "Get the fuck out of my way." Shae breathed dangerously.

"I promised Regina I would get you and Henry back to The Enchanted Forest safely." Emma pleaded with her. "Please, Shae, this is what she wants!"

"I DON'T CARE!" Shae bellowed furiously. "I'm not letting her do this!"

Emma pushed Shae back again as she attempted to step forward. "It's already done, Shae!" She shouted desperately, tears now running down her cheeks. "If she stops now then the town will only be destroyed faster, there's no going back!"

Shae stared silently down at her, tears rushing out of her eyes as well. "Shae, please, she told me she wants to die a hero." Emma went on quietly. "Just… Please, let her do this."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, clenching her fists tight. When she opened her eyes again, she nodded slowly. "Fine. But I'm not letting her die alone."

She pushed passed a stunned and silent Emma, stopping with her hand on the door handle when Mary Margaret called out to her. "Shae, wait!" She cried. "If you go to her, then you'll only die with her!"

Shae chuckled, turning back slowly with a smile on her face. "Fine." She replied with an unconcerned shrug. "Probably about time, anyway."

"Shae, no!" Emma shouted.

But Shae was gone, disappearing in a black blur of movement as she ran as fast as her legs would carry her toward the mines. As she ran, she realized that she was strangely at peace with what was about to happen. There had been several times in her past when she thought she would die at Regina's side, and now that it was about to happen, she could think of no better way to go. She could think of no better way to face death than by her true love's side.

Shae sped into the mines, slowing to a walk as she rounded a corner, and finally spotted the woman she loved. The purple gem that Shae had seen in Tamara's hands was floating in mid air, glowing with a bright blue light. Regina was standing behind it, tendrils of magical energy shooting into her hands that were outstretched over it. Regina's hands shook violently with the force of the energy, and she snapped her head up as Shae rounded the corner, her face stained with tears.

"No… No, no, no…" Regina muttered as Shae walked slowly toward her. "Shae, please don't… Please, just go!"

Shae stood on the other side of the glowing gem, reaching out and gently cupping Regina's face in her hands. She kissed her tenderly, feeling Regina's lips trembling beneath her own. She stared into her bloodshot brown eyes, slowly shaking her head.

"You're not doing this alone." She whispered.

Regina choked out a sob, shaking her head vigorously. "Shae, please…" She whispered back desperately. "Please, just go back!"

"I don't have anything to go back to, Regina." Shae replied as tears rushed down her face. "Not without you."

"You'll have Henry." Regina pleaded desperately. "Please, you have to take care of him, he-"

"He has a whole family to take care of him." Shae said, cutting her off. "My job is to take care of you."

"You'll die!" Regina sobbed. "Shae, you'll die if you don't go!"

"Well it's about damn time, isn't it?" Shae replied with a laugh. "Death has been waiting for me for over two hundred years now, it's probably best not to keep him waiting any more."

Regina hung her head, her whole body shaking with sobs. Shae took her face in her hands again, tilting her head back up and staring intensely into her eyes.

"Regina, please." She whispered, more tears spilling down her face. "You've made your choice, now let me make mine."

Shae waited, staring desperately into the beautiful brown eyes of the woman she loved. Regina finally squeezed her eyes shut, and nodded her head slowly. Shae stepped around behind her, and gently wrapped her arms around her, burying her face in Regina's neck. Shae held her tight as her own body began to shake with sobs, and they both stood in silence together for a while, the only sounds to be heard were their own quiet sobs, and the rushing and crackling energy from the glowing gem.

"Shae… Shae, I'm scared." Regina whispered as her body shook with the exertion of suppressing the trigger's magic.

Shae nodded, pressing a gentle kiss on the side of Regina's head. "I know, I am too." She whispered back. "But I'll be right here with you the whole time."

The vampire then breathed out a small chuckle, wiping a few tears off of her face. "Till the end." She stated quietly. "It's something Remus and I would always say to each other any time we were in a… A tight spot, one that we didn't think we would get out of."

Shae smiled a wistful smile, gently running her hand up and down Regina's arm. "It just meant that… That even though we were facing certain death, at least we were doing it together. We had each other, till the end."

Regina smiled too, turning her head to the side to gaze into her lover's eyes. "Till the end?" She whispered.

Shae nodded, smiling back into her eyes. "Till the end."

They kissed again, both their lips trembling as more tears rushed down their faces. Shae placed a quivering hand on the side of Regina's face, holding her there in their embrace. They kissed slowly, desperately, both trying to memorize the feel of the other's lips, knowing that it would likely be their last kiss before they faced their death.

"MOM!"

Shae and Regina both jumped, and their eyes grew wide as they saw Henry rushing toward them, followed closely by Emma, David, and Mary Margaret.

"What are you doing here?" Regina cried in shock.

Henry smiled up at his mother. "You were willing to die to save us, that makes you a hero." He said proudly. "Now we're gonna be heroes."

"W-What? What's going on?" Shae asked, still standing with her hands on Regina's shoulders.

"We're gonna open up a portal, and chuck this thing into the void." David announced, pointing a determined finger down at the glowing gem.

Regina shook her head vigorously, her arms vibrating with energy. "No! You don't know that it will work!"

"We have to try." Mary Margaret said with a smile. "It's the right thing to do."

"Everybody stand back." Said Emma, pulling out a small black pouch.

Shae glanced down at Regina, who nodded at her, her eyes shining with hope. Shae stepped around the gem once again, and joined the others as they all drew back behind Emma. Henry smiled excitedly up at the vampire, who smiled back, placing her hand gently on the boy's shoulder. They watched as Emma opened the pouch, tilting it into her hand. Their faces all suddenly fell; Something was wrong. Emma shook the pouch, then stared down inside it. All their hearts stopped dead when Emma slowly turned to them, her eyes wide with horror.

"It's empty." She breathed.

"Hook." David growled furiously.

"W-What do we do now?" Henry asked, glancing up at all of them.

No one responded to the young boy's desperate question, no one knew how. They all stared around at each other in silent horror. There were no more beans, there was no way out, no escape. They were all going to die.

"Mom… Dad…" Emma whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.

David and Mary Margaret pulled their daughter and grandson in to a tight, desperate hug. Shae rushed back over to Regina, stepping up behind her again and holding her tight.

"Im sorry, Regina." The vampire sobbed, placing her trembling lips against the side of her head. "I'm so sorry… For everything."

"I'm sorry too…" Regina replied, choking out her own terrified sob. "I love you."

"I love you too." Shae whispered back.

Shae stepped back slightly as Henry rushed over to his mother, wrapping his arms around her waist as he cried. "It's alright, Henry, you'll be ok." Regina told him soothingly. "You were born in this world, you'll survive."

"But… I'll be alone!" Henry sobbed.

Shae placed her hand gently on the boy's head, her other arm still holding on desperately to the woman she loved. Regina sobbed again, staring down at her son.

"I love you, Henry." She whispered to him. "I just… I wish I was strong enough to stop all this… But… I-I'm just not."

Shae buried her face into Regina's neck, her whole body quaking with fear. This was it, it was all over. Her heart ached as she listened to Henry's terrified sobs. The poor boy was about to lose everything, his entire family. He would truly be alone.

"You may not be strong enough, but maybe _we_ are."

Shae snapped her head up, and found Emma standing on the other side of the gem, her eyes shining with confidence. Shae gasped, staring down at Regina, watching as a hopeful smile spread across her face. Shae immediately grabbed Henry's arm, and pulled him around the corner, Mary Margaret and David joining them a second later. They carefully peeked out as Emma stepped up to the gem, mimicking Regina and holding her hands out above it. Her body jerked as beams of magical energy shot up into her hands.

A resounding humming noise began to eminante from the gem, and the ground started to shake violently beneath their feet. They all clamped their hands over their ears as the humming grew louder and louder, rocks and pebbles falling from the ceiling of the tunnel onto their heads as the ground quaked. The very air shook and shimmered with the power of the two women and, suddenly, a massive pulsewave exploded from the gem. The world was sent spinning around them as they were all knocked off their feet, and they all crashed into the wall behind them, hitting the ground hard.

Shae's ears were ringing like two tolling bells, and she lifted her head up, staring dazedly around her through foggy eyes. When Shae's vision finally cleared, and the ringing in her ears subsided, she realized that the humming had stopped, the ground was still, and the mines were silent once again.

"Regina?" She called out as she staggered to her feet.

When Shae only heard the sounds of the others groaning around her, she began to panic. She stumbled forward, rushing around the corner. Emma and Regina were both on the ground as well, staring dazedly all around them. Shae ran over to Regina, who was looking quite shaken, but otherwise unharmed.

"D-Did it work?" Regina asked as Shae helped her to her feet.

Shae turned around, and saw the trigger sitting on the ground behind her, now lying still and harmless. She scooped up the gem, turning back to Regina with a joyful smile.

"You guys fucking did it!" She exclaimed.

Regina laughed, grateful and joyous tears now leaking out of her eyes. She threw her arms around the woman she loved, kissing her passionately and gratefully. They stood locked in their embrace for a moment, both grateful to be alive, to be together. When they pulled away, they turned around and found that the others had gotten to their feet as well, Emma, David, and Mary Margaret sharing a joyful embrace.

"Gotta hand it to Henry, he sure is right about a lot of things." David said with a surprised chuckle.

"He sure is." Emma said fondly, turning around. "Isn't that right, kid?"

But Henry was nowhere to be seen. "Henry?" Emma called out, stepping around the corner. "He's gone!"

Regina stared up at Shae, panic in her eyes. They all rushed forward, back down the tunnel that led out of the mines. They called out to Henry over and over again, but received no response, fear and panic rising in all their hearts. Why would Henry just run away like this? Something was definitely wrong.

Emma suddenly gasped, and sprinted forward. They all hurried after her, stopping behind Emma as she picked up something off the ground. When she turned around, she was holding Henry's backpack in her hands, one of the shoulder straps torn off.

"They took him." Shae said quietly as she sniffed the air. "Greg and Tamara. I can smell them."

"C-Can you find them?" Emma asked, her eyes wide with terror.

Shae nodded hastily, taking Henry's backpack out of her hands. She gave it a careful sniff, then ran forward, the others following along behind her. The vampire tracked Henry's scent out of the mines, and all the way down to the docks. They rounded a corner just in time to see Greg and Tamara standing at the edge of the pier, with Henry between them.

"HENRY!" Emma screamed.

They all sprinted forward as Greg chucked the last magic bean into the water, and a glowing, swirling portal appeared where it landed.

"SHAE!" Screamed Regina.

The vampire immediately understood, and she was a black blur of motion as she sped forward. She reached out, grabbing the back of Henry's jacket just as Greg and Tamara jumped into the portal with him. The others cried out in alarm as Shae fell forward, and her upper body was lost from sight over the edge of the pier. Emma and David were the first to reach her, and they grabbed the vampire's legs just as she was about to slip over the edge. The portal suddenly disappeared, and Emma and David pulled Shae back over the ledge. Shae got to her feet, stumbling backward as she stared down at Henry's jacket clutched in her fist.

"NO!" Regina shrieked.

"HENRY!" Screamed Emma.

Shae's mouth gaped open in silent shock as she stared down at the jacket in her hand. Mary Margaret and David grabbed their daughter's arms as Emma ran toward the edge of the pier, screaming furiously into the air. Regina rounded on Shae, angry tears rushing down her cheeks.

"NO!" She screamed at the vampire, shoving her backward furiously. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO SAVE HIM!"

Shae stumbled backward as Regina beat her fists into her chest, sobbing bitterly. "You were supposed to save him!" She shouted again. "Why? Why… Why didn't you…"

Shae wrapped her arms tightly around Regina as she sobbed into her chest. "Im sorry…" Shae whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "I'm so sorry…"

"We have to do something!" Emma shouted desperately. "We can't just let them take Henry!"

"They've taken Henry?"

They all whirled around, and found Belle and Mr. Gold approaching them. Regina pushed out of Shae's arms, and the vampire stood silently behind them as they all explained to Gold what had just happened, and demanded that he help them. Shae watched and listened quietly as they bickered and argued, trying desperately to come up with some way to save the boy. Shae's heart hung heavy with misery. She had failed, failed to save the son of the woman she loved. They had all been filled with so much hope, so much joy only moments ago, but now it was all dashed. Henry was gone, and there seemed to be no way to find him.

Their hope was suddenly restored when they spotted Captain Hook sailing back into the harbor on his ship, The Jolly Roger. Shae followed the group as they all rushed toward the ship, finding that Hook had suddenly had a change of heart. He offered up his ship and his services, along with the final remaining magic bean that he had stolen. All that was left to do was to figure out where exactly Greg and Tamara had taken Henry.

They all gathered in the Captain's cabin, and watched as Gold magically produced a glowing white globe. He pricked his finger, and dripped a few droplets of blood onto the globe. They watched in silent wonder as Gold's blood morphed into the shape of a small island, an island that none of them except for Captain Hook and Gold himself recognized. Greg and Tamara, for some unknown reason, taken Henry to Neverland.

"I've never been to Neverland." Shae said to Regina as they all exited the cabin and stood on the deck of Hook's ship. "It's kind of exciting, crossing worlds again."

Regina smiled weakly, and was about to respond when Gold cut her off. "It would be, dearie, if you were coming with us."

Regina whirled around, glaring at the old man. "What are you talking about? Of course she's coming with us!"

Gold simply shrugged. "I would think it would be in the town's best interest if our friendly neighborhood vampire remained behind."

Shae glanced around at the others, who all seemed to be just about as puzzled as she was. "Oh yeah? Why exactly is that?" Shae snapped at him, folding her arms across her chest.

"Storybrooke is no longer safe from the outside world." Gold replied darkly. "Someone with magical abilities needs to stay behind, to keep the town safe."

"Fine, you stay here then." Shae said with a simple shrug.

Gold chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "Afraid not, dearie. My power is the strongest out of all of us, and will be needed where we're going." He retorted. "You, however, are a perfect candidate to protect our lovely town."

"How so?" Emma asked, eyeing Gold warily.

Gold breathed out an exasperated sigh. "Just think about it. Shae here has powerful abilities, never sleeps, and is virtually indestructible. In fact, the only ones who actually know how to kill her are standing on this ship."

Shae stared around at everyone once again as they silently pondered what Gold had said. Shae's mouth gaped open in shock as they all looked at each other, and appeared to be silently agreeing with his words. Shae opened and closed her mouth several times in silent shock, and finally looked at Regina. Her eyes widened with horror as Regina bit her lip, staring up into her eyes with immense sadness.

"No." Shae told her sternly.

"Shae…"

"No way."

"Shae, just listen…"

"NO!"

"SHAE!"

Regina clapped her hands on either side of her lover's face, staring intently into her blood red eyes. "Gold's right." She said gently. "We're going to need a town to come back to once we find Henry. We need someone to stay and protect Storybrooke."

"Alright, you stay here then." Shae replied stubbornly.

Regina sighed heavily. "He's my son, I have to go."

"Then Emma can stay."

"He's my son too." Replied Emma.

"Well, then Gold…" Shae looked over at Gold, who only silently glared at her, and then she let out a frustrated groan. "Ok, what about The Blue Fairy? She's got magic, she can-"

"Shae, Gold is right." Mary Margaret said gently. "You're the best chance Storybrooke has."

"No! No, no, no." Shae replied, shaking her head vigorously. "You're not leaving me behind, I'm not going to just sit here while you guys-"

Shae's words were cut off as Regina took her face in her hands again, and kissed her deeply. Shae stood rigidly still for a moment, then sighed, placing her hands on Regina's hips. Regina slowly pulled away, glancing back up into Shae's blood red eyes, which were now shining with tears.

"Regina… No, please." Shae begged her desperately. "I just… I have to come with you. What if something happens to you? I… I just…"

Regina smiled sadly, gently brushing away the tears on Shae's face. "I'll be alright." She whispered softly. "Please, Shae. I need you to do this… For me."

Shae shook her head vigorously again, more tears rushing down her face. "Regina… You and I just… We… We just…"

"I know, I know… It isn't fair." Regina whispered again, pressing her forehead to Shae's, placing her hands gently on either side of her face. "But I need to find my son, and you need to protect Storybrooke. I got my chance to be a hero today, now this is yours."

Shae heaved a heavy, shaky sigh, squeezing her eyes shut as more tears rushed down her face. Regina stared up at her, waiting anxiously. Shae slowly opened her eyes again, and nodded. She cupped Regina's face in her hands, staring deep into her eyes.

"Promise me… Promise me you'll come back." She whispered, her voice shaking with emotion.

Regina smiled up at her, gently caressing her cold, pale cheek. "I always come back."

Shae breathed out a laugh, wiping the tears off of her face. "That's my line."

"I know…" Regina replied, smiling sadly into Shae's eyes. "I love you, Shae."

"I love you too." Shae whispered back.

The two lovers kissed one last time, holding onto each other desperately. When they finally pulled away, Emma stepped up to Shae, placing her gold Sheriff's badge into the vampire's hand.

"W-What?" Shae breathed, brow furrowed in confusion.

"You're acting Sheriff till I get back, alright?" Emma replied with a small smile.

"M-Me? Sheriff?" Shae asked in shock. "No, they'll never listen to me, they-"

"Sure they will." Emma cut in. "You just gotta show them that you're there to protect them, that's all. You'll be fine."

Shae sighed sadly, then nodded. Emma smiled at her, and gently placed her arms around her neck, embracing her tightly. Shae exchanged a quick hug goodbye with Mary Margaret, and a handshake with David, and placed one last kiss on Regina's lips before she left the ship

"You'll find him." She whispered to the woman she loved. "I know you will."

Regina nodded, smiling up at her as her eyes streamed with tears. Shae smiled back, gently squeezing her hand. She then turned her back, biting back more tears as she turned away from her true love's tear stained face.

"Hold a moment." Gold suddenly said, grabbing the vampire's arm as she walked toward the gangplank. "I have a favor to ask of you."

Shae raised an eyebrow silently at the old man. He stepped closer to her, dropping his voice low. "Please, look after my Belle." He said, gazing out toward the young woman standing teary eyed on the docks. "She's my everything, and I want to know that she'll be safe."

Gold heaved a sad and heavy sigh, staring out at Belle with wistful eyes. "I don't plan on returning from this voyage." He said sadly. "So I have nothing to offer you in return. Just… Please, from one person in love to another."

Shae glanced over at Regina, who was watching her with tears rushing down her face. She then turned back to Gold, staring seriously into the old man's eyes.

"Promise me that you'll look after Regina." She replied quietly. "And I'll do everything in my power to make sure Belle is taken care of."

Gold nodded at her, holding out his hand. "I can agree to that."

Shae nodded back, and they both shook hands. Shae took one last, longing look at the woman she loved, who was now busy helping Hook tie off some ropes. She sighed, stepping down the gangplank and out onto the docks.

"You're… You're not going with them?" Belle asked as Shae stood next to her.

Shae opened her mouth to respond, but the words caught in her throat, and she bit back more tears. She slowly shook her head, and Belle nodded in mournful understanding. The two women watched as The Jolly Roger sailed away into the harbor. They saw Hook toss the magic bean overboard, and he turned his ship toward the gaping, swirling portal that had opened in the water. Shae jumped slightly as Belle took her hand, squeezing it gently as she sobbed bitterly. Shae gently wrapped her arm around the young woman's shoulders, and they both watched as the ship carrying the people they loved most was swallowed up by the swirling vortex.

Nearby, a man garbed in a black, hooded trench coat was watching with wide eyes as The Jolly Roger disappeared into the portal. He quickly pulled out his cell phone, and dialed a number with shaky hands.

"Hey! It's Carl." He said excitedly into the phone. "You'll never guess what just happened. They're gone, they're all gone! Snow White, The Prince, the Sheriff, even The Queen! Yeah, yeah, The Dark One too! I don't know, they got on a ship and opened up a portal of some kind."

The young man named Carl laughed in a dark and twisted way, watching as Shae and Belle turned slowly away from the docks, and addressed the crowd of people that were rushing toward them.

"That's right, the filthy bloodsucker is all alone now, no Evil Queen to protect her this time." He said gleefully into his phone. "Don't you worry, you'll be plunging your silver sword through the bitch's heart soon enough. You'll finally have your revenge."

XX


	8. Chapter 8, The Knights of the Sun

CHAPTER 8

The residents of Storybrooke noticed a strange calmness in the days following the departure of The Jolly Roger. Without the constant conflict between Snow White, Prince Charming, and Regina, and Rumplestiltskin's general scheming, the town was quite peaceful. Day to day life went on, and the residents were, for once, actually quite content. All except for Belle and Shae, who were both filled with constant aching loneliness and anxiety in the absence of the ones they loved most.

Shae's job as acting Sheriff was proving to be quite dull. There was some excitement within the first few days when some newcomers arrived in town. One was Ariel, a mermaid who could cross through different realms. She was sent by Rumplestiltskin and Regina to find and bring back to them Pandora's Box, so they could use it to trap Peter Pan, and stop him from enacting his dark and dangerous scheme, and save Henry in the process. Ariel was shortly followed by two strange men, who attempted to steal Pandora's Box themselves, and return it to Pan. The strangers were revealed to be John and Michael Darling, and they were working for Pan in order to save their sister, Wendy. Ariel, with Belle's help, managed to convince them to hand over the box so Ariel could return it to Rumplestiltskin, and now the two brothers joined the residents of Storybrooke, waiting patiently for The Jolly Roger to return, hoping that the people in Neverland would save their sister as well as Henry.

Shae spent her days trying to distract herself from her pain and worry in as many ways as possible. Belle was trying to do the same, and often visited the vampire at The Sheriff's Station, or the abandoned cabin in the woods where Shae had been staying. Shae had found the cabin one night as she was wandering the woods, and decided it was a better place to spend her sleepless nights than Regina's house. Since Regina had left, Shae found her home to be too quiet, too empty. Belle felt much the same about Gold's house, and had been staying in a room at Granny's Bed and Breakfast.

Ever since Shae had arrived back in Storybrooke, Belle had been extremely wary of the vampire who had kidnapped her years past. But, in their shared grief, Belle had seemingly let go of any grudges she held, and her and Shae became fast friends. Shae enjoyed the young woman's company, and found that they had much in common. They spent many hours talking about books, sharing stories, and comforting each other when their pain and worry threatened to overwhelm them.

Shae and Belle were currently sitting in The Sheriff's Station, talking about Shakespeare, who they found they both shared a love for.

"I don't understand why everyone thinks Romeo and Juliet is such a great love story though." Shae was saying.

"Thank you!" Belle exclaimed in agreement. "I mean… They were essentially children, thought they were in love after meeting once, started a war, and then killed themselves!"

"Exactly!" Shae agreed, reaching into the bag of peanuts they were sharing, and tossing one up into the air, catching it in her mouth.

"Oh, I think I've finally figured out how to do that!" Belle said excitedly, reaching into the bag and grabbing a handful herself. "Watch this!"

Belle tossed the entire handful into the air, and managed to catch a few in her mouth, the rest falling all around her onto the floor.

"What?" Shae exclaimed as she laughed.

"The key is volume." Belle replied with a grin.

"Do you want ants? Cuz that's how we get ants." Shae said scoldingly, still laughing at her. "Besides, that's cheating."

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is!"

"Glad to see our tax dollars are hard at work."

Belle snapped her head up, and Shae swiveled around in her chair. Granny was standing by the door, her arms crossed irritably, Ruby standing just behind her.

"You know this isn't a real town, right?" Shae asked Granny, raising an eyebrow at her. "I'm pretty sure you don't pay taxes."

Ruby let out an exasperated sigh, pushing passed her grandmother. "Shae, you need to come down to the docks right away." She said, her face grave. "Someone's been murdered."

Shae's eyes grew wide as saucers, and she exchanged a shocked glance with Belle. "Murdered?" Belle breathed. "W-Who is it?"

"I've seen the guy in the diner before." Granny replied with a sad shake of her head. "But I never got his name."

Shae sighed, rising to her feet and grabbing her jacket from off the back of her chair. "Always a crisis, isn't there?" She muttered. "Come on, Belle, lets go."

"Right behind you." Belle said with a nod.

Shae and Belle rushed down to the squad car, and followed Ruby's car down to the Storybrooke harbor. Once they arrived, the found that a crowd had gathered, forming a circle around the body that had been found. They pushed through the crowd, and found a quite grizzly scene. The man was indeed dead, and was lying on his back, his shirt ripped open. What was most shocking was the strange symbol that had been carved into his chest. It was a blazing sun, one that Shae had seen many times before.

"What is this strange symbol." Belle muttered as she knelt down next to the body. "Shae, do you recognize it?"

When she didn't get a reply, Belle turned herself around, craning her neck up to look at the vampire. Shae's eyes were once again wide as saucers, her mouth gaping open in shock.

"Hang on, I think I've seen that before." Ruby muttered from beside Shae.

"You have." Shae said quietly, turning her wide eyes onto Ruby. "It's the symbol of The Knights of the Sun."

Ruby's brow furrowed. "The Knights of the Sun…" She muttered again. "Wait… Those are… Van Helsing's men!"

"Who's Van Helsing?" Belle asked as she stood up.

Shae clenched her fists, her face falling into a menacing glare. "An old enemy of mine."

"Van Helsing?" Asked Granny, looking puzzled. "Isn't he that guy we all fought together back in The Enchanted Forest?"

"I thought you said he was dead." Ruby said, eyeing Shae curiously. "That Regina killed him."

Shae nodded, staring down at the body of the dead man. "She did."

XXXXX

The sounds of steel striking steel, and men's grunts, groans, and screams of pain rang out across the valley as the battle raged on. Shae stood back to back with The Evil Queen, Snow White and Prince Charming standing back to back beside them, the four of them surrounded by The Knights of the Sun. Shae was armed with her blue bladed sword, the black gem in the pommel gleaming as she struck out at any man who came within reach. Regina was armed with a sword made of black steel herself, and she launched fireballs at any knights who came into her range.

"WHERE IS HE?" Shae screamed in rage, plunging the tip of her sword through a man's throat.

"There!"

Shae glanced over at Snow White, who was pointing out in front of her. Shae followed her finger with her blood red eyes, and her lips curled into a wicked grin as she finally spotted her old nemesis a few yards away, fighting Regina's own black knights side by side with more of his fellow Knights of the Sun.

"Lets go!" Shae shouted at the others.

They hurried toward Van Helsing and his knights, cutting down any who stood in their path. They stepped over and around several knights as they rolled around on the ground, attempting to put out the flames that Regina had engulfed them in.

"VAN HELSING!" Shae bellowed.

Van Helsing swept his sword across the last remaining black knight's chest, and whirled around.

He grinned as Shae, Regina, Snow White, and Prince Charming walked slowly toward him. They stopped a few feet away from him, and stood side by side, swords at the ready.

"I was wondering when you were going to show your ugly face!" Van Helsing taunted as his men formed a line on either side of him.

"I have no interest in bantering with you today, Van Helsing." Shae snarled at him. She raised her sword, pointing the tip straight at the man's heart. "You're going to pay for what you've done!"

Shae glanced away from her enemy, and turned to Regina who was standing beside her, sporting another devilish grin. "Your Majesty?" She asked pointedly.

Regina grinned back at her, summoning another fireball into her hand. "With pleasure…"

The Queen launched the fireball into the air above Van Helsing and his men, where it exploded into dozens of others, raining fire down onto the unfortunate knights. Many of them screamed in agony as their bodies were engulfed in flames, but several others, and Van Helsing himself, managed to raise their shields over their heads just in time.

"Kill The Evil Queen and those other two!" Van Helsing commanded the remaining men that stood beside him. "Leave the bloodsucker to me!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Shae snarled back at him as she readied her sword.

Van Helsing bellowed out a fearsome war cry, raising his sword into the air. He and his men then charged at the four standing defiantly before them, and Shae brought up her sword just in time to block Van Helsing's own.

"I've been looking forward to this for quite a long time." Van Helsing snarled in the vampire's face.

"So have I." Shae snarled back, her eyes glowing a bright, burning red.

Van Helsing was blasted back by Shae's telekinetic force, landing roughly on his back several feet away. Shae rushed toward him, and Van Helsing managed to throw up his sword just as Shae brought her's down upon him. He pushed back against Shae's force, groaning in exertion as the vampire pressed her sword closer and closer to Van Helsing's neck. Van Helsing used his leg to sweep Shae's feet out from underneath her, and she grunted as she hit the ground hard. Van Helsing threw himself upon her, but Shae sent him hurtling backward again with another forceful blast.

A group of Van Helsing's knights had broken away from their battle against Prince Charming, and they charged toward the vampire as she finally managed to get back to her feet. She bent her knees, gripping her sword in both hands, readying herself for the attack. Just as they were upon her, the men were all suddenly thrown back by a blast of energy. Shae gasped, whirling around to find a man standing behind her, a man with short brown hair, pale skin, and glowing red eyes.

"Took you long enough!" Shae said to him with a grin.

The man scoffed in an offended way, his eyes fading back to a deep, blood red. "Oi, that one's a handful, she is!"

Shae chuckled, and was about to respond when the brown haired vampire cried out in alarm. A woman clad in battle armor embroidered with a blazing red sun had suddenly leapt upon his back, wrapping her arm tightly around his neck.

"Surprise!" She shouted in his ear.

Shae cried out in shock as the male vampire fell backward, the woman still clinging to his back. He struggled for a moment to pry the woman's arm frown around his neck, then turned his blood red eyes onto Shae.

"Dammit, just go!" He shouted at her. "I'll take care of her!"

Shae nodded at the man, and turned back around just as Van Helsing was staggering back to his feet. Shae looked to either side of her as Snow White, Prince Charming, and Regina joined her once again, Van Helsing's men lying dead all around them.

"He doesn't stand a chance against all four of us." Charming said with a triumphant grin.

"Don't get cocky now." Shae told him sternly. "He's strong, and he's fast. Keep your wits about you, and try not to get in my way."

Van Helsing snarled at them, letting out a roar of rage as he charged toward them, sword in the air once again.

"Let's rip the wretched man's heart out." Regina said to Shae as she held a fireball in her hand once again.

Shae grinned at her. "With pleasure."

Regina launched her fireball at Van Helsing, and Snow White sheathed her sword, instead drawing her bow and swiftly firing off a silver arrow. Van Helsing dodged both fireball and arrow with lightning speed, leaping through the air at Shae. The vampire blocked his blow with her sword, and Charming entered the fray. Just as Shae had said, Van Helsing was shockingly fast. He crossed blades with both Shae and Charming, dodging arrows and fireballs left and right.

"SNOW!" Charming bellowed as Van Helsing hit his wife in the side of the head with his fist, knocking her senseless.

Charming rushed over to her, leaving Shae and Regina to face Van Helsing alone. "Useless idiots." Regina growled.

Shae chuckled darkly, readying her sword as Van Helsing paced back and forth in front of them, his chest heaving with rage. She glanced back over her shoulder, and saw that the brown haired man was still in the midst of a heated battle with the woman that head leapt upon him. Regina turned back as well, and she and Shae both gasped as they saw more of Van Helsing's men charging toward them.

"Go, I'll keep them off you!" Regina told Shae hastily.

Shae nodded at her, and turned back to face her nemesis. "Let's put an end to this, Van Helsing." She snarled at him.

Van Helsing grinned deviously, his eyes flashing with rage. "Aye, let's!"

The vampire and the werewolf charged at each other, and were once again locked in heated and furious battle. They danced around each other, blocking and parrying one another's blows faster than the human eye could see. A few times, one of Van Helsing's knights attempted to take the vampire down, but Regina dispatched each of them with well placed fireballs. Prince Charming managed to get his wife back on her feet, and the two of them joined Regina against Van Helsing's soldiers.

Shae was starting to panic. She could feel her strength waning as she continually used her power of superhuman speed to keep up with Van Helsing's blows. Suddenly, Van Helsing misstepped, and Shae finally saw an opening. She swiftly struck Van Helsing across the face with her free fist, using her sword to knock Van Helsing's own from his hand. Van Helsing stopped where he stood, glaring into the vampire's blood red eyes as she pressed the tip of her sword into his throat.

Van Helsing started to laugh, but his eyes showed only fear. "Go on, then!" He roared at Shae. "Finish it!"

Shae let out a dark and dangerous chuckle. "Oh, I will. I just want you to suffer first."

The vampire tossed her sword to the ground, and suddenly grabbed Van Helsing by his throat. She roared with rage, lifting him into the air and slamming him into the ground. She threw herself upon him, bringing her fist down onto his face over and over and over again, roaring and howling with rage into the night air as she did. When she stopped, she glared down at her nemesis, her chest heaving with rage, her face splattered with his blood. She grabbed Van Helsing by the front of his armor, and brought his now bruised and bloody face up close to her's.

"NADIA!" She screamed at him. "HER NAME WAS NADIA!"

Van Helsing coughed up a wad of blood, staring up at the vampire through swollen eyes. "Who… The fuck… Is Nadia?" He spat through broken teeth.

Shae jerked his face even closer to her's, glaring into his eyes. "She was the woman I loved, a woman who never did a thing to you, and you FUCKING KILLED HER!"

Van Helsing coughed up more blood, grinning at the vampire. "If she was a filthy bloodsucker like you, then she deserved to die. I just hope it was painful."

Shae's red eyes flashed with rage, and she slammed Van Helsing back onto the ground by his throat, hitting him in the face again and again. She stopped again, outstretching her hand toward her fallen sword, summoning it into her hand. Van Helsing closed his eyes, laughing bitterly as Shae held her sword in both hands, the tip pointed down at his heart.

"REGINA!" Snow White suddenly screamed.

Shae's head snapped up, and she saw that the woman she loved had fallen to the ground, one of Van Helsing's knights standing over her, sword raised in the air.

"NO!" Shae screamed.

She disappeared in a puff of blood red smoke, reappearing behind the knight. She plunged her sword through the man's heart, just as he was about to bring his own down upon The Queen. Shae wrenched her sword from his body, and the knight fell lifeless to the ground. Shae glanced down at Regina, whose face was twisted in pain as she clutched her side. Shae knelt down beside her, and saw blood pooling around Regina's hand.

"Are you alright?" Shae asked her, staring down in concern at the wound in her side.

"Fine, I'm fine." Regina replied, grimacing in pain. "W-Where's Van Helsing?"

The Queen immediately received her answer, and both her and Shae's eyes grew wide with horror when they heard a fearsome, bloodcurdling roar. They slowly turned their heads, and saw that Van Helsing had transformed into his hulking, half wolf, half man form. He turned his black eyes onto them, and he let out a low, vicious snal. He roared again, and took off at top speed toward them, his claws kicking up grass and dirt as he ran.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Regina watched the horror that unfolded before her eyes. Shae stood up, spreading her arms wide as she stood between her and the werewolf. Van Helsing was immediately upon her, and Shae's mouth gaped open as she let out a horrible, agonized scream. Van Helsing had opened his jaws, and closed them around the vampire's shoulder, sinking his teeth deep into her flesh. Shae was lifted into the air, and Van Helsing shook her violently from side to side, and when he finally released her, Shae was sent hurtling through the air. The vampire crashed to the ground, where she remained motionless.

"NOOO!"

Regina threw a fireball at the wolf, and he howled in pain as it hit him square in the chest. Regina staggered to her feet, summoning Shae's fallen sword into her hand. The black gem in the pommel glowed momentarily as Regina's fingers curled around the handle, and The Evil Queen let out a scream of rage. She ignored the pain from the wound in her side, and she charged forward, burying her sword in the wolf's chest.

Van Helsing roared and howled in pain as Regina stabbed him furiously over and over and over again. He finally collapsed to the ground, roaring furiously as the vengeful and enraged Evil Queen stood over him. He snarled at her and, just as he was trying to push himself back to his feet, Shae's sword flashed through the air. There was a sickening, squelching crunch as Regina separated the werewolf's head from his shoulders.

Regina's chest heaved with rage as she watched Van Helsing's body morph back into its human form, his lifeless eyes staring up at her from his severed head. The Queen didn't waste any time reveling in her victory, and she dropped Shae's sword from her hand, rushing over to the woman she loved, who was still lying on the ground.

"Shae? Shae!" Regina shouted as she knelt down next to the vampire. "Are you alright?"

Shae's only response was a horrible scream of pain, her red eyes gaping up at the sky, her body convulsing violently. The wound on her shoulder from Van Helsing's jaws was burning and sizzling, emitting a white smoke. With her heart hammering in her chest, and Shae's howls of pain ringing in her ears, Regina managed to remove Shae's black overcoat from her arm, and then her leather armor. She tore her cotton shirt open just above the wound, and gasped at what she saw. There were several bite marks in Shae's flesh, each of them a nasty, sickly shade of green. She pulled Shae's shirt open even more, and found that the veins in her chest were all turning green, the poison from the werewolf's bite spreading rapidly.

"NO!" Regina screamed as the woman she loved screamed and convulsed in pain. "No… No, no, no… Shae? SHAE!"

XXXXX

Ruby's brow furrowed in confusion as she stared at Shae. "So, if Van Helsing's dead, what are his knights doing in Storybrooke?" She asked. "Do you really think it's actually them?"

Shae shrugged, frowning down at the dead man. "It's possible, I guess." She replied quietly. "After he was killed, most of his men scattered back into the forest. They might have got swept up in Regina's curse and ended up here."

"But why now?" Belle asked. "The curse has been broken for a while now."

Shae opened her mouth to respond, and gasped as there was a sudden whooshing noise, followed by a hollow sounding thump. Belle whirled around, and gasped herself. Shae stepped closer to the body, and noticed that there was an arrow now protruding from the man's chest, right in the center of the sun carved into his flesh.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Shae asked in alarm, turning around and staring wildly all around her.

"Look, there's a note!" Belle suddenly exclaimed.

Shae whirled around again as Belle carefully removed the rolled up scrap of paper that was tied to the arrow's shaft. She unrolled it, and read aloud:

"To the filthy, blood sucking demon that calls herself Shae,

Your Queen is gone, there is no one left to protect you.

We are coming.

We will destroy you and everything you hold dear.

-The Knights of the Sun."

A sudden hush fell over the crowd gathered around the body of the dead man. They all looked at Shae, who was standing rooted in her spot, her eyes wide with horror. Van Helsing's knights really were in Storybrooke, and they were coming for her. Shae exchanged a nervous glance with Belle and Ruby, then suddenly turned around, looking to the faces of the gathered crowd.

"Round up everyone you can." She commanded seriously. "Tell them to meet in the town hall immediately. Storybrooke is in danger."

XX

A while later, Shae was standing outside of the town hall, anxiously chewing on her fingernail as the people of Storybrooke milled about inside. She took a drag off of her lit cigarette, glancing up and down the street. She was waiting for Belle and Ruby to return, whom she knew were her only two allies left in town. She knew she would need them if she was going to convince anyone in town to help with The Knights of the Sun.

Shae breathed out a frustrated sigh, flicking her cigarette out into the street. She had waited long enough, there was no more time to waste. The Knights of the Sun had to be found, had to be stopped, and fast.

"Yo! Listen up, fartwads!" Shae shouted over the noise of the crowd as she threw open the doors.

The crowd fell silent, parting hastily as Shae made her way to the front of the town hall. Once there, she turned to face them, all their eyes on her. Most were looking nervous, some fearful, and some, like Granny, were glaring at her.

"Storybrooke is in danger." She told them all in a dark and serious tone. "There's some people here, bad people, and they've just murdered someone. I think they've been here this whole time, but now, with all the people with any power in this town in Neverland, they've finally surfaced."

"Who are they?" Asked Archie, looking fearful. "W-What do they want?"

Shae clenched her fists, staring around at all the concerned faces. "They call themselves The Knights of the Sun."

"Wait a minute, I know that name." Leroy said, stroking his beard as he thought. "Aren't they those guys that we fought back home?"

"What are they doing in Storybrooke?" Asked Happy, Leroy's fellow dwarf.

"They're… After me." Shae replied carefully.

"We should just hand you over then." Granny asked as she glared at the vampire. "If that's all they want then they'll leave the rest of us alone, right?"

Shae eyed the crowd anxiously as there was some muttering of agreement. She then breathed out another frustrated sigh. "No, they won't!" She replied heatedly. "They won't stop at just me. They hate magic and anyone who has it, anyone who isn't human. The dwarves, the fairies, Ruby, they're all in danger too."

The crowd fell silent once again, and they all stared around at each other, their eyes wide with fear. "So… What do we do?" Archie asked Shae.

"Well, first, we need to find where they're hiding." Shae answered. "Then, we've got to-"

Shae stopped as doors to the town hall burst open, and Ruby came running in. She was panting heavily, and her eyes were wide with fear.

"Ruby?" Shae asked as the she-wolf ran up to her. "Are you alright?"

Ruby shook her head vigorously, doubling over with her hands on her knees as she attempted to catch her breath. "Belle… S-She's gone… He took her." She stammered breathlessly. "I-I tried to… Stop him, but-"

"What?" Shae exclaimed, cutting her off. "Who? Who took her?"

Ruby shook her head as she straightened up. "I don't know, some guy in a trench coat."

"This guy, did he have blonde hair, goatee, scar on his cheek?" Shae asked her hastily.

When Ruby nodded, Shae breathed out a bitter laugh. "Carl." She spat bitterly. "He was Van Helsing's right hand man, his general. I should have known he'd be with them."

"There's more." Ruby went on gravely. "He told me to give you this, after he took Belle."

Ruby handed Shae another rolled up scrap of paper. Shae quickly unrolled it, her hands shaking slightly, and read out loud to them:

"I have your friend.

Meet me in the mines at sundown if you ever want to see her again.

Come alone.

-Aela"

"Who the hell is Aela?" Growled Leroy, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Aela…" Shae muttered under her breath. "I know that name…"

The vampire suddenly gasped, grabbing Ruby's arm. "Van Helsing's wife!" She exclaimed. "I haven't seen her since the battle. I assumed she was dead, but she must have survived. And now… Now she's here, and she has Belle."

She turned her blood red eyes back onto the people of Storybrooke. "This just got a whole lot worse…"

XXXXX

Shae stood side by side with Regina, both their eyes searching the battlefield wildly. Shae slashed out with her sword, and the soldier before her clutched at his throat as blood spilled from his wound. When he had slumped to the ground, Shae glanced up at the small ridge that stood several yards ahead of them. She growled in frustration, and glanced over at Regina, who was using her magic to send thick, green vines shooting out from the ground, wrapping them around several soldiers and squeezing the life out of them.

"Where are they?" She shouted furiously at Shae.

Shae glanced back up at the ridge nervously. "I… I don't know!"

Seemingly right on cue, Prince Charming and Snow White appeared upon the ridge. "Look!" Shae shouted, pointing up at them.

Regina used her black steel sword to cut down the soldier that was upon her, and whirled around. She grinned excitedly at Shae as a tall, brown haired man with pale skin and blood red eyes pushed passed Snow White and The Prince, standing at the edge of the ridge.

"TALLY HO!" He shouted raucously, raising his sword into the air.

"Oh, for god's sake…" Regina muttered, her grin disappearing as she rolled her eyes.

The brown haired vampire leapt down from the ledge, a score of Prince Charming and Snow White's soldiers charging into the valley behind him. Among the soldiers were the seven dwarves, all armed with their axes, Red, in her wolf form, and Granny, firing off arrows from her crossbow left and right.

"'Tally Ho?' Really?" Regina asked the other vampire as he joined her and Shae.

"What? I've always wanted to say that!" The vampire replied with a cheeky grin, very similar to the one that Shae always sported.

"I was starting to think you'd miss all the fun!" Shae said as she and the other vampire clasped each other's forearms.

"Me? Never!" The other vampire replied with a wink.

"Oh, good, you're here." Regina drolled sourly as Snow White and The Prince joined them.

"Any sign of Van Helsing?" Charming asked Shae and, ignoring The Evil Queen's heavy sarcasm.

"Not yet, but we'll find him soon enough." Shae replied.

"As I said before, he's likely at the center of the valley, surrounded by his knights." The brown haired vampire said seriously. "When we find him, we'll have to- LOOT OUT!"

He grabbed on to Shae, shoving her out of the way as a woman came hurtling through the air, her sword raised. She spun around to face them, grinning wildly as she readied her sword. She was clad in armor, similar to the kind Van Helsing and his knights wore, a bright red sun emblazoned on the chest piece. She had long, auburn colored hair that fell past her waist, a few strands braided with beads. She was armed to the teeth with various daggers and knives, and she wore warpaint, three black lines over each of her eyes, starting on her forehead and stretching down over her eyelids and onto her cheeks.

They all fell into battle ready stances, eyeing the fearsome looking woman carefully. "Good, you're finally here!" She said excitedly, glaring at the brown haired man. "My husband has told me all about you."

The brown haired stranger raised an eyebrow at her, glancing over at Shae. "Friend of yours?"

"Aela, Van Helsing's wife." Shae told him pointedly. "Careful, she's a werewolf, just like him."

"Oh, that's curious, I didn't think they allowed dogs to marry." The brown haired vampire quipped with another cheeky grin.

Aela let out a fearsome snarl, shaking her sword at him. "I'll make you eat those words!"

"No thank you, I've already had supper." The brown haired vampire replied.

Aela roared with rage, charging at him with her sword in the air. The others leapt back as the brown haired man brought up his sword, blocking her blow. His eyes then flashed a bright red, and he used his telekinetic power to send her flying backward. Once she hit the ground a few yards away, he turned to the others.

"A werewolf, you say?" He asked Shae, and when she nodded, he went on. "Right, take them and go, I'll hold this one off."

He turned back to glance at Aela, who was staggering back to her feet. "A-Are you sure?" Shae asked him concernedly.

The brown haired man nodded, and grabbed Shae by her shoulders, staring very seriously into her eyes. "Find Van Helsing, we cannot let him escape. He needs to pay."

When Shae nodded, the other vampire released her, and he turned back to face Aela. He rushed forward, and the other four watched anxiously for a moment as the werewolf and the vampire furiously crossed blades.

"Are you sure we should leave him with her?" Regina asked Shae, her eyes full of worry.

Shae chuckled darkly. "Don't worry, he'll be fine." She replied with a knowing grin. "If you think I'm terrifying, you should see _him_ in action."

"As lovely as that sounds, I don't think now is the best time." Snow White said, her tone heavy with sarcasm.

Shae nodded seriously, then grinned down at The Evil Queen. "Right, time to go skin us a wolf!"

XXXXX

Shae stared around at everyone gathered in the Storybrooke town hall. "What are you talking about, 'worse?'" Granny snarled at her.

"She's a werewolf, just like her husband." Shae explained, her eyes wide with fear. "He passed along his 'gift' shortly after they got married."

Granny snorted. "So? I've got plenty of silver arrows."

Shae shook her head vigorously, her eyes wider than ever. "No, no, no… You don't understand. Van Helsing was from my world, werewolves are different there, stronger and… A-And bigger, a lot bigger."

"So… So what do we do now?" Archie once again asked.

Shae stared around at all the terrified faces of the residents of Storybrooke, chewing nervously on her lip ring as she thought. She then turned to Ruby, who was watching her anxiously.

"Right, you, come with me." Shae said, pointing at Ruby. "The rest of you, go home, and lock your doors and windows. No one leaves their house after sundown, got it?"

"And just where the hell do you think you're going with my granddaughter?" Granny demanded furiously.

"Gold's shop." Shae told her with an icy glare. "I need some help finding something. Don't worry, I'll have her home soon."

Shae didn't bother waiting for a response from the old woman, and promptly marched toward the door. She threw open the doors to the town hall, and stepped out onto the sidewalk, lighting another cigarette as she headed toward Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop.

"What exactly are you looking for?" Ruby asked the vampire as she followed along behind her.

Shae took a drag off of her cigarette, blowing the smoke out into the air as she turned to grin at Ruby. "If I'm gonna kill a werewolf, I'm gonna need my sword."

XX

Ruby and Shae searched the front of Gold's shop, and when they found nothing, they moved on to the back. The back room was quite large, and filled with rows upon rows of shelves, all laden with various objects and knick-knacks. Finding a single sword was proving to be a difficult task.

"What's so special about this sword, anyway?" Ruby asked as she searched the shelves.

"Well, for one, it's unbreakable." Shae replied from across the room, rummaging through an old cabinet. "It never dulls, never rusts. It's ancient too, made from the finest elven steel, folded with dragon scales."

"Oh, so that's why the blade is blue and all… Sparkly?" Ruby asked, and when Shae nodded, she went on. "Where did you even get a sword like that?"

"From my homeland." Shae explained. "It's so powerful that the ancient elves hid it in a cave, sealed behind a magical stone door."

"So how did you… Unseal it?"

Shae didn't respond right away, and when Ruby turned around, she found that she was gazing into the cabinet, her eyes suddenly very sad. When she finally did respond, her tone was quiet and dark.

"I had to perform an act of great evil in front of the door for it to open." She said. "An act as evil as the sword itself."

Ruby's brow furrowed as Shae slowly turned around to face her. "What did you do?" Ruby asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Shae stared down at her feet, nervously chewing on her lip ring once again. "Well, at that time, Remus and I were… Wanderers, taking on various jobs to make some coin. A local lord hired us to find the sword, to give to his new bride as a wedding present. He had no idea what it cost to open the door, and neither did Van Helsing."

"Van Helsing wanted the sword?" Asked Ruby, raising an eyebrow at the vampire.

Shae nodded grimly. "I mean, who wouldn't, right?" She asked with shrug. "Remus and I watched as he tried and tried to get past the door, and eventually he left when he could figure out how to open it. The door was inscribed with ancient elven runes, and Van Helsing didn't know how to read them. But Remus and I did, and we… We figured out how to open it."

Shae paused momentarily, her face immensely sad once again. "We convinced the lord and his bride to come to the cave." She went on. "And… And we… Killed them. Cut their throats right in front of the door. After that… It opened, and there was a chest just inside, a chest holding the sword."

Shae sighed heavily, running a hand through her messy, black hair. "The ancient elves of my homeland named it 'Vhenan'din.'" She went on with a sad smile. "Loosely translated, it means… 'Soul Eater.'"

Ruby breathed out a dark chuckle. "A gruesome name for a gruesome sword." She muttered. "Why the hell do you want that thing back anyway?"

Shae closed the cabinet doors, stepping over to another wall of shelving. "Like I said, it's unbreakable, strong enough to cut through even a werewolf's thick ass skin."

"And you really think it's here?"

"Gold said that all of our most cherished possessions wound up here in his shop." Shae replied with a shrug. "So if anything of mine did come over to this world, it would be that sword."

Ruby abandoned her search amongst the shelves, quietly mulling over everything Shae had just told her. She had known that Shae's past was dark, but she had assumed it had started when she joined forces with The Evil Queen. She had no idea that Shae's dark and evil history had started long before she even met Regina. Ruby sighed, pulling open the doors of another small, wooden cabinet. She gasped, staring wide eyed at what she found inside.

"Hey, I found something!"

Shae came rushing over, and excited smile on her face. "My sword?"

Ruby chuckled, shaking her hand slowly as she removed a long, black leather coat from the cabinet, handing it to the vampire. "Not exactly, but I'm pretty sure this belongs to you."

Shae gasped, taking the coat out of Ruby's hands. Her smile got wider as she stared down at it, brushing her fingers across The Evil Queen's sigil sown in to the left side. She grinned at Ruby, and removed her leather jacket, tossing it on the back of a nearby chair. She pulled on her old, black leather overcoat, smiling fondly as she adjusted it.

"Oh, Ruby, good find!" She breathed in wonder. "I was wondering what happened to this! I left it at Snow and Charming's castle after I betrayed Regina. Kinda just didn't feel right wearing it after that, you know?"

Ruby chuckled again, rolling her eyes as Shae gently and fondly caressed the leather of her old coat. She turned back to the cabinet to shut the doors, but gasped again.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed. "The sword, it's here!"

Shae stepped up behind her, and the vampire gasped as well. Her sword was in its ornate, black and gold scabbard, leaning against the back wall of the cabinet, the black gem in the pommel gleaming in the sunlight.

"Wait!" Shae shouted, grabbing Ruby's wrist as the she-wolf reached for the sword. "Don't touch it!"

Ruby stepped back as Shae released her arm, and raised an eyebrow at the vampire. "Why?"

Shae pointing at the black gem in the pommel of the sword. "This gem? It's called a black soul gem." She explained. "It's… Enchanted. It absorbs the soul of whoever is killed by the sword, that's how it gets its power."

Ruby continued to eye her curiously. "Alright… So… Why can't I touch it?"

Shae sighed heavily, glancing away from Ruby and at the black, bleaming gem. "When a soul is absorbed into the gem, it's absorbed completely. That soul, that person can't… Move on. It's trapped in there… Forever."

"Shae, what exactly are you saying?" Ruby asked, still confused.

"I'm saying that… That this sword, it's… Dark." Shae replied hesitantly. "Hell, it could only be found if someone was murdered right in front of it's door. So… It can only be wielded… By someone with a truly blackened soul. Or, you know… Heart. And the more people you kill with it, the more souls you absorb, the blacker your soul gets. And I've killed a lot of people with this thing."

Ruby's mouth hung open in shock, and she slowly shook her head. "But… Then you can't wield it any more." She replied. "You're… You're good now. Your heart's not black anymore."

Shae heaved another sad and heavy sigh. "I don't really think that's how it works, Ruby. Once your hearts black, its black forever."

Ruby shook her head again in stubborn disagreement. "No, that can't be true."

Shae raised an eyebrow at her. "You sure about that?" She asked with a sour chuckled. "I've seen my heart, pretty recently, actually. It may not be as black as it used to be, but it's still pretty damn dark."

The vampire reached out and grabbed the handle of the dark and evil sword. The black soul gem glowed bright for a moment, emitting a low humming noise. Ruby watched with wide eyes as the gem faded back to normal, and Shae pulled the sword out of the cabinet. She removed the ornate scabbard, and held the blade in front of her, turning it from side to side, watching as the blue blade glittered and sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight.

"Hello, old friend." She whispered to the sword.

She put the sword back in its scabbard, and strapped it onto her back. Ruby followed after Shae as the vampire left the shop, setting off down the street toward the woods. Several residents gasped in shock at the sight of Shae clad in her long, black overcoat, the ends billowing out behind her in the wind. As Ruby watched them scurrying away, their eyes wide with fright, she was reminded of years ago, back in The Enchanted Forest, when the villagers in her town told her stories of the terrifying and malicious vampire woman serving The Evil Queen. They said that she had skin as pale as the moon, eyes as red as blood, and always wore a long, black coat. The villagers had warned Ruby that if she ever saw such a woman, she should run, run as fast as she could.

"So… What do we do now?" Ruby asked Shae as she hurried along behind her.

"We? We aren't gonna do anything." Shae replied, raising another eyebrow at Ruby. "You're going home."

"Shae, you can't go in there alone." Ruby pleaded with her.

"I have to." Shae insisted. "You heard what Aela's note said. If I don't go in alone, they'll kill Belle, and I'm not going to let that happen."

Ruby breathed out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, but if something goes wrong, call me, ok?"

Shae nodded, and Ruby set off toward her Granny's diner. Shae went back to her cabin, where she waited patiently for nightfall. As soon as the sun was setting, the residents of Storybrooke all locked their doors, readying themselves however they could for whatever was about to come. The sun was slipping farther and farther behind the trees as Shae stepped out of her cabin, garbed in her long black coat once again, the sword called Soul Eater strapped to her back.

"Now then." She muttered, sporting a devious grin. "Time to go skin me a wolf."

XX

The Storybrooke mines were dark and silent as Shae crept slowly forward, the loose gravel crunching under her boots as she walked. A deep, seething rage was quietly boiling in her chest. She had really come to like Belle, and if Aela and her men had done anything to hurt her, they were about to face a reckoning unlike anything they had ever seen.

Shae rounded a corner, and found herself standing in the exact spot where she had been a short time ago. It was the spot where she had found the woman she loved standing before the glowing purple gem, the spot where she had been prepared to die by her side. Now, it was empty, except for the young, brown haired woman sitting against the wall, bound and gagged by ropes.

"Belle!" Shae exclaimed, rushing toward her.

Belle let out a muffled cry through the white cloth around her mouth, and Shae swiftly untied it. "Are you alright?" Shae asked, her brow furrowed in concern. "Did they hurt you?"

Belle shook her head. "No, I'm fine." She replied hastily. "But you… You shouldn't have come. It's a trap. They're going to kill you!"

Shae chuckled darkly as she started working on the ropes tied around Belle's hands and feet. "Yeah, I kinda figured that. I wasn't just going to leave you here, though."

Shae helped Belle onto her feet once she removed the ropes. She placed her hands gently on Belle's shoulders, and stared seriously into her eyes.

"Alright, you get out of here, go warn Ruby and the dwarves." She commanded sternly. "If I don't make it out of here, they might at least be able to stop Aela."

Belle shook her head vigorously. "No… No, I'm not leaving you here alone!"

Shae laughed, shaking her head slowly. "Look chick, you're cool and everything, and you're really smart, but you're not exactly Xena Warrior Princess, alright? Aela and her men will tear you to shreds if you stay here."

Belle sighed, smiling slightly as she nodded. "Alright, just… Be careful, ok?"

Shae nodded, and turned around as Belle hurried off back toward the entrance. Shae was about to head deeper into the mines, when she heard a frightened gasp from behind her. She whirled around, and her lips curled into a fearsome snarl when she saw Aela standing behind Belle, holding a dagger to her throat.

"Your little friend isn't going anywhere." Aela sneered at her.

Aela looked much different in Storybrooke than she had in The Enchanted Forest. Her long, auburn hair that was once wild and full of beads was tied up in a loose ponytail. In place of the battle armor that she had been wearing the last time Shae had seen her, she was dressed simply in brown leather boots, blue jeans, and a brown leather jacket to match her boots. She looked to be much less threatening, but Shae knew better.

"Let her go, Aela." Shae commanded in a dark and dangerous tone. "You've got what you want, I'm here, alone. She has nothing to do with any of this."

Aela chuckled as Belle struggled weekly against her iron grip. "No, I don't think so. I said I was going to destroy everything you hold dear, and you seem to be awfully fond of this girl."

"Moved on from your evil sorceress already, have you?" Came a man's voice from behind Shae.

Shae spun around again, and found at least a dozen men standing behind her, all with silver swords strapped to their belts. A blonde haired man with a goatee and a scar on his cheek stood at the front, grinning dangerously at the vampire.

"Ah, hello Carl." Shae said, sporting a grin of her own. "Nice scar you've got. Wherever did you get it from?"

Carl barked out a bitter laugh. "Well, lets just say it was a gift from one nasty bitch."

Shae gasped, holding her heart in a mockingly offended way. "Now, that's not very nice!"

Shae turned back to face Aela, who was still pressing her dagger to Belle's throat. "Listen here, I'm not going to tell you again. Let. Belle. Go."

Aela laughed at the vampire. "Once again, I'm going to have to politely decline." She replied. She then glanced down at the frightened Belle, removing the dagger from her throat and using it to gently caress her cheek. "I have to say, this one is much different than your normal choice of women. So… Weak, so fragile."

"Wanna bet, bitch?" Belle snarled.

Aela cried out in pain as Belle slammed her elbow into the she-wolf's stomach. With the wind knocked out of her, Aela released Belle, and stumbled back a few steps. Belle spun around, and clocked the she-wolf right in the jaw with her fist. Aela spun to the ground, and Belle immediately took off running out of the mines. Shae breathed out a surprised laugh. Maybe Belle was stronger than she thought.

"No, leave her!" Aela commanded her men as they made to chase after Belle. "The bloodsucker's right, we've got what we want."

Shae heard the sound of swords being drawn, but she kept her red eyes locked on Aela as the she-wolf staggered back to her feet.

"You killed my husband." Aela snarled at the vampire. "And now you're going to pay."

"Technically Regina killed Van Helsing." Shae replied with an unconcerned shrug. "I just did most of the work."

Aela chuckled darkly. "Oh, yes, I'm well aware of that." She sneered. "The Evil Queen is next on my list, once she returns from Neverland. Or maybe Pan will do the job for me, we'll just have to wait and see."

Shae drew her sword as she heard footsteps coming closer from behind her. "My last task will be to put my silver sword through the heart of that friend of yours." Aela went on. "Oh, what was his name…"

"Remus?" Shae asked, raising an eyebrow at the she-wolf. "Sorry, but he's not here. I haven't seen him since he turned up in The Enchanted Forest."

Aela gave the vampire a shrug of her own. "Oh well, I'll find him, don't you worry." She replied, drawing her sword and pointing it straight at Shae's heart. "That just means he's not here to protect you either. It's just you and me, bloodsucker, no more friends to keep you safe this time."

XXXXX

The morning sun shone through the windows of The Evil Queen's bedchamber, a beam of sunlight shining across the two lovers in bed together, locked in a passionate embrace. Shae had escaped from the bowels of Snow White and Prince Charming's dungeon only a few short days prior, and she and her Queen had spent every spare moment they could alone together.

"So, you say this curse is going to take us to a land without magic, yes?" Shae posed to her Queen, pulling away from her lips slightly.

When Regina nodded, Shae frowned, biting her lip nervously. "I am… Concerned."

Regina's brow furrowed as she gazed up at the woman she loved. "About what, my love?" She asked, brushing back a stray lock of Shae's jet black hair.

"I just… Are you sure I'll be able to survive in such a world?" Shae asked. "After all, the creature that I am is magical in nature."

Regina smiled, pressing a gentle kiss on her lover's lips. "Don't fret, I have taken care of all of that."

Shae raised an eyebrow curiously at her. "You have? How exactly did you-"

Shae's question was cut off by a loud bang as The Queen's bedchamber door burst open. The Captain of The Queen's guard bustled in, huffing and puffing, looking troubled.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Queen demanded irritably, pulling the blankets up over her naked breasts as she sat forward.

"Apologies, my Queen." The Captain replied, bowing low. "But a stranger has arrived, bringing urgent news about the man named Van Helsing. He says he will deliver his message only to you, Your Majesty."

Regina exchanged a baffled glance with Shae. "Van Helsing?" She breathed, then looked back at her Captain. "I'll be right down."

The Captain nodded, and bowed again as he made his exit. Regina and Shae continued to stare at each other in shock for a moment before both hastily got dressed. Van Helsing hadn't been seen in Regina's kingdom in month's, and neither she or her protector had even given the man a second thought since then. A little while later, The Queen was seated on her throne, her Royal Protector standing beside her. She commanded her guards to bring this stranger before her, and she and Shae waited patiently for him to arrive.

"Can I sit in your throne?" Shae asked her Queen as they waited.

"What? No, of course you can't!" Regina replied indignantly.

"Come on, it'll be a laugh!"

"Absolutely not!"

Shae crossed her arms over her chest, pouting slightly. "I sit in it sometimes when you're not here, you know."

The Queen's mouth gaped open in shock. "You do not!"

"I do so!" Shae replied with a cheeky grin.

Regina rolled her eyes, laughing lightly. She grabbed Shae by the front of her black leather coat, and pulled her down, placing a light kiss on her lover's lips.

"If you weren't so devilishly charming I think I'd have you beheaded." Regina told her with a grin.

Shae grinned back at her. "Well, it's a good thing I'm so devilishly charming then, isn't it?"

Regina laughed again, placing another kiss on Shae's lips. They both straightened up as the doors to the throne room swung open, and two of her guards marched in, the stranger that her Captain had mentioned placed between them.

Their strange visitor was quite tall and thin, with a short crop of warm, chestnut brown hair on his head. It was unkempt and messy, similar to Shae's, but where her's fell across her forehead, his stood up and out in the front. He was garbed in a simple black tunic, faded and worn, his boots caked with mud, and a tattered brown travelling cloak draped over his shoulders. Perhaps his most striking features were his pale gray skin, and his blood red eyes, eyes that were very, very familiar to The Queen.

The stranger strolled casually across the throne room between her soldiers, gazing all around him. When he finally turned his gaze upon The Queen, he stopped dead in his tracks, his blood red eyes fixed on Shae.

"Shae?" He whispered, his eyes wide.

Regina glanced up at her protector, who was staring at the man, her eyes just as wide as his. She then took a small step forward, squinting at the stranger.

"Remus?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Regina gasped softly, and a sudden silence fell over the throne room as Shae and The Queen both stared in wonder at their visitor. Shae had often spoke of her dear friend, her brother from her homeland. But she had thought he had been left behind when her and Regina destroyed the enchanted mirror. Was this man truly the same Remus?

The stranger with the brown hair nodded slowly, and a wide, baffled smile slowly crept across Shae's face. "Oh my god… Remus!"

Regina gasped again as she felt a rush of air from beside her, and there was a black blur of motion as Shae ran toward him. She threw herself into his arms, and he hugged her tight, laughing as shocked tears welled into his blood red eyes. Regina smiled, breathing out a shocked laugh herself. She could barely believe it, the man that Shae loved and missed so dearly was actually here, standing before her. She would finally get to meet this Remus that the woman she loved spoke of so often, and so fondly.

"Oh god… Oh my god…" Remus breathed in shock as he looked upon his dear friend, holding her out at arm's length. "I can't believe this, it's really- Oi! What? Hey!"

Shae had started poking and prodding Remus's face and forehead. Remus smacked her hands away irritably. "Stop that! What are you doing?"

Shae laughed, shaking her head slowly in disbelief. "Sorry! I just… I-I can't believe it's really you!"

She resumed poking him, and Remus wrinkled his nose, swatting at her hands again. "Oi! Stop… Stop it!" He exclaimed, grabbing Shae's wrists. "Bloody hell, it's me, it's really me, alright?"

"Alright, alright!" Shae relented with another laugh. "Just… What are you doing here? How… H-How are you… Doing here?"

Remus raised an eyebrow at her. "That's not a proper sentence."

Shae shoved his shoulder irritably. "You know what I mean!" She exclaimed as Remus chuckled. "I-I thought… After I destroyed the mirror, I thought I left you behind!"

"I must have came through just shortly after you did." Remus replied with a shrug. "I was injured, and Van Helsing's men were hot on my tail, so I kept running. When I lost them, I eventually circled back, and was going to destroy the mirror myself. When I found it already broken, I had assumed it was Van Helsing."

"No, it was me, and-" Shae paused, turning around to find Regina had vacated her throne, and was waiting quietly, not wanting to interrupt their joyous reunion. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Remus, this is Regina, The Queen."

Regina nodded at Remus, holding out her hand as she stepped up to him. "Ah, Your Majesty!" Remus exclaimed, taking Regina's hand and lightly kissing it. "I see the rumors of your beauty are not at all exaggerated!"

Regina laughed lightly as Remus flashed a dazzling, white toothed smile at her. "Are all vampires this charming, or is it just you two?"

"Oh, just us, I'm afraid." Remus replied. "Most vampires are quite boorish. Shae and I, we are simply… Cut from a different cloth, so to speak."

Regina laughed again, nodding in agreement. "So it would seem." She replied with a smile. "I am so pleased to finally meet you. Shae has told me all about you and your… Adventures, together."

"Oh, she has, has she?" Remus asked, raising his eyebrows at Shae. "Did she tell you about the time those cave trolls tried to cook us in a stew?"

Shae laughed, nodding her head. "Yes, and the time we stole that royal carriage."

"What about when you went missing for three days?" Remus asked, then turned to Regina. "I was frantic, right? Searched everywhere. When I finally found this one, she was drunk as a skunk, getting thrown out of a brothel, wearing a bright pink dress and a wig!"

Shae narrowed her eyes at her friend, pointing an accusing finger at him. "We agreed to never speak of that again!"

"She still won't tell me what happened." Remus said to Regina.

"And I never will." Shae replied with a defiant nod. "I will take that secret to my grave."

Remus chuckled, giving Regina a knowing wink. He then cleared his throat, and his smile faded from his face. "Well, as much as I'd love to continue sharing stories and exchanging pleasantries, I'm afraid there isn't time."

"Yes, my Captain told me you bring news about Van Helsing." Regina replied, her own face now growing quite serious.

Remus nodded gravely. "Indeed, I do. I've been tracking him for some time now, and I'm afraid he's been travelling your kingdom and those beyond it, spreading his foul hatred for magic everywhere he goes."

Regina's lips curled into a snarl, and she exchanged a dark glance with her protector. "Yes, I am well aware of that. He has been quite a nuisance ever since he came to this world."

"With The Queen's resources, we've been able to keep a close eye on him." Shae told Remus. "Last we heard he was travelling through a kingdom east of here."

"Yes, he was." Remus replied with a nod. "But it seems your scouts failed to mention his army."

Shae and Regina exchanged a baffled glance. "Army?" Asked The Queen. "What exactly is he planning to do with an army?"

Remus glanced over at Shae. "I'm afraid things are happening just as they did back home, my friend."

Shae's eyes widened in shock. "You don't mean-"

Remus nodded slowly. "I intercepted one of his men travelling in this direction. I thought he might be carrying battle plans, or something of the sort." He then produced a rolled up scroll from his belt, and handed it to Regina. "He was carrying a message. It's for you, Your Majesty."

Regina exchanged another shocked glance with her protector, and then hastily unrolled the scroll, reading its contents out loud:

"To The Evil Queen that harbors foul creatures of darkness,

My army is at your doorstep.

Release the bloodsucker that calls herself Shae into my custody, and surrender immediately.

If you refuse, there will be war.

-Abraham Van Helsing."

"Who the fucking hell does that idiot think he is?" Shae snarled.

"You've seen his army, yes?" Regina asked Remus, who nodded. "How vast is it exactly?"

"Quite vast, I'm afraid." Remus replied gravely. "But, the good news is, besides Van Helsing's own knights from our homeland, the rest of his army is made up entirely of common folk. Sure, he and his knights have taught them how to use a sword and shield, but they lack the tactical training of real soldiers."

"I see, that does put us at an advantage." Regina muttered. "But, if this army is as large as you say it is, we are still lacking in numbers."

"So… What do we do?" Shae asked, her eyes full of concern.

The Queen pondered silently for a moment, and Shae exchanged a nervous glance with Remus. Regina was about to reply, when the doors to the throne room suddenly burst open. Once again, Regina's Captain of the Guard came hurrying toward them, looking troubled still.

"Apologies again, Your Majesty." He said breathlessly. "You've received an urgent message from Snow White and Prince James."

"What?" Asked The Queen, yanking the scroll out of her Captain's hands. "What do those two idiots want?"

The Captain took his leave as Regina unrolled the scroll and began to read the message silently. Remus turned to Shae, raising an eyebrow curiously at her.

"Snow White?" He asked. "Isn't she that woman wanted for treason?"

Shae nodded, and Remus nodded back in understanding. "I see." He muttered. "What the hell kind of name is 'Snow White' anyway?"

"I know!" Shae exclaimed in agreement. "Pretty damn ridiculous if you ask me."

"Just who exactly names their child 'Snow White?'" Remus went on. "You don't see people going around naming their children 'Sky Blue' or… Or 'Grass Green.'"

"Or 'Dirt Brown.'" Shae threw in.

"'Or Blood Red.'"

"Oh, that's good!" Shae said excitedly. "I think I'll name my first child that!"

"You will not!" Remus replied incredulously.

"I will so!"

The Queen cleared her throat loudly before Shae could retort, and the two vampires fell silent, their faces growing serious once again.

"Right, what do Snow White and The Prince want?" Shae asked her Queen.

"They have… Proposed a truce." Regina replied slowly.

Shae's eyebrows raised in shock. "A truce? What for?"

"Apparently, they have received the same threat from Van Helsing as we did." Answered The Queen. "He's demanding that they release any magical creatures that they have in their employ into his custody, and surrender, otherwise his army will raze their castle after they're through with mine."

The vampires and The Queen all fell silent for a moment as they pondered Snow White and The Prince's message. Shae bit her lip, glancing over at her Queen, who she could clearly see was silently seething with rage.

"An alliance _would_ give us the numbers we need." Shae said carefully.

Regina shot her an icy glare. "Absolutely not! I will not ally myself with the very woman I have sworn revenge upon!"

"Your Majesty, if I may-" Remus began.

"You may not!" Regina snarled at him.

"Oh my, quite a temper she's got, hasn't she?" Remus said, raising his eyebrows at Shae.

"Regina, please." Shae said gently, ignoring her friend. "I understand your desire for revenge, trust me. Those two locked me in their dungeon for weeks, and if it wasn't for that damn protection spell, they would be dead already. But… There's nothing we can do now, and with their army and yours combined, we just might be able to stop Van Helsing."

When The Queen continued to glare silently at her, Remus stepped in once again. "Your Majesty, Shae is right, Van Helsing needs to be stopped." He said in the same gentle tone as Shae. "He is a greater threat to this world than anything you've ever faced. Shae and I both have witnessed the utter destruction he can cause. He's the reason we left our homeland in the first place!"

Regina glanced between the two vampires, staring into their blood red eyes. They watched her anxiously and expectantly for a long moment, and then The Queen breathed out a begrudging, but relenting sigh.

"Fine." She said through gritted teeth, then turned to Remus. "But I will not have you going before Snow White and her Prince dressed like that. We must find something more suitable for you to wear."

As The Queen hurried off the find one of her servants, Shae turned to her old friend, looking him up and down. "Yes, you look bloody awful."

Remus gave her an offended scoff. "Well, pardon me, but I haven't been sitting all cozy like inside a palace for years, have I?"

Shae laughed loudly, throwing her arms around her old friend. "Oh, it's good to see you again Remus."

Remus laughed too, embracing Shae tightly. "It's good to see you to, my friend." He replied, smiling as he stepped back. "You know, I had heard rumors that there was a vampire serving The Queen in this kingdom, but I never would have thought it was you. Neither of us were ever content staying in one place for so long."

Shae smiled, glancing over at Regina, who was now having a heated discussion with one of her guards. "Yes, well, let's just say I've found a good reason to stay."

Remus glanced over at The Queen as well. "Ah, yes, I think love is as good a reason as any."

When Shae raised her eyebrows in shock, Remus chuckled. "Oi, don't look so surprised!" He said with a grin. "I saw the way you look at her, the way she looks at you. It's rather disgusting, really."

Shae rolled her eyes, shoving her friend's shoulder again. "So… A queen, eh?" Remus asked with a knowing smile. "I have to say, it's quite a step up from the last one."

Shae's mouth gaped open in horrified shock. "Remus! Don't you dare talk about her like-"

"Hold on, hold on!" Remus interjected hastily, waving his hands. "I meant that girl at the damn brothel! Not… Not Nadia."

At the utterance of her name, both their faces fell, and Remus stared sadly down at his feet. "No, Nadia was…" Remus went on, his voice cracking with emotion. "She was a Queen in her own regard, wasn't she?"

Shae smiled sadly. "That she was." She quietly agreed. "Listen… Regina, she's a powerful sorceress. Between the three of us, we just might have enough force to take Van Helsing down."

Shae placed her hand on Remus's shoulder, squeezing it gently and staring very seriously into his eyes. "We will finally avenge Nadia's death, Remus, I swear it."

XXXXX

The sun had set over the town of Storybrooke, and the residents all barred their doors, just as their acting Sheriff had commanded. The door to Granny's Diner was locked up tight as well, and a few residents were gathered inside, deciding that waiting out whatever was about to happen was better done together. The seven dwarves were all there, Granny and Ruby as well, and also Ariel, who was still searching the town for her lost prince, and had no other place to go.

"So… The Evil Queen's vampire is now The Sheriff of this town, and she's gone off to fight a… A werewolf?" Ariel asked of the others.

When they all nodded at her, she breathed out a surprised laugh, slowly shaking her head in disbelief. "This world is… Very strange."

Everyone jumped as there was a sudden frantic banging on the door. They all whirled around, and found Belle waving at them from outside the diner, looking panicked. Ruby immediately unlocked the door, ushering the frantic woman inside.

"Belle! You're alright!" Leroy exclaimed excitedly.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." Belle replied hastily. "Listen, I need your help. Shae's in trouble. Those… Knights of the Sun, they only captured me to lure Shae into the mines alone. There's over a dozen of them, and that woman, Aela. As strong as she is, I don't think Shae can take them all on by herself."

Everyone gathered inside the diner exchanged a nervous but hesitant glance, and Belle breathed out a frustrated sigh. "Come on, you guys, we have to do something!" Belle pleaded with them. "We can't just let her die!"

"Belle's right, we have to stop them." Ruby said in agreement, standing beside her friend. "Besides, you all heard what Shae said. They won't stop at just her."

"We don't know that for sure." Granny retorted.

"Yeah!" Doc agreed. "Maybe once they have their vampire they'll leave the rest of us alone."

"Maybe they'll even leave town!" Sneezy threw in.

"You don't know _that_ for sure!" Cried Belle. "Look, I know Shae and the rest of us all have our differences. I mean, she's the one that locked me in The Evil Queen's tower! But… But I forgave her for that, moved on. She's actually a really nice person underneath all the… The anger and the swearing… And the sarcasm."

"Belle's right." Ruby said with a nod. "Emma made Shae acting Sheriff for a reason. She trusted her with the safety of this town, of all of us. All she's trying to do is protect us, and we can't just let her die trying."

The dwarves, Granny, and Ariel all silently pondered Ruby and Belle's words, exchanging anxious glances. The dwarves then all nodded at each other, and Leroy stepped forward.

"Alright, sister." He said with a determined nod. "What's the plan?"

Belle's face suddenly fell as she glanced around at all of them staring expectantly at her. "Oh… Uh, I don't know. I don't really have one."

Leroy heaved a heavy sigh. "Alright, well, for starters, we'll need weapons." He muttered. "We've got our axes, Granny's got her crossbow, Ruby's got her wolf thing."

"I'm pretty good with a bow myself." Belle said with a shrug.

"What about a crossbow? I've got a spare." Granny asked her.

Belle nodded, and then they all looked expectantly at Ariel. "Uhh… Well…" The young mermaid stammered. "Does… Anyone have a trident?"

"I have a pitchfork." Offered Happy.

Ariel smiled, and nodded at the dwarf. "That'll work!"

"Alright, not exactly a group of trained soldiers, but it'll have to do." Leroy said, nodding slowly. "Ok, I've got a map of the mines at home. Everybody go arm up, and meet back here. Then, we'll put together a plan."

The group dispersed, and, a short while later, returned to the diner with weapons in hand. Leroy laid out his map of the mines on the counter, and they all began discussing a plan. As they all bickered and argued over the best plan of attack, Ruby was reminded of a similar situation, back in The Enchanted Forest. Snow White and Prince Charming had summoned The Evil Queen to their castle, to propose an alliance against their common enemy, Van Helsing. Coming up with a plan then took them hours, but they were eventually able to do it. She knew that if Snow White and The Evil Queen could work together and defeat an enemy, the people of Storybrooke gathered inside Granny's Diner certainly could.

XXXXX

The Evil Queen marched down the hallway inside Snow White and Prince Charming's castle, the two vampires, Shae and Remus, on either side of her. Surrounding the three of them, was an armed guard of Snow White and The Prince's soldiers, and even more lined either side of the hallway leading to the war room. Even though the spell that they had cast protected them from any harm The Queen could cause, they still seemed to be awfully wary of her.

"I have to say, you look quite dashing in that." Shae said to Remus.

The Queen had given Remus a suit of black leather armor, and all new weapons. She had even outfitted him with a long, black overcoat, her sigil sown into the left side, just like Shae's.

"Yes, I have to say I'm rather fond of it." Remus said, holding out his arms and admiring his new black leather coat. "I daresay the three of us make quite a sinister looking trio. I have the sudden urge to go pillaging!"

Regina chuckled. "Unfortunately, there isn't time for that." She said sourly. "We have to deal with Snow White and her idiot husband, and their gaggle of fools."

"'Gaggle of fools?'" Remus repeated, raising an eyebrow at The Queen.

"Yes, Snow White and The Prince are never far away from the seven dwarves they seem to be so fond of." Shae answered.

"Don't forget about that nasty old woman and her werewolf granddaughter." Said Regina.

"And that damn blue fairy." Shae snarled. "Oh, I wish I could just rip those tiny little wings right off…"

The Evil Queen and her vampire guard had finally reached the war room. Snow White and The Prince's guards threw open the doors, and they found the war table to be quite crowded already, just as they had suspected. Snow White and her Prince were both there waiting, along with their seven dwarves, Red and her grandmother, and also The Blue Fairy, fluttering around above their heads. As soon as the doors opened, the members of the table rose to their feet, their hands on their weapons, and more of Snow and The Prince's soldiers stepped forward, hands gripping the pommels of their swords.

"My, my, what a charmingly warm welcome!" Remus said with sarcastic chipperness.

"Who the hell are you?" Charming growled at him.

When Remus noticed The Prince, a wide grin spread across his face. "Well, I can be whatever you want me to be, handsome."

"No, no, that's Prince James." Shae told her friend, leaning in close to him. "Snow White's husband."

Remus's grin disappeared, and he eyed Snow White with a frown. "Oh, what a terrible waste." He muttered. "Still, doesn't mean I can't admire the view."

The Prince eyed Remus warily as the vampire winked at him. "Wait a minute, he's a vampire, just like the other one!" Grumpy the dwarf suddenly announced.

"What gave it away? The eyes, or the bad complexion?" Remus asked the dwarf, then turned to Shae and Regina. "I find it's most often the eyes."

"Well, I'm not surprised, you do have such stunning eyes." Shae said with a cheeky grin.

Remus grinned back at her. "Oh, why thank you, I-"

"Blue!" Snow White suddenly shouted.

Before either Shae, Regina, or Remus could react, The Blue Fairy suddenly shot toward Remus, pelting him in the chest with a ball of fairy dust. His whole body momentarily glowed with a soft, blue light, and Shae grabbed his arm as he stumbled back a step.

"What… What the hell was that?" Remus stammered, looking shocked and confused. "I… I feel strange… What have you done to me?"

"She's stripped you of your powers." Said Regina, glaring at Snow White and the Prince. "You're just as weak as one of them now."

Remus's jaw dropped open in offended shock. "Well, now that's just rude!"

"Regina, you try anything else and I swear I will show you no mercy this time." Snow White snarled dangerously at The Queen.

Regina scoffed indignantly. "What else do I even have left to try?" She demanded. "Besides, I didn't even try anything in the first place. Remus is here because he is an old friend of Shae's, and he's the one that has scouted the entirety of Van Helsing's camp."

"I see." Charming said, still eyeing Remus nervously. "Well then, you're all here because we have a common enemy. If we can set aside our differences and work together, then we might have a chance at stopping him."

"Yes, yes, why do you think we're even here in the first place?" Regina snapped at him.

"Well, I certainly didn't come back to spend another night in your dungeon." Shae said with a sour chuckle.

"Oh, you spent some time in their dungeon, did you?" Remus asked his friend.

Shae nodded. "Oh, yes. Several weeks, actually."

"Ah, I see." Remus muttered in reply. "Was it at least better decorated than this god awful room?"

"No, I'm afraid not." Shae replied with a frown, gazing around at the interior of the war room. "If anything, this room is far more drab than even the dungeons."

"Good lord, please tell me you've beheaded your interior decorator." Remus said to Snow White and Prince Charming.

"My god, there's two of them." Snow White said with an irritated sigh.

"Yes, they are quite a pair, aren't they?" Regina said with a chuckle, smiling fondly at the two vampires. "Now, shall we?"

Regina gestured at the table, and they all took their seats. The Queen sat across the circular table from Snow White and The Prince, and Remus and Shae sat on either side of her. Red took the seat on Shae's other side, and did not seem to be very pleased about it.

"Bloodsucker." Red said icily.

"Dog." Shae replied.

On Regina's other side, Remus was seated next to Grumpy the dwarf. "Good lord, do you dwarves never bathe?" Remus asked, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"At least I don't stink like a walking corpse." Grumpy snarled at him.

"HEY!" Charming shouted, rising to his feet and slamming his fist onto the table. "Enough! If we start bickering now we'll never get anywhere!"

"Yes, do play nice, you two." Regina said to the vampires as she rolled her eyes.

"He/she started it!" The vampires replied in unison, both pointing at the people seated on either side of them.

Once the initial discomfort and bickering had subsided, Prince Charming had one of his men produce a map of The Enchanted Forest. Remus pointed out the location where Van Helsing's army was camped, and, once they all started talking over a plan, the bickering resumed once again. They sat around the table, yelling at each other for hours, neither side agreeing upon much of anything. The main problem was that Charming and Snow White were concerned that they were going to sacrifice too many of their men.

"OI!" Remus shouted over the din of bickering, rising irritably to his feet. "This is war we're talking about, right? And you know what happens in a war? People bloody die!"

"Yes, we understand that!" Snow White snapped back. "All we're trying to do is make sure that as little of our people die as possible."

Remus breathed out a frustrated sigh. "Yes, yes, that's all we're trying to to as well." He said, gesturing between himself, Shae, and Regina. "I told you, with the right numbers you needn't worry. Van Helsing's army is made up almost entirely of untrained commoners. I would hope your soldiers would have no problem dealing with farmers and sheep herders armed with swords."

"That's exactly the problem!" Charming exclaimed angrily. "Some of those people, are our people, led astray by an angry and powerful man. We're trying to save as many of their lives as possible too!"

Remus sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Oh, bloody hell… They're the enemy!" He cried desperately. "You don't try and save the enemy! That's not the fucking point!"

"Exactly." Agreed Regina. "To hell with those imbeciles! They've abandoned and betrayed you anyway!"

"Maybe, if The Evil Queen would step down, and let the rightful Queen rule the kingdom, then they wouldn't have abandoned us!" Snow White shouted angrily.

Regina and Snow White both rose heatedly to their feet, and the angry, bitter arguing resumed once again. Remus watched them for a moment, then sunk back into his chair, defeated.

"Is it always like this?" He asked of Shae.

Shae shrugged. "Dunno. Never planned a war with them before."

Remus sighed, leaning back in his chair and staring at the map of The Enchanted Forest on the table in front of him. He suddenly sat forward again, pulling the map closer to him, his blood red eyes wide. Shae watched him curiously as his eyes scanned over the map. He suddenly sprang to his feet again, looking excited.

"OI! OI, OI, OI!" He shouted over the bickering, slamming his palm into the table several times. "I think I've got something!"

When all eyes were on him, Remus turned the map around to better face Snow White, The Prince, and Regina. "It's not much, but I do know there's a valley that sits just in front of Van Helsing's camp, here."

"What exactly is your point, bloodsucker?" Charming snapped irritably.

"Well, if you'd shut your gob for a moment, I'll tell you!" Remus snapped back. "My god, if only your wits matched your looks…"

Charming narrowed his eyes at the vampire, and Remus went on. "Alright, well, it doesn't show it on this map, but I know for a fact that there's a small ridge on either side of the valley, here, and here." He explained, once again pointing at the map. "If Van Helsing has this same map, which I'm most certain he does, then he doesn't know about the ridge. I think we could use that to our advantage."

Regina suddenly gasped, and gripped the vampire's arm. "Yes, I do believe we can." She said in an excited whisper. "If we split our forces, we can lure Van Helsing's army into the valley, and send two battalions around each side, over the ridges, like a… A pincer move!"

Remus smiled excitedly at The Queen, then glanced over at Shae. "Beautiful, _and_ a tactical mind? She really is bloody brilliant, your Queen."

Shae rose to her feet, smiling fondly at the woman she loved. "Yes, she really is quite something, isn't she?"

Regina smiled back at Shae, and momentarily forgot where she was as she stared into the blood red eyes of her lover. She was quickly brought back to reality when Charming cleared his throat loudly.

"Can we get back to the matter at hand?" He asked. "Now, it seems we have a plan, but who's forces will do the luring, and who's will do the… Pincering?"

"I think I can answer that." Shae replied, then turned to her Queen. "Regina, I know you won't like this, but just… Hear me out."

Regina eyed her curiously for a moment, but then nodded. "Right, so, the entire kingdom knows all about the… Strife between us." Shae went on, gesturing between her and Regina, and Snow White and The Prince. "That being said, he will likely expect us to retaliate separately. In fact, I'm sure he's planning on it. But he would never expect us to join forces."

"Yes, I believe I see what you're saying." Regina muttered in reply. "You're right, I don't exactly like it, but I do think it's our best option."

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Charming asked heatedly.

"Again, if you shut your damn hole, maybe they'll tell you." Remus snapped irritably. "My god, man…"

Regina chuckled, shaking her head slowly, then pointed down at the map. "Right, my forces will march here, drawing Van Helsing's army into the valley." She went on. "Once they're inside, I will send up a signal, and your forces will enter from the ridges. Your men will be much safer than mine, I assure you."

"Wait, wait, wait…" Remus cut in, shaking his head. "How do we know these two will actually send their men in? They might just retreat and leave us to die."

"You'll just have to trust us." Snow White replied with a small shrug.

Remus eyed Snow White and The Prince suspiciously for a moment, then shook his head again. "No, that's not good enough. I will remain here, and go with them to make sure they actually do their jobs."

"I don't very much like the idea of leaving you here with them." Regina replied, glaring at Snow White and Charming.

"And I don't very much like the idea of having a vampire in my castle!" Cried Snow White, glaring back at her.

"Well, we all have to do things we don't like from time to time, don't we?" Remus said with an unconcerned shrug. "So… Are we all in agreement?"

Snow White and The Prince exchanged a nervous glance, and The Queen and her vampires watched them expectantly.

"What about Van Helsing's soldiers?" Asked Snow White. "They're only commoners, we can't just-"

"Oh, for god's sake, woman!" Remus interjected irritably. "Will you just forget about that? I told you, they're the enemy! You can't be concerned about saving their lives as well as the lives of your own men. That's not how you win a battle."

"I have a right to be concerned if my own people are amongst the enemy!" Snow retorted.

Remus let out an exasperated groan. "Look, there's a saying that we have back in mine and Shae's homeland." He said, glancing over at Shae. "Do you remember it?"

Shae nodded. "Of course, I do."

Remus nodded back. "In war-"

"Victory." Shae answered.

"In peace-"

"Vigilance."

"In death-"

"Sacrifice." Both vampires finished in unison.

"With war, comes death, that's a fact of life." Remus went on in a dark and serious tone. "You two are rulers, yes? Then part of your job is making hard decisions like this one. It's your bloody job to figure out the best way to sacrifice the few, to save the many. This here, this plan The Queen has proposed, it's the best way to save the entire fucking world you live in."

Snow White sighed, exchanging another worried glance with her husband. She then turned back to Regina and the vampires, and nodded.

"Fine, we are in agreement." She said determinedly.

"Bloody hell, that took ages." Remus said to The Queen as the members of the table all rose from their seats, chattering amongst themselves.

"Yes, they are quite a difficult pair, aren't they?" Regina replied sourly.

Remus chuckled. "Indeed. I see why you hate them so much."

"Are you sure you'll be alright here?" Shae asked her friend, her red eyes full of concern.

"Oh, don't you worry about little old me." Remus replied with a cheeky grin. "I can handle myself, you know that."

Shae sighed, nodding her head in a relenting way. Regina stepped up to Remus, embracing him gently and placing a light kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, Remus." She said, smiling up at the tall, brown haired vampire. "We'll see you very soon."

Regina stepped aside, and Shae threw her arms around her old, dear friend, hugging him tight. When she stepped back, the two vampires gripped each other's forearms, blood red eyes staring determinedly into blood red eyes.

"Till the end?" Remus asked.

Shae nodded. "Till the end."

XXXXX

The people of Storybrooke gathered inside Granny's diner had finally come up with a plan to save their acting Sheriff from The Knights of the Sun. They took up their various weapons, got into their various vehicles, and drove hastily out toward the mines. Once they arrived, they stopped just outside the entrance to go over the plan one last time.

"Right, just so everyone is clear on what to do." Leroy began in a hushed and urgent tone. "Once we're inside, we'll-"

He stopped short, and they all drew in a sharp, collective gasp as sounds of shouting suddenly echoed out of the mines. They stared around at each other with wide, fearful eyes, just as Shae came sprinting around the corner, being hotly pursued by at least a dozen men with swords.

"LOOK OUT!" She cried.

Shae ran smack into Ruby and Belle, and all three of them tumbled to the ground. Utter chaos ensued as the dwarves, Granny, and Ariel with her pitchfork intercepted the charging men, grunts, groans, and cries of pain rising into the quiet of the forest.

"What the hell are you guys doing?" Shae exclaimed as Belle and Ruby helped her back to her feet.

"Rescuing you, of course!" Belle said, swiftly firing off a bolt from her crossbow, hitting one of the Knights of the Sun in the shoulder.

"Dammit!" Shae roared, slashing out with her sword, catching one of the knights across his back. "I told you all to stay home!"

"Yeah, well, I guess we aren't good listeners." Ruby replied, grinning at the vampire.

Ruby's body began to twist and morph, and she threw back her head, howling into the night air as she transformed into her wolf form. Shae leapt back as the wolf charged headlong into the fray, snapping her jaws around the arm of one of the attacking men.

"SHAE!" Belle suddenly shouted.

The vampire whirled around, drawing in a sharp breath as she found a man suddenly upon her, sword raised in the air. The man's body jerked violently, and his eyes grew wide as an arrow buried itself into his forehead with a hollow thump. As the man fell lifeless to the ground, Shae slowly turned around, and found Belle standing with her crossbow raised.

"Holy shit!" Shae exclaimed, a wide and surprised grin on her face.

Belle grinned back, curtseying in a mocking but proud sort of way. The two women turned around again, and Belle fired off another arrow, while Shae briefly crossed blades with another knight. The vampire swiftly knocked the man onto his back, and she plunged her soul sucking sword into his chest, the black gem glowing momentarily as his life drained away.

"There you are, bloodsucker!" Carl snarled at Shae, stomping furiously toward her, sword at the ready.

"Hello Carl!" Shae replied with sarcastic chipperness.

Shae took up her sword in both hands, bending her knees and readying herself for Carl's attack. Suddenly, there was a rush of air, and a shaggy, brown blur flashed before the vampire's eyes. Ruby came hurtling through the air, her jaws closing around Carl's throat.

"Goodbye, Carl!" Said Shae.

The vampire turned around again, surveying the battle. She watched in baffled surprise as the young mermaid Ariel hit one of the Knights of the Sun in the forehead with the butt of her pitchfork. When the man stumbled back dazedly, she flipped the pitchfork around, and bellowed into the night air as she jabbed the forks into the man's chest. She saw Granny hit a man across the face with her crossbow, then shoot a bolt straight into his forehead. Happy and Doc double teamed another, Happy swinging his pickaxe low, and Doc burying the tip of his axe into the back of the man's head as he fell face first to the ground.

"Where's Aela?" Belle asked as she stood back to back with Shae.

Shae scanned the battlefield again silently, and her brow furrowed when she realized that the she-wolf was nowhere in sight. She opened her mouth to respond to Belle's question, but her words caught in her throat as a loud, long, bone chilling howl reverberated off the walls from inside the mines.

"What was that?" Asked Ariel as she joined Shae and Belle, her pitchfork quivering slightly in her hands.

The wolf beside Shae let out a low, menacing growl, the fur on her haunches standing straight up as the sounds of thundering footsteps came echoing out of the mines.

"RUN!" Shae screamed at the dwarves and Granny, who were still in the midst of battle in front of the mine entrance. "GET BACK! RUN!"

But it was too late. The she-wolf Aela came pelting out of the mines, and the ground quaked beneath their feet at she leapt through the air, landing hard on her hulking, fur covered legs. Just like her husband, she stood about as tall as two grown men in her wolf form. Her body was covered with patchy, auburn colored fur, and her arms were the size of tree trunks, her claws as sharp as swords.

Aela let out a fearsome roar, knocking all seven of the dwarves off their feet as she swung out one of her beefy, hulking arms. Granny whirled around, and aimed her crossbow at the werewolf, the bolt shooting straight into Aela's chest. Unfortunately, the small, silver arrow only seemed to make the wolf more angry. She roared again, and Granny screamed as she was scooped up in the werewolf's massive fist.

Shae reacted swiftly, sending her sword sailing point first through the air, and Aela howled in pain as Shae's sword buried itself in her chest next to Granny's bolt. Belle and Ariel both rushed forward as Granny crashed to the ground, released from the werewolf's grasp as she stumbled backward, clawing at the sword in her chest. As Belle and Ariel pulled the old woman to safety, Shae used her superhuman speed to rush the wolf, leaping through the air and tackling her to the ground.

The werewolf and the vampire were a tangle of fur and limbs as they rolled across the ground. When they stopped, Shae was atop the werewolf, and she wrenched her sword out of her chest. Aela howled in pain once again, and swept out at the vampire on top of her with her massive claws. Shae was sent careening backward, her sword shooting from her hand as she flew through the air. Ruby let out a roar herself, charging at the wolf Aela as she got back to her feet.

Shae finally rolled to a stop, howling in pain as the claw marks on her chest sizzled and smoked. She groaned, picking her head up just in time to see Ruby shooting through the air at Aela. The hulking, enraged werewolf swung another massive, clawed arm, and Ruby was thrown back just as Shae had been.

"RUBY!" Shae screamed.

Ruby let out a high pitched yelp as she crashed into a tree, and whimpered weakly as she hit the ground. Shae scrambled to her feet, and sprinted over to her, skidding to her knees just as Ruby morphed back into her human form. Panic bubbled in her stomach as Ruby continued to lie motionless on the ground, bloody claw marks gaping on her neck, arm, and side.

"Ruby? Ruby!" Shae shouted, shaking the young woman by her shoulders.

Ruby's eyes fluttered open, and she groaned weakly. Shae breathed out a relieved sigh, smiling down at the young she-wolf. Ruby suddenly gasped, staring wide eyed in shock over Shae's shoulder. Shae turned around, just as the werewolf Aela roared furiously at Belle, who was desperately shooting arrows at the wolf with her crossbow.

The flow of time slowed to a slow, horrifying crawl as Aela fell back on her haunches, snarling athe young woman with the crossbow in her hands. She roared again, her massive fangs glinting in the moonlight. She charged forward, grass and dirt flying through the air as she pelted headlong toward the terrified Belle.

"BELLE!" Shae bellowed.

The vampire was a black blur of motion as she sprinted forward, and Belle fell backward, her crossbow falling from her hands as she tripped. Aela leapt through the air, her massive jaws gaping open toward the young woman's head. Shae suddenly appeared before Belle, standing in the werewolf's path. She threw up her arm, and the vampire's mouth gaped open as she let out a horrible, agonized scream, the werewolf's jaws closing around her arm.

Belle stared up in horror as Shae continued to scream, her flesh around Aela's jaws emitting a wispy white smoke. Grumpy, Sneezy, and Doc rushed forward, bellowing furiously into the night air as they raised their axes, leaping upon the werewolf and jabbing their axes into her back. Shae stumbled backward, clutching her arm as Aela's jaws gaped open again, and the werewolf howled in pain.

The rest of the dwarves joined their brothers, and Aela roared and howled as the tips of their axes were buried into her back. Shae outstretched her good arm toward her fallen sword, and it shot straight into her hand. She let out a fearsome war cry, and rushed toward the werewolf, sword raised. She leapt through the air, slashing her glittering, blue bladed sword across the werewolf's neck. The vampire landed lightly on her feet, and there were two, hollow sounding thumps as Aela's body fell backward, the dwarves scrambling to get away, and the werewolf's severed head landed on the ground at Shae's feet.

Aela's lifeless body morphed back into its human form, and Shae stared down into her gaping dead eyes, her chest heaving. Belle got slowly and shakily to her feet, and glanced over at Ruby, who was being helped up by her Granny. She felt a hand on her arm, and found Ariel standing beside her, looking a bit shaken, but otherwise unharmed. The dwarves were back on their feet as well, and they all slowly stepped up to the body of Aela the werewolf, now lying dead at Shae the vampire's feet.

"W-We did it!" Breathed Ariel, smiling excitedly at Belle.

"We did it!" Exclaimed Sneezy, hugging Doc and Happy around their necks, who were both standing beside him.

Belle breathed out a shocked laugh, smiling at Ruby as her grandmother fussed over the she-wolf's wounds. She ran her eyes over the seven dwarves, who were all a bit battered and bruised, some even bleeding, but nothing mortal. Ariel had a small cut on her arm, and Belle herself had remained unharmed. The young woman breathed out a sigh of immense relief. They had done it, and they were all safe.

Belle then glanced over at Shae, who was still standing with her sword in her hand, Aela's severed head at her feet. Belle's brow furrowed when she suddenly noticed that Shae's whole body was shaking. She gasped as her sword fell from her hand.

"Shae, are you al-"

"AUGH!"

Shae let out a strangled cry of pain, and suddenly collapsed to her knees, clutching her injured arm. Belle rushed forward, falling to her knees in front of the vampire.

"Shae! What's wrong? Are you ok?" Belle asked hastily.

Shae shook her head, her hands trembling as she rolled up her sleeve. Belle gasped again, staring wide eyed down at the fang marks in Shae's arm.

"Oh my god!" Ariel exclaimed as the others all gathered around the vampire.

"What the hell is that?" Asked Leroy.

The teeth marks in Shae's arm were a nasty, sickly green color, as if the werewolf's fangs had been laden with some kind of poison. Shae let out another cry of pain, and the others gasped in shock as the green coloring suddenly shot out into the veins of her arm.

"No!" Ruby suddenly cried, dropping to her knees next to Belle. "Oh no… No, no… She was bitten, wasn't she?"

Belle nodded, and Ruby reached out and grabbed Shae's face in her hands. "Shae! Shae, what do we do?" Ruby asked her desperately.

Shae shook her head again, her whole body quivering, her face breaking out in a massive sweat. "I… I d-don't…" Shae stammered. "Y-You… C-C-Can't…"

They all cried out in alarm as Shae's blood red eyes suddenly rolled back into her head, and she slumped backward onto the ground. They leapt back as the vampire let out a horrible, agonized scream, her body seizing and convulsing violently.

"What do we do?" Cried Ariel.

"Go! Get her to Dr. Whale!" Ruby commanded hurriedly. "I'll go get Mother Superior!"

The dwarves all carefully carried the seizing vampire toward the cars, her screams and cries of pain echoing around the trees. Belle sat in the backseat of Granny's car, holding Shae's head in her lap, gently brushing her hair off of her sweat covered forehead. She watched helplessly as Shae continued to howl in pain, her body convulsing, the wounds in her arm now leaking with a sickly green pus.

Everything happened very quickly once they reached the hospital, and Belle was in such horrified shock that she only got flashes of the things happening around her. Shae was pulled from Granny's car by a team of nurses, and Granny hastily explained to them what had happened. Shae was hoisted onto a hospital bed, still screaming, still writhing in pain, and was immediately carted away down a long hallway. The others had their own wounds tended to, and then were left in the waiting room, sitting and waiting in silent shock. Ruby eventually returned with Mother Superior, and Belle followed them both into the room where Shae was being tended to.

Belle gasped, covering her mouth with her hand in shock when she saw the vampire lying in the hospital bed, now unconscious. She had been stripped of her shirt and long black coat, and Belle, Ruby, even Mother Superior were horrified by what they saw. Shae's torso was riddled with long, white knotted scars, which was shocking in itself, but what was truly horrifying were the fang marks on her arm. They were still a bright, noxious looking green, and the apparent infection had spread rapidly up her arm, working its way across her chest, straight toward her heart.

"I'm afraid I'm at a loss." Dr. Whale said to them, his face grave. "I've given her something to knock her out, but even that might not last long due to her… Condition."

"Can you heal her?" Ruby asked Mother Superior.

"I can try." Mother Superior replied with a nod.

Dr. Whale, Belle, and Ruby all stepped back as Mother Superior stood beside the bed, pulling out her wand and slowly waving it up and down Shae's body. Ruby gripped Belle's hand, and the two women exchanged a silent, anxious glance. They watched with bated breath as Shae's body began to glow with a soft, blue light, but the wounds in her arm didn't seem to be getting any better. Mother Superior stepped back, turning to Belle and Ruby with immensely sad eyes.

"I'm sorry." She said softly. "This is beyond what my magic can heal."

"T-Then… What do we do now?" Belle asked, her eyes welling with tears. "She saved me, saved all of us! We can't just let her die!"

Dr. Whale exchanged a glance with Mother Superior. "I'm sorry, but… If Mother Superior can't heal her, then there's certainly nothing I can do."

"That's it?" Ruby breathed, tears leaking out of her eyes. "She's… She's just going to die?"

When Dr. Whale and Mother Superior both remained silent, Ruby choked out a sob, and she rushed over to Shae's side, staring down at her, her eyes wide with horror. She sobbed again, and slowly leaned forward, pressing her trembling lips to Shae's forehead. Belle stepped up to the other side of Shae's bed, staring down at her savior, her friend, who was now dying, all because of her. The once terrifying and evil vampire that had kidnapped her and locked her away in a tower had just sacrificed herself to save her, and now, she was going to die, and there was nothing Belle or anyone else could do.

Dr. Whale left momentarily, returning with the seven dwarves, Ariel, and Granny. The dwarves all removed their hats, staring in silent shock at the unconscious vampire. Granny gently rubbed her granddaughter's back as Ruby sat on the edge of the bed next to Shae, slowly running her fingers through her messy, jet black hair, now damp with sweat. Ariel, who hadn't known Shae very well at all, stood quietly next to Mother Superior, her face grave and sad. They all watched helplessly as the poison from the werewolf's bite slowly continued to spread across Shae's chest, growing ever closer to her heart.

"I don't care what anyone else says…" Leroy said quietly. "The bloodsuckers a goddamn hero."

"You're right…" Breathed Ariel, her eyes shining with tears. "She saved us… She saved all of us."

"And we couldn't save her…" Belle whispered miserably, her face contorting with pain. "Oh Shae… Shae, I'm so sorry…"

Belle pressed a gentle kiss on the vampire's forehead this time, more tears streaming down her face. They all fell silent again, the only sounds to be heard were quiet sniffles as they all bit back their tears. Even Mother Superior, who had thoroughly despised Shae for years, shed a silent tear for the vampire turned savior.

"Oh god… Regina… She doesn't even know." Whispered Ruby, her eyes wide with horror as she stared around at the others. "We… We need to tell her, she needs to-"

Belle suddenly gasped, reaching across the bed and grabbing Ruby's hand urgently. "Regina! Ruby, that's it!"

Ruby's brow furrowed in confusion. "W-What's it?"

Belle didn't respond, and instead turned to Mother Superior. "I-I know you can't heal her, but is there any way you can… I don't know, slow down the poison? Buy us some time?"

Mother Superior bit her lip, staring down at the unconscious vampire as she thought. "Actually… Yes, I believe I can." She replied with a small nod. "I can cast a… Preservation spell. It will freeze her body in this state, but I'm not sure for how long."

Belle nodded hastily, and stepped aside as Mother Superior once again stood beside Shae, waving her wand over her body. The others all eyed Belle curiously as she hurried over to Ariel.

"Ariel, I need you to go back to Neverland and find Regina." Belle told her seriously.

"W-What? Why?" Ariel asked, eyebrows raised in shock.

"Shae told me a story just the other day about how she survived a werewolf bite once before." Belle quickly explained. "Her friend, uh… Remus, I think she said his name was. H-He was able to… To cast a spell or something. And Regina was there with him! She might know how to save Shae!"

"Oh my god…" Ruby breathed, an excited smile slowly spreading across her face. "Belle, I think you might be on to something!"

Belle smiled back at her, her heart racing. "Mother Superior, how long will that spell last exactly?"

Mother Superior glanced up from Shae's body, which was once again glowing with a pale blue light. "I-I'm not sure, unfortunately." She replied with a frown. "I know very little about vampires, but I do know from the past that most spells cast on Shae tended not to last as long as they were supposed to."

Belle turned back to Ariel, taking both the young mermaid's hands in hers and staring very seriously into her eyes. "Ariel please… Please, hurry!"

Ariel bit her lip, staring silently between Shae, at everyone else's expectant faces, and then back into Belle's eyes. She then gave her new friend a determined nod.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." She said.

With that, Ariel promptly turned on her heel, and hurried out the door. Belle looked around at all the others, who now had hopeful smiles stretching across their faces.

"What do we do now?" Leroy asked her.

Belle sighed, staring down at Shae's frozen, glowing body. "We wait. We wait, and we hope that Regina can tell us how to save Shae."

And wait they did. They waited, and waited, and waited, hours passing by. Mother Superior had to re-cast her preservation spell several times, and, for a few brief moments, Shae regained consciousness. Her agonized screaming had stopped, but each time she woke her entire body jerked and shook with pain, her blood red eyes staring up at the ceiling. Belle and Ruby tried to talk to her, told her that help was coming, but the vampire didn't seem to see or hear them.

The dwarves all returned to their homes to rest from their harrowing experience, and Granny tried her hardest to convince Ruby to go home as well, but she refused to leave Shae's side. Belle stayed with her, and so did Mother Superior, who kept casting her spell again and again every time the vampire woke.

Belle and Ruby both watched as Mother Superior once again waved her wand over Shae's body, freezing it in place. Belle glanced over at her friend, whose eyes were still red and puffy from crying. They were both immensely exhausted, but they continued to wait for Ariel to return, hanging on to hope that she would actually be able to find Regina.

Ruby had finally fallen asleep in her chair, and Belle's own eyelids were growing heavier and heavier by the second. Her eyes fluttered closed, and her head bobbed heavily into her chest.

"Ariel!" Mother Superior suddenly exclaimed.

Belle's eyes snapped open, and she gasped when she saw the young mermaid standing in the doorway. She urgently shook Ruby's shoulder, and the she-wolf snapped awake as well. They both rose to their feet, staring wide eyed at Ariel.

"W-Well? Did you find Regina?" Ruby asked her.

"I did." Ariel said, a wide and determined smile on her face. "I know what we have to do."

XXXXX

"Shae? SHAE!"

The sounds of battle rang hollow in The Evil Queen's ears as she stared helplessly down at the woman she loved, who was screaming and writhing in pain. Her body convulsed violently, the bite marks in her shoulder sizzling and smoking, emitting a sickly green pus. She placed a shaky hand on Shae's forehead, and gasped when she found her normally icy cold skin was suddenly on fire, sweat beading on her forehead.

"Regina! Are you alright? What's going-" Remus started to ask as he rushed over to her. He stopped dead when he saw his friend lying on the ground, howling in pain. "Oh no… No, no, no…"

He fell to his knees on Shae's other side, his blood red eyes wide, his mouth gaping open in horror. Regina gripped his arm tight, her eyes welling with panicked tears.

"S-She was bitten!" The Queen stammered. "Remus… Remus what do we do?"

"NOOO!"

Remus and The Queen both jumped when a sudden strangled cry of horror rang out across the battlefield. Aela was kneeling next to her husband's lifeless body, staring with wide eyes at his severed head lying a few feet away. She then snapped her head up, and her lips curled into a fearsome, enraged snarl, her eyes full of pure malice as she stared at Regina and Remus.

"YOU KILLED HIM!" She screamed at them.

Aela leapt to her feet, and sprinted straight toward them. Remus leapt up as well, and threw out his arm, sending the she-wolf careening backward.

"GO! Get her back to the castle!" Remus commanded to The Queen.

Regina watched for a moment as Remus drew his sword, and rushed off to face Aela once again. She then placed her hands on Shae's chest, engulfing them both in a column of purple smoke, reappearing with Shae in tow on the floor of her own bedchamber. Shae's agonized screams had finally stopped, turning in to grunts and groans of pain, and her body continuing to shake as the sickly green poison spread through her veins.

Regina held her quivering hands out over the bite marks on Shae's shoulder, attempting to heal them using her magic, but nothing happening. She choked out a terrified sob, panicked tears streaming down her face. She spotted a cloud of blood red smoke from the corner of her eye, and she glanced up just in time to see Remus appearing on Shae's other side.

"God damn bloody she devil!" He snarled, clutching the deep claw marks that were gouged into his chest.

"Remus, I-I can't heal her." Regina said as she stared up at him through wide, panicked eyes. "What… What do we do? WHAT DO WE DO?"

The Queen began to sob again, and Remus hurried over to her. He grabbed on to her arms, and pulled her to her feet, staring very seriously into her eyes.

"Regina, I need you to stay calm." He told her in a quiet and even tone. "There's a spell that I know of that I believe will help her, but I need more time. Is there anything you can do to… To stop the poison from spreading?"

Regina thought for a moment, staring silently down at her feet, then nodded hastily. She held her hands out over Shae's body, which slowly began to shimmer with a pale blue light. The groans of pain she was emitting suddenly stopped, and her body froze completely still in its place, her blood red eyes gaping open at the ceiling.

"It's a preservation spell." Regina explained to Remus. "I've… Frozen her body, but I'm not sure how long it will last."

Remus nodded in understanding. "Right, we must move quickly then." He muttered. "When Shae first came to this world, she had a book, an ancient book of spells. I'm assuming she still has it here somewhere, yes?"

Regina nodded. "Yes, it's here."

The Queen hurried over to the bookcase along the far wall, where she kept her most prized and powerful books on magic. She hastily scanned her eyes across the bindings of the books, searching for the one with strange, ancient elven runes on it, ones that only Shae, and apparently Remus, knew how to read. She finally found the small, leather bound tome, and she hastily grabbed it up. She rushed back over to Remus, and gasped in horror when she found him bent over Shae's body, using a dagger to cut long, deep gashes down the length of Shae's arms.

"Don't worry, it's all part of the spell." He told The Queen as he rose to his feet again. "Now, I need a… A vessel of some kind, like a… Goblet, or a chalice."

Regina nodded once again, and rushed over to her vanity, where she found a silver goblet sitting next to the mirror. She dumped the wine that was inside onto the ground and handed both the book and goblet over to Remus. The vampire placed the goblet on the ground behind Shae's head, and Regina watched carefully over his shoulder as he began flipping through the pages of the book.

"Have you done this before?" Regina asked him anxiously.

Remus nodded. "Once."

"Only once?" Regina asked in shock. "Wait a moment… You cast this spell when you tried to save your sister didn't you?"

Remus nodded again, continuing to stare down at the book in his hand. "But… But it didn't work." Regina went on, shaking her head slowly. "Remus, she died!"

"Yes, I'm well aware of that, thank you." Remus spat bitterly. "But… But I believe I know where I went wrong last time. Ah! Here it is."

He had finally found the page he was looking for, and he set the book down on the ground next to the goblet. He then pulled the dagger from his belt again, and held his free hand out to The Queen.

"Right, give me your hand." He commanded her.

Regina eyed him suspiciously. "Why?"

Remus sighed impatiently. "Did Shae not tell you about what this book is?"

"She said that it was a book of ancient elven magic."

"Yes, that is partly true." Remus replied with a nod. "But, it seems the part she failed to mention is that this is a book of dark magic, blood magic to be specific."

Regina's brow furrowed in confusion. "Blood magic?"

"Yes. It's not commonly practiced here, and it was illegal back in our homeland, but many mages and sorcerers practiced in secret." Remus explained in a grave tone. "Every spell in this book requires a blood sacrifice. Since my blood is not my own, and doesn't actually flow through my veins, I need yours."

"How much of it, exactly?" Regina asked warily.

"Well, normally… All of it." Remus replied with a shrug. "But, I believe if we cast this spell together, we will have enough magical power to only require a small amount of blood. Now, your hand please, Your Majesty."

Regina breathed out an anxious but relenting sigh, holding her palm out to the vampire. Remus nodded, and took her hand in his. Regina drew in a sharp breath as Remus drew his dagger across her hand, blood pooling instantly in the center of her palm. He then picked up the goblet again, and held it underneath The Queen's hand, her blood slowly dripping into it.

"There, that should be enough, I think." Remus announced after a few long moments of anxious waiting.

He set the goblet back down behind Shae's head, and once again took up the book. "Now, I need you to remove your preservation spell."

Regina nodded, and she held her hands out over Shae's body again. The soft, glowing blue light faded away, and she was once again groaning in pain, her body quaking violently as the poison from Van Helsing's bite spread further through her veins. Regina returned to her spot next to Remus, and she placed her hand on his arm. The vampire and The Queen both stared down at Shae for a moment, watching as she continued to writhe and groan in pain. They then exchanged an anxious glance, and they both nodded at each other.

Regina closed her eyes, pushing her magic into Remus's arm as the vampire began to read from the book, chanting in the strange and ancient language that Regina had heard only once before. When she opened her eyes again, Regina gasped in horrified wonder. Her blood from the goblet was rising into the air, hovering over Shae's body in a mist like form. Shae's back suddenly arched, and she cried out in pain as her own blood began streaming out of the gouges in her arms. Shae's blood flowed upward into the mist like cloud above her body, morphing with Regina's, the cloud growing redder and thicker as Remus continued to read.

Suddenly, a pulsewave of magic shot out from the cloud of blood. Regina and Remus both stumbled back a step from the force of the blast, and when they turned their attention back on Shae, they found that she was lying completely still, no longer convulsing from the pain. Regina immediately rushed to her side, kneeling on the ground next to the woman she loved. Shae no longer appeared to be in any pain, and the poison from the werewolf's bite seemed to have stopped spreading. But, Shae was looking even worse than she had before. Her skin was a shade of ghostly pale white, and her cheeks and eye sockets were sunken and sallow, like a corpse that had been dead for days.

"W-What happened?" Regina breathed, staring up at Remus with wide, confused eyes. "What did you do to her?"

"She's been completely drained of blood." Remus answered, kneeling down on Shae's other side. "The poison will no longer spread, for now, but in order to be completely healed… Her blood needs to be replaced."

A wide, hopeful smile slowly spread across Regina's face. "Well, that's easily done! I will have my servants slaughter our largest swine, and-"

"No, not a pig." Remus said quietly, his face suddenly very sad. "I think… I think that's what went wrong last time. My sister, Naida, she… She never fed on humans like Shae and I did, so when I cast the spell on her, I hunted down an elk to replace her blood with. But… The blood of animals isn't nearly as strong as the blood of a human."

The smile immediately disappeared from Regina's face. "So… You're saying she needs to drink human blood." She said in a horrified whisper. "But… Remus, she hasn't had human blood in years! She told me that it's addictive, that it took ages for both of you to rid yourselves of it."

Remus nodded solemnly. "Aye, that it did." He whispered. "But… I'm afraid it's the only way."

Regina bit her lip, staring down at the pale, sunken face of the woman she loved. She then sighed, holding out her arm to Remus. "Do it."

Remus nodded, and once again removed his dagger from his belt. He carefully took Regina's arm, and The Queen winced in pain as he made a long, deep cut across her wrist. Remus pried Shae's mouth open, and Regina held her bleeding wrist over Shae's lips. As soon as Regina's blood dripped onto Shae's tongue, the vampire's eyes shot open, and she drew in a great shuddering gasp.

"R-Regina?" She whispered weakly. "What… What's happen… I-I don't…"

"Shh, hush my love." Regina said soothingly, gently caressing her lover's cheek with her free, unbloodied hand. "Please, you… You need to drink."

She held her bleeding wrist out in front of Shae once again, and at the sight of the blood, Shae's eyes suddenly grew wide. Regina gasped as Shae reached out and grabbed her arm, clamping her mouth around the cut on her wrist. The Queen cried out in pain as Shae began to suck the blood out of her body, and Remus watched anxiously, his blood red eyes shifting back and forth from his friend to The Queen. Regina could feel the blood draining through her wrist, and she started to grow lightheaded. The edges of her vision started to grow blacker and blacker, her body growing weaker as Shae continued to drink.

"Shae! Shae, that's enough!" Remus shouted, wrenching Regina's arm from Shae's grasp. "Regina? REGINA!"

Regina fell sideways onto the ground, and the last thing she saw was Shae's back arching, her eyes glowing a bright, burning red as her veins pulsed with her blood. Then, everything went black.

XX

The Evil Queen groaned, her eyes slowly fluttering open. She suddenly realized that she was lying in her own bed, staring up at the ceiling of her own bedchamber. She sat forward, groaning again as her head pounded painfully.

"Oi! Easy now, you don't want to knock yourself out again."

Regina turned her head to the side, and found Remus sitting in a chair next to her bed. "W-What happened?" Regina asked him, squeezing her eyes shut as the world spun around her. "Where… Where's Shae?"

"Don't worry, she's right where we left her." Remus replied with a smile. "She's unconscious again, but otherwise alright."

Regina's eyes widened, a slow smile creeping across her face. "So… We did it?"

Remus smiled back at her, and nodded. "Yes, I believe we did. We saved her."

Regina's smile broadened, and Remus helped her out of her bed. He guided her over to where Shae was still lying on the ground, her eyes closed, her body still. Regina knelt down next to her once again, and relieved and joyous tears welled into her eyes. The bite marks on Shae's shoulder had completely disappeared, and her skin was once again it's normal pale gray color, her cheeks and eye sockets full once again.

Regina breathed out a shocked and relieved laugh, placing a shaky hand on her lover's cheek, finding that her skin was once again as cold as ever before. She leaned forward, placing a soft and tender kiss on Shae's forehead. When she pulled away, Shae's eyes suddenly fluttered open. Regina gasped as she felt hands grabbing at her arms, and she was pulled onto her feet, dragged away from the woman she loved.

"What the hell are you doing?" Regina demanded furiously, whirling around to face Remus.

"Regina, please, you need to be careful." Remus told her in a low voice, eyeing Shae warily. "She hasn't had human blood in ages, I don't know how she's going to react. She… She might try to hurt you."

"No, she won't. She won't hurt me." Regina replied determinedly.

She turned back to Shae, who was now sitting up, staring dazedly all around her. Regina slowly walked over to her, kneeling down at her side.

"Shae?" She asked carefully. "Shae, are you alright?"

Shae finally turned her blood red eyes onto The Queen, and they grew wide with shock, a smile slowly spreading across her face. "Regina!" She exclaimed.

Regina laughed, throwing her arms around the woman she loved, holding her tight. She kissed her, relieved and grateful tears leaking out of her eyes. Suddenly, Shae's body went rigid, and she let out a soft, strangled groan against Regina's lips. Regina pulled away, staring into her lover's eyes. She gasped as Shae suddenly scrambled backward away from her, her blood red eyes wide with fear.

"W-What is this?" She asked as she staggered to her feet. "What have you done to me?"

"Shae, just stay calm, alright?" Remus told her gently. "You were bitten, but we were able to save you."

Shae stared wide eyed at her old, dear friend, her mouth gaping open in shock. "You… You gave me human blood, didn't you?"

Remus and Regina exchanged a worried glance, and Shae groaned again, vigorously shaking her head. "Oh no… No, no, no… Oh god, I can feel it…"

"Shae, it's alright." Regina said quietly, taking a step toward her.

"NO!" Shae shouted, staggering backward into the wall, covering her nose and mouth with her hand. "Regina, stay back, stay away! You… Your smell… I can… AUGH!"

Shae suddenly collapsed to her knees, clutching her head in her hands. Regina rushed toward her in alarm, but Remus grabbed her arm, pulling her back. When Shae raised her head again, Regina and Remus both gasped. Her eyes were glowing bright red, her lips curled into a fierce, terrifying snarl. Her face was no longer the face of the woman that Regina loved, it was now something else, something sinister and terrifying.

Remus shoved The Queen roughly backward as Shae charged at her, her body a hazy black blur. Remus threw himself at his friend, tackling her bodily to the ground. Shae roared and snarled viciously as the two vampires rolled around on the ground, tousling violently.

"Get off me!" Shae screamed at her friend. "I need it… I NEED IT!"

Regina had gotten back to her feet just as Shae managed to shove Remus off of her. She cried out in alarm as Shae rushed at her once again, and the vampire grabbed her by her throat, slamming her against the wall. Shae leaned in toward her neck, large, sharp fangs protruding from her lips.

"NO!"

Shae was torn away from her, and Remus sent her hurtling across the room. She slammed into the far wall, and crashed down to the ground. Remus stood between Shae and Regina as Shae groaned in pain, and slowly pushed herself up onto her knees. Her eyes were no longer glowing red, and she stared down at her own two hands in utter shock.

"Oh god…" She whispered, staring up at them, her eyes filled with horror. "Regina… I-Im so sorry… I… I couldn't stop myself… I… GAH!"

Shae clutched her head again, her face twisting as she struggled to remain in control of her bloodlust. Regina gasped as her eyes began to glow again, and she rose slowly to her feet, staring at The Queen with a fierce, hungry snarl. Remus bent his knees, readying himself for another attack, but Shae's eyes faded again, and she stumbled backwards.

"Shae… Shae are you-" Regina started to say.

There was another black, blur of motion, and Shae was suddenly gone. Regina and Remus turned just in time to see her leaping over the side of balcony attached to Regina's bedchamber. They both gasped, exchanging a horrified glance. They ran over to the balcony, watching as a rushing black blur sped away from the castle and toward the forest.

"W-Where is she going?" Regina asked Remus, her eyes wide with horror.

"I… Don't know." Remus replied slowly. "But… The whole kingdom is in danger with her running around out there. She's… She's in a total frenzy… I have to help her!"

Regina nodded, grabbing the vampire's arm urgently. "Go. Help her, and bring her back to me."

Remus nodded back determinedly. "I will, I swear it."

With that, Remus leapt over the railing of the balcony, and The Queen watched as he fell, landing hard on his feet at the base of her castle. He disappeared in a rushing black blur, and he hurried off after his friend, the woman that The Evil Queen loved with all her heart.

XXXXX

Belle, Ariel, and Ruby all stood around Shae's hospital bed, staring down at the once again unconscious vampire. After Ariel had told them everything Regina had said, they immediately summoned Dr. Whale. Through science and use of machinery, Whale was able to drain Shae completely of her blood, just as Regina had instructed. After that, the doctor performed a complete transfusion, hooking Shae up to more machines and replacing her blood with that of various bags of human blood that had been stored at the hospital. After the transfusion was complete, they were amazed to find that the bite marks in Shae's arm had disappeared, along with the sickly green poison that had been spreading through her veins. It had worked. They had saved the vampire that had saved Storybrooke.

When Shae finally began to stir, Ariel suddenly grabbed onto both Belle and Ruby's arms. "We have to get out of here." She told them seriously.

"What? Why?" Belle asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

"Regina said that last time Shae sort of… Changed, after she had human blood." Ariel explained hastily. "She went into a… A frenzy, attacked Regina. Her friend Remus was able to help her, but he was a vampire too."

The three women exchanged a worried glance, and Shae's eyes fluttered open. "You guys go, I'll be fine." Ruby said to the other two. "I'm a werewolf, my blood is toxic to her. She won't hurt me."

Belle and Ariel both nodded, and hurried from the room, closing the door behind them. They waited anxiously, pressing their ears to the door. They both smiled excitedly when they heard Shae's voice, and then Ruby's. When they suddenly began to hear sounds of shouting, they both furrowed their brows in confusion. They gasped in alarm when they heard a scream, and the sound of glass shattering. They threw the door open again, and rushed back into the room. Broken glass littered the floor, a cool breeze blowing into the room from the shattered window. Ruby was standing against the wall, her eyes wide with shock, her chest heaving, and Shae was nowhere to be seen.

"Ruby? What happened?" Belle asked her friend urgently.

Ruby shook her head slowly, her eyes still wide as saucers. "Y-You were right, Shae she… She freaked out, went crazy!" She said shakily. "Then she… Jumped out the window and took off. She's… She's gone!"

The three women exchanged a frightened glance, staring out of the broken window. "W-What do we do?" Ariel asked them.

"I… I don't know." Ruby replied quietly. "But… We gotta warn the town! If Shae is going through some sort of… Blood frenzy, then everyone is in danger… Again."

"No! Shae wouldn't hurt anyone… Would she?" Belle asked, a bit uncertainly.

Ruby shook her head again, staring at Belle and Ariel with grave and serious eyes. "You didn't see her, she's… She's not herself." She then turned to Belle, placing her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Are those silver bullets from Greg and Tamara still at Gold's shop?"

Belle nodded. "Yes, I think so."

Ruby nodded back, and sighed heavily, staring sadly out into the night through the shattered window. "Good, we're going to need them. Just in case."

XX


	9. Chapter 9, Forgotten Memories

CHAPTER 9

"HOLD ON!"

The crew of The Jolly Roger all grabbed on to the nearest steady surface that they could find, bracing themselves as Captain Hook started the ship's descent through the air, and into the Storybrooke harbor. The wooden planks beneath their feet shook violently as The Jolly Roger broke through the magical cloaking shield around the town. They plunged ever downward, and the ship jostled wildly as it crashed into the middle of the water.

Regina lost her balance as the ship lurched, and she stumbled sideways into Tinkerbell. Tink grabbed on to the back of Emma's jacket as she fell, and Emma pulled her mother down with her. David attempted to catch his wife, only to stumble forward, tripping over the women that had crashed to the ground. They lie in a tangled mess of limbs, groaning and grumbling in pain.

"Everyone alright?" Asked Hook as he grabbed on to the wheel of his ship, pulling himself to his feet.

"I don't suppose you could have made the landing any smoother?" Regina grumbled as she got to her feet, a bit unsteadily.

"Come now, love, where's the fun in that?" Hook replied with a grin.

Regina rolled her eyes at the pirate, brushing off the front of her pants and jacket. She glanced all around her as the others staggered to their feet, and spotted her son standing by the edge of the ship, gazing across the water at the docks of Storybrooke.

"We did it, Henry." She said as she joined him, placing her arm gently around his shoulders. "We're home."

Henry smiled up at her, and Regina smiled back, gently ruffling her son's hair. Hook turned the ship toward the harbor, and they all watched as a crowd of their friends and loved ones began gathering at the edge of the docks. Regina's heart began to race, her eyes scanning the crowd frantically, searching for the woman she loved. The last she heard, Shae had been bitten by the werewolf Aela. She had given the mermaid Ariel instructions about how to save her, but the young mermaid never returned to Neverland. She had no idea if Shae was even still alive, and she grew more and more anxious when she didn't spot her among the crowd.

The crowd clapped and cheered as the crew of The Jolly Roger descended down the gangplank. As the others were greeted with hugs and handshakes from their friends and families, Regina continued to search the crowd for Shae. When she still didn't see her anywhere, she began looking for Ariel, or Belle, or even Ruby, anyone who might be able to give her some news about the woman she loved. Finally, she spotted Belle among the crowd, sharing a tearful embrace with Mr. Gold.

"I knew I'd see you again." Belle was telling the man she loved.

"That's the last time I don't listen to you." Gold replied with a smile.

"Belle!" Regina said as she rushed over to them, her heart racing wildly. "Belle, where's Shae? Is she alright?"

"Yes, yes she's fine, she's alright." Belle replied in a rush. "Or… At least, I-I think she is."

The hopeful smile that had crept across Regina's face suddenly disappeared. "What do you mean, 'you think?'"

Belle exchanged a quick, anxious glance with Mr. Gold, who was looking concerned. "Well, w-we saved her from the werewolf bite, did everything you told Ariel to do." Belle answered quickly. "But… Afterwards she sort of… Went into a frenzy, like you said she might. She… Attacked Ruby, and then ran off into the woods. But… But that was days ago. I'm sorry but… No one has seen her since then."

Regina nodded slowly, biting her lip as tears began to well into her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Regina." Belle said sadly, gently taking Regina's hand. "When I saw the ship coming in, I asked Ruby to go search the woods for her again. Maybe… Maybe she'll find her."

Regina nodded again, smiling weakly at the young woman. She removed her hand from Belle's, and turned away from her and Gold, walking slowly back over to the ship. She kept her back turned away from the crowd as she fought back her tears. She was immensely relieved to learn that Shae was indeed alive, but her heart ached terribly with her absence. All around her families and friends were sharing joyous reunions, and the one person that would actually be happy to see her, the one person she had thought about every day in Neverland, wasn't there to greet her.

"Honestly, there were a few times that I didn't think we'd ever make it out of that place." Emma was saying to Granny and the seven dwarves.

"Yeah, I'll say." David agreed with a chuckle.

"All that matters is that we did make it out, and that Henry is safe." Mary Margaret said. "And we owe it all to Regina."

The crowd began muttering in astonishment, and Regina turned around, finding Mary Margaret smiling warmly at her. Regina furrowed her brow, biting her lip anxiously when all eyes turned onto her.

"Seriously?" Leroy asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically at Mary Margaret.

"It's true." Emma replied with a nod. "Regina was the one that stopped Pan, and she bound his shadow to the sail. If it wasn't for her… We wouldn't have had a way home."

"She was a real hero." Said David, also smiling at Regina.

The crowd began murmuring again, their eyes filled with awe and wonder at learning that the once terrifying Evil Queen had suddenly become a hero. Regina bit her lip again, all the attention and open praise making her anxious. She turned to walk away, but was stopped by Emma, who grabbed her by the arm.

"Hey! Have you heard anything about Shae?" Emma asked her, looking concerned. "Is… Is she alright?"

"She's fine." Regina answered with a small smile. "Belle told me that they were able to save her from the werewolf bite, but she's… Been missing for days, apparently. Ruby is out looking for her right now."

Emma nodded, looking slightly relieved. "I'm sorry, Regina. I… I know you were really looking forward to seeing her."

"Yes… Yes, I was." Regina replied quietly, smiling sadly.

"I'm sure Ruby will find her." Emma said in a hopeful tone. "She's a great tracker, I'm sure she'll-"

"Hey!"

Emma and Regina both turned around, and found Ruby herself hurrying toward them, as if she had been summoned by Emma's very words. She exchanged a quick and excited hug with Emma, and Regina glanced over their shoulders, searching for Shae. Her heart sunk when she realized that Ruby had come back alone.

"Ruby, did you find Shae?" Regina asked her worriedly. "I-Is she alright?"

Ruby shook her head, her eyes immensely sad. "I'm sorry, Regina. I tracked her scent for a while but I lost it. I… I don't think she wants to be found just yet."

Regina nodded, giving the young she-wolf a small smile. "I see. Thank you… For looking, and for saving her. I am… Relieved to know that she's alright."

Ruby exchanged a sorrowful glance with Emma, and Regina turned away before either of them could say anymore. She squeezed her eyes shut, biting down hard on her bottom lip as tears began leaking out of her eyes. She knew that Shae was only trying to protect the people of Storybrooke from her own blood lust, but she so desperately wanted to see her. All she wanted was to be back in the arms of her true love.

The crowd eventually dispersed, and the people who had just returned from Neverland retreated to their homes for some much needed rest. A little while later, they reconvened at Granny's Diner, where a welcome back party was being thrown in their honor. Regina was reluctant to attend, her heart still heavy with Shae's absence, but she decided it would be best to go, for Henry's sake alone.

Regina was forced to watch as Rumplestiltskin and Belle clung to each other's hands, and Wendy was once again reunited with her brothers after many, many years apart. Even Tinkerbell had her own rather icy reunion with Mother Superior, aka The Blue Fairy, who had once been her mentor. In attempt to further reconcile with Tink, Regina attempted to convince Mother Superior to give Tink her wings back, but Mother Superior insisted that she couldn't. Regina bought the former fairy a drink, and the two sat at the counter together, both feeling quite miserable.

After having to watch Mr. Gold kiss the woman he loved for the umpteenth time, Regina had finally had enough. She got up from the counter, grabbed her jacket from the coat rack, and quickly and quietly stepped out of the diner. She started down the sidewalk away from the diner, clenching her fists inside the pockets of her coat as more tears began welling in her eyes.

"Hey! Regina, wait!"

Regina stopped, and turned slowly around to find Emma hurrying after her. "Hey, you ok?" Emma asked her concernedly.

Regina nodded, giving her a small smile. "I'm… I'm fine. I just think it's time for me to go home."

Emma sighed sadly. "Regina I… I'm sorry Shae's not here. I'd really like to see her too, but… But she's just trying to keep everyone safe, you know?"

"Yes, I know." Regina replied. "The same thing happened the last time she was bitten. The human blood, it was… Too much for her to handle. She disappeared into the woods for days."

"Regina…" Emma suddenly muttered, staring wide eyed over Regina's shoulder.

Regina, however, didn't notice, and continued talking as she stared down at the ground. "The last time she had Remus to help her through the bloodlust, but here she's… Alone. I don't know how-"

"Regina!"

"What?" Regina demanded irritably.

She finally noticed Emma gazing at something over her shoulder, and when she turned around, she gasped. Walking down the sidewalk toward them, with her hands in the pockets of her leather jacket, and a lit cigarette hanging out of her mouth, was Shae. She appeared to be deep in thought, her eyes focused down on the ground. When she finally glanced up, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her cigarette fell out of her mouth and onto the sidewalk as her mouth gaped open in shock.

"Regina?" She breathed, her blood red eyes wide as saucers.

Regina nodded silently, and Shae's pale face lit up with pure joy. "Regina!"

Emma drew back a step, watching with a wide smile on her face as Shae broke into a run. Regina choked out a sob as Shae swept her up into her arms, and she wrapped her arms tightly around her neck, gently squeezing a fistful of the hair on the back of Shae's head, sobbing with shocked and greatful joy.

"Oh my god…" Shae breathed, her own eyes shining with tears. "Are you really here? I'm not dreaming, am I?"

Regina laughed, placing her hands gently on either side of Shae's face. "You don't sleep. How could you be?"

Shae laughed too. "You're right. You're here, you're actually here!"

Regina nodded, and Emma turned away respectfully as Shae kissed her. Regina sighed contentedly, more tears of joy leaking out of her eyes. The entire rest of the world melted away as the two lovers kissed. For a moment, nothing else existed, nothing else mattered except for the two of them. They were finally back in each other's loving arms once again.

"Oh god… Regina, I missed you so much." Shae whispered when they broke apart, pressing her forehead to Regina's.

"I missed you too." Regina whispered back, gently caressing her lover's face.

Shae then finally noticed Emma, and her face lit up once again. "Emma! Hey!"

Emma laughed as Shae rushed over to her, wrapping her in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're ok!" Emma said as she hugged the vampire. She then stepped back, looking Shae up and down. "You are ok, right? I mean, you look ok."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, I promise." Shae replied with a smile.

"Hey, Emma, is everything ok? I heard-" Ruby started to say as she poked her head out of the diner's door. She stopped when she saw Shae, and she gasped audibly. "Shae!"

Ruby ran toward her, and Shae laughed as she threw herself into her arms. As Shae hugged Ruby tight, Belle stepped out of the diner, following her friend, and her face lit up with joy.

"Hey! You guys, Shae's back!" Belle called through the open door.

Belle gave Shae a tight and grateful hug as Leroy and his fellow dwarves rushed out of the diner. "There she is! The town hero!" Leroy exclaimed excitedly.

Shae was quickly lost from Regina's sight as more people flooded out of the diner, rushing to greet the vampire that had saved all their lives. Shae was bombarded with hugs, handshakes, and pats on the back by the dwarves, Ariel, Granny, Mary Margaret and David, and even Neal.

"Neal! Holy shit, you're alive!" Shae exclaimed as she hugged him.

"Eh, it takes more than a bullet and a portal to another world to kill me." Neal replied with a grin.

Shae laughed, her eyes wide with surprise. "Damn, I guess so!"

"Shae! Good to see you alive and well." Said Mr. Gold, shaking Shae's hand as he joined the group. "It appears I owe you my thanks."

Gold smiled affectionately at Belle, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Belle told me all about how you sacrificed your own life to save her. I will be forever in your debt."

Shae exchanged an anxious glance with Belle, and gave a modest shrug. "Uh, well, it really wasn't that big a deal, you know?"

Belle laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Shae, you threw yourself in front of a giant, rampaging werewolf for me."

"It was definitely a big deal." Leroy said, lightly punching Shae's arm.

"Indeed. No need to be modest, dearie." Gold said with a warm smile. "Please, if you ever need anything, you only have but to ask."

"Come on, I owe you a drink, sister." Leroy said, grinning up at the vampire.

"We all do!" Said Happy, patting Shae on the back once again.

"Seven drinks, huh? I'm holding you guys to that." Shae replied, grinning back at them. She then noticed Regina, who had stepped back as the others all greeted their vampire savior. "I'll uh… I'll be right in."

The group gathered out on the sidewalk all turned away, returning to the diner as Shae pulled Regina into her arms again, kissing her in a way that would make even the most stoic of people blush. Regina smiled against her lover's lips, wrapping her arms tightly around her. They stood there on the sidewalk together for a long moment, not caring if anyone was watching. They were too happy to care, too grateful to be back together again.

Regina and Shae finally broke away from their passionate embrace, and followed after everyone else, into Granny's Diner. Once inside, they sat around a table with Emma, her parents, and Neal. Shae was given seven glasses of whiskey by the dwarves, as promised, which she decided to share with everyone else, rather than drink them all herself.

"Oh! Uh, here, you can definitely have this back." Shae suddenly said, sliding the Sheriff's badge she had been carrying around across the table to Emma. "I _do not_ want it any more. Damn thing almost killed me."

They all laughed as Shae eyed the badge warily. They talked and drank merrily, sharing stories about what had happened in Storybrooke and Neverland in the past few weeks. As they talked, Shae draped her arm around Regina's shoulders, and Regina intertwined her fingers with Shae's, stealing kisses from her whenever possible.

"What is it?" Regina asked her lover when she noticed Shae staring at her.

"Nothing, it's just…" Shae began, smiling down at her. "I've been dreaming about seeing that smile again for weeks."

Regina smiled, the very smile that made Shae's unbeating heart flutter. She tilted her head up, gently placing her hand on Shae's cheek as she kissed her.

"Jesus, and I thought these two were bad." Emma muttered, rolling her eyes and pointing her thumb over at her parents.

Everyone at the table broke out in laughter once again when Shae slowly raised up her middle finger, her lips still locked with Regina's. They sat around the table, sharing drinks and stories for a long while. The smile on Shae's face grew wider and wider as Neal, Emma, and her parents recounted to her all the things that had happened in Neverland, and all the things Regina had done to save their lives. Regina was grateful when they finally changed the subject, all the attention once again making her anxious. She grew even more so when she noticed that Shae had suddenly gone strangely quiet, and she kept catching her lover staring down at her, every time chewing on her lip ring the way she often did when she was nervous.

"Shae, are you alright?" Regina finally asked when the others began talking amongst themselves. "You're awfully quiet."

Shae didn't respond right away. She stared down at Regina, nervously chewing on her lip ring once again. "Um, yeah, I-I just…" She finally responded in an anxious stammer. "I need to… I need to talk to you, in uh… In private. Come on."

Regina's brow furrowed in concern as Shae rose from her chair. The Charmings, Emma, and Neal all gave her a puzzled look, and Regina shrugged at them, hurrying after Shae as the vampire pushed through the crowd toward the back of the diner. Regina's heart began hammering hard in her chest as Shae led her out of the diner's back door and into Granny's Bed and Breakfast. In all the years she had known Shae, she had never seen her in such an anxious and agitated state. Something must be very wrong.

"Shae, what is wrong?" Regina demanded as they stopped in the dark and empty common area of the hotel. "You're acting very-"

Her words were cut off as Shae took her into her arms, kissing her lips once again. Regina sighed, instantly melting in her lover's arms as she kissed her. It was the kind of kiss that left her breathless, the kind that set her heart racing. When Shae finally pulled away, Regina swayed on her feet slightly, the room spinning all around her.

Shae sighed heavily, smiling as she pressed her forehead to Regina's. "God, I missed you so much." She whispered. "These last few weeks without you have been… Just… The fucking worst."

Regina laughed, nodding in agreement. "I definitely have to agree. I never want to do it again."

Shae suddenly stared deep into her eyes, a strange sort of smile on her face. "Good. I don't either."

Shae leaned in, kissing her gently once again. Regina breathed out a contented sigh, and she wrapped her arms around Shae's neck. Her brow furrowed, and pulled back slightly when she felt Shae's lips trembling beneath her's.

"Shae… Are you alright?" Regina asked her worriedly. "You're shaking."

Shae glanced down at her quivering hands, nodding hastily. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I… I just… Um…"

Shae sighed, gently taking Regina's hands in both of her's. "Regina… I…" She began quietly. "I-I'm… So glad to hear about all the things you did in Neverland. I'm so happy that you're actually going down the path to real change."

Regina smiled up at her. "Yes it… It seems we both are."

Shae smiled back, and laughed lightly. "Yeah… Yeah I guess we're both turning into sort of… Heroes, or something. I dunno… It… It kinda feels nice, doesn't it?"

Regina nodded slowly in agreement. "Yes, it… It really does."

Shae nodded too, then gently caressed Regina's cheek with her cold, pale hand. "I just… I want to keep going down that path with you." She went on, smiling tenderly into her lover's eyes. "Through all the… The twists a-and turns and… Speed bumps, potholes, or… Or, whatever, you know? I-I want to… To be by your side, through all of it."

Regina's brow furrowed again as she listened to Shae's heartfelt but anxious stammering. "Oh, Shae…" She whispered, gently and soothingly rubbing her arm. "Shae, that's… That's all I want too."

Shae nodded in a satisfied sort of way, and smiled at her again. "Good. Cuz, uh… There's… There's something I want to ask you."

Regina watched curiously as Shae removed the ring that she wore from her own finger, holding it between both her thumbs and forefingers. Shae had always worn it for as long as Regina could remember. It had a thick, silver band, with some sort of strange symbol etched into both sides. The stone itself was rather large, round, smooth, and black as the night sky.

"I-I know it's not a… A diamond, so it's not exactly, y-you know… Traditional." Shae said, stammering awkwardly again as she stared down at the ring in her hands. "But, uh… Well, we've never exactly been a traditional sort of couple, so, uh-"

"Shae…" Regina breathed, her eyes wide. "W-What… What are you saying?"

Shae finally glanced up from the ring and into Regina's eyes. She smiled again, and Regina gasped, clapping her hand over her mouth as Shae dropped down onto one knee. Shae gently took her hand, holding the ring up in the other. For a moment, the room around them seemed to disappear, fading away hazily into the background. All Regina saw was her true love, on one knee before her. Shae smiled up at her, and tears began to well into Regina's eyes, her heart racing wildly.

"Regina… Will you-"

"Hey, guys, Archie made a cake, do you want me to- Oh!"

The intensity of their romantic moment was suddenly and rudely broken. Shae and Regina both snapped their heads to the side, finding a very surprised Mary Margaret standing in the doorway. There was a long moment of impossibly awkward silence as Mary Margaret stood rooted in her spot, both her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide as saucers. Regina stood with her hand over her mouth too, unable to move, unable to do or say anything. She stared wide eyed down at Shae, whose mouth was gaped open in horrified shock. She stared silently down at the ring in her hand, then up at Regina, then at Mary Margaret again.

"Dude!" Shae cried. "GET OUT!"

"Oh my god! Sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Mary Margaret exclaimed frantically as she scurried away.

"Jesus fucking christ…" Shae muttered, hanging her head and shaking it slowly in disbelief. She then cleared her throat, picking her head back up and turning her eyes back onto Regina. "Anyway-"

"Yes." Regina whispered.

"Huh?"

"Yes!"

"Oh! Uh… R-Really?"

"Yes, yes of course!"

Shae's pale, red eyed face lit up with pure joy. She leapt to her feet and pulled Regina into her arms, kissing her deeply and ecstatically. Regina smiled as Shae kissed her, her heart fluttering with impossible joy. Tears began to leak out of her eyes as they kissed, her head spinning.

"Uh… Marry me?" Shae asked, finally finishing her question as she pulled back slightly.

Regina gasped in apparent shock. "Oh! Oh, is that what you meant?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at her lover. "Well, in that case, I'm not sure, I suppose I'll have to think about it…"

At the absolutely mortified look on Shae's face, Regina burst into laughter. "Kidding, I'm kidding!" She cried, placing a quick kiss on Shae's lips. "Of course I'll marry you!"

Regina laughed again as Shae narrowed her eyes at her, pouting her lips slightly. "That wasn't funny…" She mumbled irritably.

Shae continued to look upset for a moment, but she then laughed as well. She smiled as she pressed her forehead to Regina's, gently slipping the ring onto her finger. Regina sighed, wrapping her arms around Shae's neck as she kissed her again, smiling against her lips.

"I love you." Shae whispered to her.

"I love you too." Regina whispered back.

They kissed again, wrapping their arms tightly around each other. They stood together in silence for a long while, their surroundings once again fading into the background as they kissed. Their hearts soared with their deep and unyielding love for each other, and neither one of them could remember a time when they had been happier.

"Well, I think that was probably the most awkward proposal in the history of ever." Shae said with a chuckle once they finally pulled away.

Regina laughed, placing a light kiss on her lips. "It was perfect." She said, smiling into her fiancee's eyes. "Well… Except for the Mary Margaret part."

Shae laughed too, shaking her head slowly in disbelief. "Yeah… That was not great."

Regina placed one more kiss on her lips, then took Shae's hand. "Come on, let's go tell Henry."

Shae nodded, lacing her fingers in with Regina's as they walked back toward the diner. Shae smiled at the woman she loved so very deeply. She had made the decision to propose to Regina quite suddenly, and she had been filled with worry that she might say no. She was immensely relieved that she had said yes, and she was so incredibly happy to start a new chapter in their lives. There was a time when Shae had thought that finding actual true love was impossible for someone like her, that Nadia had been her one chance. She now knew that it wasn't impossible. She had finally found her true love, and was prepared to spend the entirety of her life by Regina's side, no matter how long that may be.

Shae pushed open the door leading back into the diner. They walked down the hallway hand in hand, but suddenly stopped dead. The diner was dead silent, and every single eye in the room was on the two of them

"Well?" Mary Margaret asked excitedly.

Regina exchanged a glance with Shae, who gave her a shrug. She then sighed, rolling her eyes. The crowd cheered and applauded when Regina held up her hand, pointing at the ring on her finger. Shae and Regina were both lost from each other's sight as they were rushed by the crowd. The next few minutes were a blur of hugs, handshakes, and congratulatory exclamations, and Regina was shocked when she received a hug from each of the seven dwarves. She glanced over at Shae, who was looking just as baffled as she was as Granny threw her arms around her, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"So, when's the wedding?" Mary Margaret asked them with an excited smile.

"Oh, it's tomorrow, actually." Shae replied with an earnest nod. "We're gonna have it right here in the diner. Lasagna cool with everyone?"

Regina and Shae both laughed at the appalled look on Mary Margaret's face. "Kidding, I'm kidding!" Shae reassured her. "We've been engaged for literally five minutes, ok? Chill."

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes at Shae, causing her and Regina to laugh again. Regina's smile faded as Tinkerbell approached them, but it quickly returned as the former fairy gave her a tight, congratulatory hug.

"I'm so happy for you, Regina." Tink said, smiling warmly at both her and Shae. "For both of you. I'm glad you were able to find true love after all."

"Thank you." Regina said with a surprised but happy smile. "Oh, uh… Tinkerbell, this is Shae. Shae, Tinkerbell."

"Oh, yes, we've met before." Tink replied with a nod.

Shae raised an eyebrow at her. "We… We have?"

Tinkerbell's smile suddenly faded, and she clapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes growing wide with shock. It looked as if she had just said something terribly wrong.

"Um, a-actually… No… No, I-I don't think so." She stammered hastily. "Must of been, um… S-Someone else."

Shae opened her mouth to question the former fairy more, but closed it again when Tink hurried away from them. She then exchanged a curious glance with her fiancee.

"That was… Weird." She muttered.

"Yes… Very." Regina muttered as well.

Shae and Regina both shrugged off their strange and awkward encounter with Tinkerbell, returning to their seats at the table. The party inside Granny's Diner suddenly had a dual purpose. They all continued to celebrate the return of their friends that had returned from Neverland, but they also celebrated Regina and Shae's sudden engagement, the two of them continuing to receive drinks, hugs, and words of congratulations from the residents of Storybrooke. Regina was able let go of the discomfort from all the attention as she sat next to her fiancee, her arm draped over her shoulders once again. She smiled into her eyes, feeling lighter and happier than she could ever remember.

Shae, however, couldn't quite shake off her strange conversation with the fairy Tinkerbell. She couldn't quite place it, but somehow Tink seemed familiar to her. As she tried to recall exactly how she knew her, she found that her memory was strangely cloudy. Her brow furrowed as she stared across the room at Tinkerbell, who was sitting alone at the counter.

"I'll, uh… I'll be back in a bit." She told Regina, placing a quick kiss on her lips.

Regina nodded, and Shae got up from the table, leaving her fiancee to discuss wedding dresses with a positively gleeful Mary Margaret. When she sat down next to Tinkerbell, the former fairy eyed her warily, taking a large sip of her drink.

"So… It's Tinkerbell, right?" Shae asked, keeping her tone casual.

"Yeah. And you're uh… Oh what was it?" Tinkerbell replied, tapping her finger on her chin as she thought. "Um… Shaun?"

"Shae." Replied Shae, raising an eyebrow at the fairy. "But I'm pretty sure you knew that."

Tink shrugged nonchalantly, taking another sip of her drink. "How could I? I only just met you a few moments ago. Never before that. Ever. Anywhere."

Shae chuckled, shaking her head slowly as Tinkerbell stammered into silence. "You're a terrible liar, you know."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I think you do."

"No, I don't."

Shae breathed out a frustrated sigh. "Look, all I know is that you seem really familiar to me, but when I try and remember why, my memory is all… Fuzzy."

Tink eyed the vampire nervously as she leaned in close. "I know what it's like to have memories erased, and I think someone's erased mine." Shae went on, dropping her voice low. "What I don't know is who would do that, and why… But I'm pretty sure you do."

A tense silence fell between them, and Shae stared at Tinkerbell expectantly. Tink sighed in a relenting sort of way, then glanced nervously over at Regina, who was still sitting at the table, talking with Mary Margaret.

"Not here." Tink whispered to Shae.

Shae nodded, and followed Tinkerbell toward the back of the diner. Tink pushed through the diner's back door, and stopped out in the hallway, turning back to face Shae. She glanced nervously all around her, and once she found that they were alone, she went on in a low, serious tone.

"You're right, your memories were erased." Tink told her slowly. "By… By me."

Shae's blood red eyes grew wide as saucers, and her jaw dropped open in shock. "What? Why? Why would you do that?"

Tink bit her lip nervously. "Because you… You sort of, you know… Asked me to."

Shae's eyes somehow grew even wider. "I… I what?" She exclaimed, her brow furrowed in utter confusion. "Why? What happened? What did I want to forget?"

Tink bit her lip again, and she stared down at her feet. Shae waited with bated breath as the fairy took a long while to respond. When she finally gazed back up at Shae, her eyes were suddenly very sad.

"I really shouldn't tell you." She said in a darkly quiet voice. "If I do, it'll only make things more complicated. For you… And for Regina."

Shae opened her mouth to respond, then shut it again, standing in silent shock over Tinkerbell's words. She gazed out of the tiny window in the diner's back door, staring at the woman she loved sitting at the table. Things had always been complicated between her and Regina, and Shae had a feeling that their relationship would never stop being complicated. She knew that she shouldn't add any more fuel to the fire, but she had to know exactly what kind of memories Tinkerbell had taken from her.

"Just… Just tell me." Shae said sternly, folding her arms across her chest. "What exactly did I want to forget?"

Tinkerbell sighed, taking another long moment to respond. When she finally did, her voice was quiet once again, her eyes again immensely sad.

"Regina. You… Wanted to forget Regina."

Shae's mouth hung open in shock all over again, and she slowly shook her head from side to side. "N-No… I… What?"

Tink nodded slowly. "It was years and years ago, back in The Enchanted Forest." She replied. "I… Used pixie dust to cast a spell, a spell that took you to your true love."

XXXXX

"LET ME OUT OF HERE YOU ASSHOLE!"

Tinkerbell pounded her fists furiously against the glass bottle that she had been trapped inside of. A large man with brown hair and a bushy beard sneered at her as he held the bottle in his hand.

"Quite the temper you've got there, fairy." He said, laughing as Tinkerbell toppled over as he gently shook the bottle.

Tinkerbell had grown tired of constantly being chastised by The Blue Fairy, tired of all her stern and stuffy rules. She had snuck away one night, and decided to spend some time among the common folk of The Enchanted Forest. She had travelled to a small tavern, where she met a group of knights, all with blazing red suns embroidered on their armor. The leader of these knights was fascinated when she told them that she was a fairy, and he listened intently as she told him all about her magic. He and his knights bought her drink after drink as Tink complained about Blue, about how stern and stubborn she was, and about all her insufferable rules. She found the knights to be good company, and she was having a grand time drinking and blowing off steam with them.

After many pints of ale, Tink had begun to feel quite woozy. The last thing she remembered was passing out at the table where she had been sitting with her new knightley friends. When she came to the next morning, she was horrified to find that she had somehow been trapped inside a bottle, completely powerless, being carried through the forest by the very men that she had thought to be her friends.

"Who the hell are you?" Tink demanded as she staggered back to her feet inside the bottle. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Name's Van Helsing." The bearded man replied. "And as far as what I'm going to do… Well, I'm not really sure just yet. Probably should just kill you. You damn fairies are full of dark, foul magic."

"Dark magic? What the hell are you-" Tink started to question, but stopped as she was jostled off her feet again.

Her world was engulfed in darkness as the man called Van Helsing stuffed the bottle into his satchel. Tink scrambled to her feet, beating her fists furiously against the glass again. She gave up after a while, slumping down onto the bottom of the bottle. She was furious with herself, furious at the men that had captured her. She buried her face in her hands, her head aching something terrible.

"Oi! Dog breath!" A woman's voice suddenly shouted.

"YOU!" Van Helsing bellowed.

Tink was thrown forward, her forehead smacking painfully into the glass. Outside her glass prison, she heard the sounds of some sort of fight breaking out. She was jostled about wildly inside the bottle, bouncing painfully against the glass walls as Van Helsing fought his apparent attacker. Tink cried out in shock as she suddenly rose into the air, her back slamming against the top of the bottle, and screamed as she instantly shot back down again.

Her bottle was suddenly still, and she groaned as she pushed herself back to her feet. She could still only see nothing but the darkness of the inside of the satchel, but it seemed that Van Helsing had stopped moving. Tink breathed out a sigh of relief. Maybe he was dead.

"STOP!" She heard Van Helsing shout.

"Finders keepers!" The same woman from before shouted back.

Tink fell backward as the satchel started moving again. Her world was turned topsy turvy as whoever was holding the satchel began running at an alarming speed. Tink bounced wildly around inside the bottle, her head smacking against the walls over and over and over again. She was suddenly thrown forward as whoever held the satchel stopped, her forehead bouncing painfully off the glass once again. She fell to the ground, panting heavily, her head spinning.

"I think that's far enough." Came the woman's voice again. "You alright in there?"

Tink squinted into the sunlight as the satchel was opened, and she threw her arms over her head, bracing herself as the bottle was lifted slowly into the air.

"It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you. Here."

There was a loud pop as the bottle was uncorked, and Tink was suddenly pulled backward by an unseen force. She went sailing through the air, and crashed to the ground face first. She groaned painfully, and when she opened her eyes, she realized that she was lying in grass. She breathed out another sigh of relief, pushing herself up into a sitting position. She jumped when she found a strange looking woman standing before her. She was garbed head to toe in black leather armor, with a black travelling cloak draped around her shoulders, an ornate looking sword strapped to her back. She was quite tall, thin, with a short crop of messy, unkempt hair on her head, just as black as her armor. What the fairy found the most strange about this woman, and slightly alarming, was her pale gray skin, and her blood red eyes.

"Are you alright?" The woman asked, holding out a hand to her.

Tinkerbell eyed the strange looking woman warily, silently staring up into her blood red eyes. The woman sighed heavily. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." She insisted again. "If I was, I would have just kept you in that bottle, yeah?"

Tink continued to stare silently at her, but she eventually nodded. The strange woman pulled Tink to her feet as she took her hand, and she smiled warmly at the fairy.

"I'm Shae." The woman said with a nod.

"Tinkerbell." Tink replied, nodding as well. "Um… I-If you don't mind me asking… What… What exactly are you?"

Shae scoffed, seemingly offended. "What is with you people here? What a rude question!"

"Sorry! I'm sorry." Tink replied hastily. "I-I just… I can tell you have magic. A-And you don't seem to be, well… Human."

Shae sighed, running her hand through her messy black hair. "Yes, well, that's likely because I'm not." She answered, a bit irritably. "If you must know, I'm a vampire."

"A… A vampire?" Tinkerbell breathed, her eyes wide with wonder. "That's… That's amazing! I've never met a vampire before!"

"No, most people from this world haven't." Shae replied with a shrug. "It seems my kind aren't very common here."

"Wait… You're from another world?" Tink asked, her eyes growing even wider as Shae nodded. "That's fascinating! What's it like? Your world, I mean."

Shae sighed again. "Look, I'd love to tell you all about it, but I really must be going now. It was nice meeting you, Tinkerbell."

Shae nodded at her, then turned her back on the fairy, walking briskly away from her. Tink stood in silent shock for a moment, but then hurried after her, her head spinning with curiosity about the vampire from another world.

"Wait!" Tink called out, falling into step beside her. "Hold on, if you're a vampire, how are you outside during daylight? Doesn't your kind, you know… Burn up in the sun?"

Shae gave her a quick, sideways glance as she continued walking. "No, no… We haven't been weak to sunlight in centuries. We've… Evolved, since then."

"Oh… Oh I see." Tink muttered. "So… How old are you?"

Shae scoffed again, her mouth gaping open in shock. "How rude! You people are awfully rude. No manners at all."

"Sorry! I-I'm so sorry."

"Fine, it's fine." Shae grumbled in reply. "Now just… Fly on home, fairy. You can still do that, right?"

"Well, yes, but… Shae, wait!" Tink said, grabbing the vampire's arm. "There must be something I can do to repay you. I'm pretty sure you just saved my life."

Shae shrugged unconcernedly. "Yes, well, all in a day's work. Goodbye!"

Tink grabbed Shae by the arm again as she turned to walk away. "Please! There must be something I can do. Anything!"

"Look, I don't need anything from you, alright?" Shae replied heatedly. "That man that captured you, Van Helsing, he hates magic and anyone or anything that has it. When I heard he had captured a fairy I… Well, I had to do something. I don't know what he was planning to do with you, but I imagine it was nothing pleasant."

Shae sighed heavily, her eyes suddenly very sad. "Besides, it… It's sort of… My fault that he's even in this world in the first place." She went on quietly. "I've seen what he does to creatures of magic, and I… I just couldn't sit idly by while he had another in his clutches. So… You don't owe me anything, I promise."

"But I want to!" Tink cried, grabbing Shae's arm again as she once again tried to walk away. "Please, I want to do something to repay you, to… To help you."

Shae sighed irritably, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Gods above… Fine, fine. If it'll get you to leave me be."

Tink waited patiently as the vampire thought, tapping her finger against her chin. Her heart raced with excitement. If she could actually help Shae, and use her pixie dust to do it, she could prove to Blue that she deserved to be a real fairy, that she could finish her training and set out on her own. She could finally do whatever she wanted. She could finally be free.

"Alright, alright, I think I do have something you could do for me." Shae said after a few moments of silence. "I don't suppose you fairies can… Travel between worlds?"

The excited smile faded from Tinkerbell's face. "Oh… You, uh… You want to go back to your world?"

"No, not particularly." Shae replied with a grimace. "When I left, my homeland was being consumed by war, so I have no desire to go back. But… But I left someone behind there, a very dear friend. I would like to… Find him, bring him here, like we had planned from the start."

Tink bit her lip, shaking her head slowly. "I'm sorry, but… But I can't travel to other worlds. Fairy magic isn't strong enough for that."

Shae sighed sadly, nodding her head. "I see… Well, it was worth a shot. Thanks anyway."

Tinkerbell watched glumly as Shae turned away from her, once again setting off into the forest. She bit her lip, racking her brain, trying to think of something she could do for the vampire, something that could prove her worth to Blue. She suddenly gasped as an idea sprang into her mind.

"I might not be able to take you to your friend in another world." Tink called out to the vampire. "But I can take you to someone else."

Shae stopped, slowly turning around, eyebrow raised at the fairy. "Who?"

Tinkerbell smiled excitedly. "Your true love!"

Tink continued smiling as Shae gaped silently at her. Her smile then disappeared, turning into a frown as Shae burst into laughter.

"Oh, Tinkerbell, you're funny!" Shae exclaimed, shaking her head slowly in disbelief. "You're a very funny fairy."

"I'm not joking!" Tink cried, stomping angrily up to the vampire. "I just learned the spell the other day, and I have some pixie dust left so-"

"Wait, wait… What do you mean you just learned it?" Shae asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

Tink winced, biting her lip anxiously. "Right, so… I have a confession." She replied slowly. "I, um… I'm not actually… A fairy. At least not yet. I-Im still, you know… In training."

Shae burst into laughter again. "Oh my… A novice fairy wants to take me to my true love?" She said through fits of giggles. "This sure is a funny sort of day."

Tink sighed exasperatedly. "Look, I may be a novice but I can make this spell work, I know it!" She said, stomping her foot irritably. "I can use my pixie dust to take you right to your one true love, your soulmate. Don't you want to meet him?"

Shae barked out another laugh. "Well if it's a 'him' then absolutely not!" She replied. "I've never been interested in men. With all the hair, and the body odor, and those… Those… Dangly bits between their legs? Ugh, no thank you!"

"Fine! 'Her,' then!" Cried Tink, throwing up her hands in despair. "Don't you want to find her? Your one true love is out there somewhere, and I can take you to her!"

Shae laughed again, rolling her blood red eyes at Tinkerbell. "Oh, please. Just look at me!" She cried. "I'm a bloody vampire! The creature that I am is dark and evil by nature, and I'm quite sure evil creatures aren't allowed true love. You're wasting your damn time on me."

"You saved my life!" Tink replied insistently. "That doesn't seem very evil to me."

"Yes, well, perhaps I do one good thing every few years, so what?" Shae spat at her. "Doesn't make me any less evil. You don't know the things I've done."

Tink frowned again, biting her lip as she stared down at the ground. "Well… So what? Who says creatures like you can't have true love? Show me the rulebook that says that!"

Tink folded her arms across her chest, nodding stubbornly. Shae raised an eyebrow at her once again, staring at her silently as she contemplated the fairy's request. She then breathed out a defeated sigh, and nodded.

"Fine, go ahead, cast your bloody spell." She muttered bitterly.

Tink's face lit up with excitement. "Really?"

"Yes, yes. If only to prove to you that you're wrong." Shae replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Now get on with it."

Tink nodded hastily, and Shae jumped, bringing her hand up over her eyes as there was a flash of bright green light. Tinkerbell had turned back into her miniscule fairy form, fluttering in the air before the vampire. She reached into the small leather pouch tied to the belt around her waist, and pulled out a handful of pixie dust.

"Ready?" She asked Shae with an excited smile.

Shae rolled her eyes again. "Yes! Go on, get on with it!"

Tink nodded again, and Shae stood rigidly still as Tink fluttered above her head. She squeezed her eyes shut as the fairy sprinkled the pixie dust over her head, and when she opened them again, she gasped, staring down at her own body as it began glowing with a soft green light.

"Now what?" Shae asked, glancing up at Tinkerbell.

"Watch." Tink replied with a grin.

She hovered in the air before Shae, and threw another handful of pixie dust out in front of her. Shae gasped, her red eyes wide with wonder as the dust formed a green, glowing trail, shooting into the air over the trees. It continued on and on, stretching as far as the eye could see through the air.

"W-What the bloody hell is that?" Shae breathed, looking anxious.

Tinkerbell smiled down at her. "That's your happy ending." She replied excitedly. "Come on, let's go find her."

Tink pulled out her wand, and pointed it at Shae. She slowly drew it upward, and Shae gasped again as her body rose into the air.

"Oi! Woah! Wait, stop!" Shae cried out, flailing her limbs as she began to panic. "C-Can't we just, you know… Walk?"

"Walk? No way, that'd take ages!" Tinkerbell replied with a laugh as she and Shae both rose higher and higher into the air. "You don't want to keep your soulmate waiting, do you?"

Shae opened her mouth to protest, but all that came out was a terrified scream as Tinkerbell shot off along the glowing trail of dust, pulling Shae along with her. They soared over the treetops, following the trail deeper and deeper into the forest. Tinkerbell couldn't believe the spell had actually worked, and she was impossibly happy to be helping someone like Shae find her true love. She knew that if she could help a vampire find her soulmate, then The Blue Fairy would have to acknowledge her skills. She would be a full fledged fairy before long.

"Will you calm the hell down?" Tinkerbell said irritably as Shae continued to scream and cry in fright.

"I DON'T. LIKE. HEIGHTS." Shae shouted back through gritted teeth.

Tinkerbell laughed, shaking her head slowly. "A vampire that's afraid of heights? Now that's something you don't see every day."

"Oi! It's pretty common fear, you know! It's damn near- AAAHHH!"

Shae shrieked again as Tinkerbell plunged downward, following the trail of pixie dust as it stretched over a large castle, shooting down into the forest beyond it. Tink slowed their descent as they broke through the trees, and when Shae's feet touched the ground, she instantly fell on her hands and knees. There was another flash of bright green light as Tink changed back into her human sized form, and she giggled as she watched the trembling vampire.

"Bloody hell… That was awful…" Shae grumbled as she got shakily to her feet. "I'll keep my feet planted firmly on the ground from now on, thank you very much."

"Oh, don't be such a wuss." Tink chided, shoving her arm playfully. "Now, come on. Your true love is this way."

Shae trailed along behind Tinkerbell as she continued following the glowing green trail through the trees. "Where the hell are we, anyway?" She asked, gazing all around her.

Tink shrugged. "Dunno, just outside some castle." She replied, then gasped excitedly. "Maybe your true love is some sort of Queen!"

Shae chuckled, rolling her eyes at the fairy. "Oh, I highly doubt that."

They walked in silence for a little while, and Tink suddenly gasped again, spotting two people in a small clearing a few yards ahead. She grabbed Shae's arm, pulling her hastily behind a tree. They both carefully peered out from behind the trunk, and Shae's eyes grew wide when she saw a woman standing in the clearing, the trail of dust leading right toward her, her entire body glowing with a pale green light. Shae glanced down at her hands, noticing that her own body was still glowing as well.

"My god… It… It actually worked." She breathed in wonder.

Tinkerbell smiled, nodding excitedly. "Come on, let's get closer look."

Shae followed the fairy as she crept closer and closer toward the two people in the clearing. One of them was a very strange looking man. He had shoulder length, sandy brown hair, and was wearing a strange looking coat that looked to be made out of the skin of a crocodile. Shae noticed that there was something very strange about his complexion. His skin was a sort of dark golden color, and it appeared to be sparkling slightly in the sunlight.

Shae froze as a twig snapped beneath her foot, and her and Tinkerbell immediately leapt behind another tree. They pressed their backs against the trunk, staring wide eyed at each other.

"What was that?" The woman in the clearing asked.

"Don't worry yourself about the noises of the forest, dearie." Said the man. "You're getting distracted again. You need to focus!"

"I am focusing!"

"Wait a minute…" Shae suddenly muttered. "I… I know that voice."

She carefully peered around the tree, and her eyes grew even wider as she finally got a better look at her supposed one true love. She was dressed in fine leathers, her raven colored hair tied back in a long braid. Shae pressed her back against the trunk again, her head spinning.

"No… No, no, no… No…" She stammered quietly.

"What is it?" Tink asked, peeking out around the tree to get a better look at the woman herself. She then turned back to Shae, frowning slightly. "Well, I think she's quite pretty!"

"No, it's not that!" Shae replied irritably. "I… I know her."

Tinkerbell's mouth gaped open in shock. "You've… You've met her before?"

Shae nodded slowly, her blood red eyes still wide as saucers. "Her… Her names Regina." She explained quietly. "She was… She was there, the day I came to this world. I literally ran into her as I came through the portal."

Tink gasped, her eyes wide with awe. "Oh my! It… It's fate then! Your true love must be incredibly strong."

Shae shook her head vigorously. "No… No it… It can't be… It… It just can't!"

"Shae, look at me." Tink said sternly, clapping her hands on either side of Shae's face and staring very seriously into her blood red eyes. "Pixie dust doesn't lie. That woman, Regina, she's your one true love, your soulmate. She's your chance at true happiness."

When Shae only continued to stare nervously at her, Tink sighed, releasing the vampire's face. "Look, I don't really know you, but I can tell that there's been a lot of… Darkness in your past, a lot of heartache." She went on slowly. "But Regina… She's your chance at a fresh start! No more baggage, no more sorrow or anger weighing you down. You can let go of all that if… If you just go to her, right now."

Shae bit her lip, staring down at the fairly silently. She then slowly peeked out around the tree again, gazing out at Regina, her one true love. She watched curiously as Regina held out her hand, and stared intently at it, squinting her eyes. Suddenly, a ball of fire appeared in her open palm, and she glanced up at the strange looking man standing before her. She smiled excitedly at him, and when Shae saw her smile, her unbeating heart fluttered wildly. She gasped, turning back around, clutching at her chest.

"You… You felt it, didn't you?" Tink asked, her eyes just as wide as Shae's, who slowly nodded. "That's amazing! Oh, I was right, your true love _is_ strong!"

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop her head from reeling. When she opened them again, she found Tinkerbell still staring wide eyed at her, an astonished smile plastered across her face.

"You're… You're sure about this?" Shae asked her.

Tink nodded, her smile growing wider. "Absolutely."

Shae nodded too, swallowing hard, and straightening herself up. "Right, ok, um… H-How… How do I look?"

Tink frowned as she looked Shae up and down. "Well, first of all, you need to take this thing off. It's filthy."

Shae furrowed her brow as Tinkerbell untied her black travelling cloak, which was tattered and torn, spotted with mud. Tink then quickly adjusted a few of the straps on the front of her leather armor, brushing off some dirt on her shoulder. She frowned again as she stared up at Shae's messy black hair, and she gently tousled it with her fingers.

"Does it ever lie flat?" Tink asked, a bit irritably.

"No, not really." Shae answered with a shrug.

Tink sighed, pursing her lips. She then licked her fingers, and made to press down a wild strand of Shae's hair. "Oi! No, that's disgusting!" Shae cried, swatting Tink's hand away.

"Alright, alright, sorry!" Tink said, raising her hands in defeat.

She looked Shae up and down one last time, and nodded in a satisfied way. She then placed her hands on Shae's shoulders, smiling up at the vampire.

"You look great." She said. "Now… Go get her."

Shae nodded, and turned around, peering out around the trunk of the tree once again. Tinkerbell changed into her tiny fairy form with a flash of green light, and fluttered away into the air, leaving Shae to pursue her one true love. Tink's heart soared with excitement at a job well done. Her spell had worked, she had actually found true love for a vampire. She grinned, doing a somersault as she flew threw the air. She couldn't wait to tell Blue, to see the look on her face when she found out what Tink had accomplished. She would finally be a full fledged fairy, she would finally be free to use her magic the way she wanted.

XX

Later that same night, Tinkerbell went out in search for Shae, using her pixie dust to track down the vampire. She found Shae in a tavern, the very same tavern that Tink had been drinking at with Van Helsing and his knights the night before. Shae was sitting alone at a table in the back, drinking deep from a flagon of ale.

"Hey!" Tink said excitedly, sitting down across from her. "So, how'd it go?"

Shae shrugged silently, staring down into her flagon, and Tinkerbell's brow furrowed in confusion. "You should be glowing with… With new found love." She said, eyeing the vampire suspiciously. "Why aren't you glowing?"

When Shae only shrugged again, Tinkerbell gasped, placing her hand over her mouth in horrified shock. "You… You didn't go to her, did you?"

Shae sighed heavily, finally turning her blood red eyes onto the fairy. "No… I didn't."

Tink's jaw dropped open, and she shook her head slowly in disbelief. "I-I… I don't understand. Just… W-Why? Why didn't you go to her?"

"Because, I just didn't alright?" Shae exclaimed irritably. "None of your damn business, anyway."

Tink sat in utter shock and confusion as Shae got up from the table and stomped out of the tavern. Tink got furiously to her feet, and rushed after her into the night.

"Hey!" She shouted angrily. "Why the hell didn't you go to Regina? Why in the hell would you run away from true love?"

"Because everyone I've ever loved is FUCKING GONE!"

Tinkerbell flinched, stopping in her tracks as Shae rounded on her furiously. "I had true love once, alright?" Shae spat bitterly. "Do you know what happened to her? She was FUCKING. MURDERED."

Tink drew back a few steps, tears welling into her eyes as the vampire continued to bare down on her, her blood red eyes flashing with rage.

"And her brother?" Shae went on, her voice cracking with emotion. "I loved him too. It was a different kind of love, sure, but… But I loved him. He was my best friend, _my_ brother, and he's gone now too. Probably dead, just like his sister."

Shae clenched her fists, and Tink once again placed her hand over her mouth as tears leaked out of the vampire's eyes. "Everyone I love is taken away from me." Shae said in a voice barely above a whisper. "I… I can't do it again. I won't."

"Shae… Listen to me, I know-" Tink began gently.

"NO!" Shae bellowed, causing Tink to flinch away again. "Don't. I'm not interested in any more of your damn speeches about true love and happy endings and… And all that shit."

Tink bit her lip, a few stray tears leaking out of her own eyes. Shae sighed, running her shaky hands through her jet black hair. "Trust me, if Regina really is my true love, then… Then she's much better off if I stay far away from her."

Tinkerbell watched as Shae furiously wiped the tears off of her cheeks, her eyes full of pity for the vampire. Suddenly, Shae gasped, her blood red eyes growing wide as she stared down at the fairy.

"That's it." She whispered.

"W-What's it?" Tink asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

A grin slowly spread across Shae's face. "You still want to pay me back for saving your life, right?" She asked, and when Tink nodded, she went on. "Good. Then I want you to make me forget all of this. Make me forget meeting you, and finding out that Regina is my true love. Can your bloody pixie dust do that?"

Tink bit her lip, and nodded hesitantly. "Yes, but… But Shae… You don't want to do that. You can't just… Forget your true love!"

"Yes I can, and I will." Shae told her sternly. "That way, I won't ever be tempted to seek Regina out, and she'll be safe from… From whatever curse that's been placed upon me that takes away the ones I love."

Tinkerbell sighed, staring up at Shae, her eyes full of pity and sorrow once again. "Are… Are you sure that's what you want?"

Shae nodded determinedly, and Tink sighed again, hanging her head in defeat. She reached into her pouch of pixie dust once again, and pulled out a handful, stepping up to the vampire.

"Thank you." Shae said, placing her hand gently on Tink's shoulder.

Tink nodded, and tossed her pixie dust into Shae's face. Shae wrinkled her nose, stumbling back a step as her body glowed momentarily with a soft green light. Tink watched miserably as Shae blinked several times, gazing all around her in confusion. When she finally noticed Tink standing in front of her, she gave a start, drawing back a step.

"Oh! Uh, hello." She said, still looking confused. "Er, sorry, do I know you?"

Tink sighed sadly, shaking her head. "No, you don't."

Shae eyed her curiously as Tink turned around and walked away, but then shrugged unconcernedly, going back inside the tavern. Tink walked slowly down the dirt path, shoulders hunched, her heart heavy with sorrow. She stopped suddenly when a glowing blue light caught her eye, and she gasped as The Blue Fairy fluttered down from the sky, hovering before her. There was a flash of blue light, and Blue shifted into her human sized form, her expression sad and disappointed.

"H-Hey, Blue!" Tink stammered chipperly. "Wow, you look great today. Did you do something different with your hair?"

The Blue Fairy was obviously not amused. "I know what you did, Green."

Tinkerbell sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "My name is Tinkerbell." She said sternly. "And uh… I-I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't done anything."

Blue folded her arms as well, raising an eyebrow at Tink. "Don't play coy with me." She replied irritably. "I know you tried to use the spell I taught you to find true love for a vampire."

"Alright, yes, I did!" Tink admitted frustratedly. "But I didn't just try, I actually did it! The spell worked but… She just… She didn't want her true love. But that doesn't have anything to do with me, right? All that matters is that my spell worked!"

"The fact that it worked is _not_ the point, Gr- Tinkerbell." Blue replied. "You used your magic, which is supposed to be used for good, on a creature of darkness."

"So what?" Tinkerbell cried. "Fairies are supposed to help people, right? I helped someone! Er… Sort of."

Blue sighed, shaking her head in disappointment. "We fairies use our magic for good, to help people who are good, not evil creatures like that vampire. You've broken the rules once again, Green."

Blue then held out her hand, fixing Tinkerbell with an icy stare. "Hand over your pixie dust."

"What?" Tink exclaimed. "N-No, but I-"

"No, no buts." Blue insisted sternly. "No more chances. You are banned from using pixie dust for the time being, and you will return with me to the fairy realm, where you will continue your training under my direct supervision, understand?"

Tink sighed miserably, slowly removing her pouch of pixie dust from her belt and placing it in The Blue Fairy's hand. Blue then sighed, her expression softening as Tinkerbell hung her head in defeat.

"I know your heart was in the right place." She said, gently taking Tink's hand in hers. "But… Well, I just hope that you take all this as a lesson."

Tink glanced back up at Blue, looking confused. "A lesson about what?"

Blue sighed, glancing over at the tavern, where Shae was drinking alone inside. "That vampire you met today, she's dark and she's evil, right down to her very core." She answered quietly. "And trust me when I say, that people like her… Well, they just don't get happy endings."

XXXXX

Silence had fell between the fairy and the vampire as they stood in the hallway outside Granny's Diner. Tink stared anxiously at Shae as she stared gazed at the ground, her blood red eyes wide as she processed everything Tink had just told her.

"So… I… I knew." Shae whispered. "I-I mean, I didn't, cuz I forgot, but… I just… I should have… W-Why didn't I… Oh god…"

She stammered into silence again, burying her face in her hands. Tink bit her lip, tapping her fingers against her leg as she contemplated what she should say next.

"There's… There's something else you should know." The fairy went on slowly.

"Jesus christ…" Shae muttered, dropping her hands back to her sides. "Just… What? What is it?"

Tink stepped up close to Shae, poking her in the chest and staring very seriously into her eyes. "If you really want me to tell you, you have to promise not to tell Regina." She said in a low tone. "If she finds out I told you, she'll put my head on a spike."

Shae opened her mouth to reply, but shut it again, her head still spinning. She looked out through the tiny window again, gazing out at her fiancee. Regina was now sitting next to Henry, her arm around his shoulders. She smiled at him, and Shae's heart fluttered just like it did every time she saw her smile. She squeezed her eyes shut, rubbing her forehead as she wrestled with the decision she had to make. She had no idea what exactly it was that Tink had to tell her next, but from the look on the fairy's face, it must be something important. She knew that keeping secrets from Regina at the very start of their engagement would not bode well, but she couldn't help herself. She had to know.

"Fine, I promise." She told Tink with a nod.

Tink breathed out a sad, heavy sigh, nodding back at her. "A few weeks after I met you, I… I met Regina." She slowly explained. "She was… Miserable, being in a loveless marriage to the king. I cast the same spell on her, thinking that it would take her to you. But… But it didn't. It took her to… Someone else."

Silence fell between them as Shae's mouth gaped open in silent horror. Tink's eyes were once again filled with sadness as she watched Shae open and shut her mouth several times, trying to come up with something to say.

"W-What?" Shae breathed when she finally found her voice. "Who? Who was it?"

Tink sighed again, and shrugged. "I… I don't know his name." She replied quietly. "I just know he was in a tavern, and he had a tattoo on his arm, a tattoo of a lion."

"How do you not know his name?" Shae asked, a bit angrily. "I thought you said you used your pixie dust to take Regina to him."

"I did, but… Just like you, she ran away from her true love." Tink answered bitterly. "She never even went into the tavern to meet him."

"Oh…" Shae breathed, her eyes still wide as she nodded slowly. "So… Well, you must have done the spell wrong then, right? I'm Regina's true love, I know it. She woke me up from a sleeping curse with true love's kiss and everything, so that must mean-"

"Shae, listen." Tink cut in gently. "This is why I said that what I had to tell you would make things complicated. Pixie dust… It doesn't lie, Shae. That man from the tavern, the one with the lion tattoo, he's… Regina's true love as well."

Shae shook her head vigorously. "No… No that's not possible! That's why they call it 'one true love,' cuz there's only one! She can't have… Have two true loves… Can she?"

Tink shrugged again. "I'm not sure. It seems that way but… I just… I don't really know, I'm sorry."

Shae nodded her head slowly, running a shaky hand through her hair as she turned everything Tink had said over in her mind. "Right… I think I might know someone who does. Wait here."

Tink furrowed her brow in confusion as Shae turned around, pushing through the door back into the diner. She scanned her eyes quickly over the crowd, and finally spotted Mother Superior standing near the counter.

"Yo, Sister Act, I need to talk to you." Shae said as she approached the nun.

"What did you just call me?" Mother Superior asked indignantly.

"Sister Act. You know, the movie." Shae explained quickly. "The one about nuns? Whoopi Goldberg?"

When Mother Superior continued to look puzzled, Shae breathed out a frustrated sigh. "Just… Never mind. Come with me."

Shae grabbed Mother Superior by the arm and dragged her toward the back door of the diner. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Mother Superior protested loudly. "Get your hands off me, I don't-"

Mother Superior stopped her complaining when Shae pulled her through the door, and she found Tinkerbell anxiously waiting on the other side.

"Green?" She asked, looking surprised. "What are you doing out here?"

"It's Tinkerbell, remember?" Tink replied, a bit irritably.

"Alright, alright, just… Tell Blue here everything you just told me." Shae said to Tinkerbell quickly.

Tink sighed heavily, and nodded. Shae waited patiently but anxiously as Tink explained everything they had just talked about to Mother Superior. When Tink told her about the possibility of Regina having two true loves, the former nun didn't look at all surprised.

"Yes, I have always wondered about that myself." She muttered quietly.

"Wait a minute… You knew?" Shae asked angrily. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

Mother Superior narrowed her eyes irritably at the vampire. "Well, you'll excuse me if I've never quite had the desire to hold a polite conversation with you."

Shae groaned frustratedly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Just… Do you think… Do you think it's actually possible?"

Mother Superior exchanged a quick glance with Tink. "Well, yes, it appears it is." She replied. "Fairy dust never lies."

"I just… I don't understand how that's possible." Shae said, shaking her head vigorously.

"Well, as you know, there are forces at work greater than all of us out in the universe." Mother Superior answered. "I believe that after you chose to forget your true love, those very forces provided Regina with a… Second option. However, true love is a powerful force in itself, and you and Regina found each other regardless."

Shae sighed, placing her hands over her face once again. "Alright… So… Where the hell even is this guy with the lion tattoo?" Shae asked, shoving her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket. "D-Do you think he's here in Storybrooke?"

Mother superior slowly shook her head. "It's not likely. If he was, even under the curse, true love would have drawn him and Regina together, just as it did Mary Margaret and David."

"So, he's probably back in The Enchanted Forest then?" Asked Tink.

"Maybe he's dead." Shae said with a slight, hopeful smile.

Mother Superior narrowed her eyes at the vampire once again. "Yes, perhaps he is." She said, a bit bitterly. "Now then, are we done here?"

Shae nodded, and Mother Superior took her leave. Shae leaned her back against the wall, and slowly slid down onto the floor, staring out ahead of her at nothing in particular, her head reeling from everything she had just learned. Tink eyed her sadly for a moment, then sat down next to her. They sat in silence for a long while, Shae thinking, Tinkerbell not really knowing what to say. She could come up with no words that would comfort the vampire after learning that her true love's heart was linked to another.

"What do I do now?" Shae whispered, her eyes shining with tears.

"What is it you want to do?" Tink asked, crossing her legs and turning to face her. "Search your heart, Shae. Do you still want to marry Regina? Do you still love her?"

Shae finally turned her gaze onto Tinkerbell, and nodded slowly. "Yeah… Yeah, of course I do."

Tink smiled, patting Shae's knee. "Then there's your answer!" She said excitedly. "The man with the lion tattoo, he's not even here, he's not something you need to even worry about. Besides, your true love with Regina is stronger than anything I've ever seen. Just look at how you two met! It's no accident that she was there when you stepped through that portal. It was destiny, Shae!"

Shae nodded again, smiling back at the fairy. "Yeah… Yeah, I guess you're right."

Shae got back to her feet, helping Tink up as well. Shae then wrapped her in a tight and grateful hug, and Tink laughed, gently rubbing the vampire's back.

"Thanks, Tink." Shae told her with another smile. "I'm really glad you actually talk. In your movie you were more of the, uh… Silent type."

Tink's brow furrowed in confusion. "My what?"

"Oh, right, you don't know what movies are." Shae muttered with a frown. "Um… Well, uh… I-I don't really know how to explain that. Just… Thanks."

Tink nodded, smiling as Shae hugged her again. Tink stepped back, looking Shae up and down. She hastily adjusted Shae's leather jacket, and reached up, brushing a strand of her messy black hair away from her forehead. She then nodded again in a satisfied way.

"Now… Go get your true love." She said, smiling up at the vampire.

Shae nodded, and once again pushed through the door, hurrying back into the diner. Tinkerbell watched through the small window as Shae pulled Regina into her arms, and kissed her passionately. The two lovers smiled at each other, and Tink smiled as well. She was happy for both Regina and Shae. It seemed like The Blue Fairy had been wrong all those years ago. Maybe it really was possible for dangerous vampires and evil Queens to have happy endings.

XX

The residents of Storybrooke returned to their homes as the party at Granny's Diner drew to a close. Henry had requested to stay with Regina and Shae that night, which Shae found to be very strange. Shae had thought the boy was acting strange all night, but Regina was overjoyed by his request, so Shae decided to keep her mouth shut about it. She kept her mouth shut about the man with the lion tattoo as well, per Tinkerbell's request, and for her own general peace of mind. Tink was right, he was not something Shae needed to worry about.

Once Henry was sound asleep, Shae and Regina spent the first night of their engagement wrapped up in each other, making urgent and passionate love all throughout the night. Regina had just brought her fiancee to orgasm for the third time, and she smiled as Shae lay in her arms, resting her head between her breasts as she shivered with pleasure. As Regina gently ran her fingers through Shae's hair, she closely examined the ring on her finger. Regina had never paid much attention to it, but as she actually got a closer look at it, she found that it was a very curious ring indeed. There were two crescent moons etched into either side of the silver band, but what was most interesting was the stone itself. As Regina brought her hand closer to her eyes, she realized that there were some sort of specks inside the black stone, sparkling softly, almost like stars in the night sky.

"Where did you get it?" Regina asked her lover.

Shae tilted her head up, smiling when she saw Regina examining her ring. "Remus and I found them in an ancient elven ruin back in our homeland."

"Them?" Regina asked.

Shae propped herself up on her elbow, and nodded. "There were two of them, both forged from the same fallen star."

"A fallen star?" Regina breathed in wonder, staring wide eyed at the ring. "Are you serious?"

Shae smiled, nodding again. "Back in our homeland, there was a legend about two ancient elven lovers, basically the Romeo and Juliet of our land." Shae went on to explain. "The legend said that the woman was the daughter of a powerful elven lord, and the man was just the lowly son of a blacksmith. When they fell in love, the woman's parents were furious, and they sent their daughter away to another kingdom, to marry some other elven lord or something."

Shae paused, taking Regina's hand in her's, gently brushing her thumb over the ring on her finger. "Before his lover was sent away, the man found a fallen star. He crushed it up into dust, and used it to forge two rings. He gave her the one that he had carved two suns into, since she was the light of his life. He kept the one etched with moons for himself, since he was the moon in her sky, lighting her way through the darkness."

Regina smiled up at her lover, gently running her fingers up and down her arm. "That's quite romantic."

"Yeah, the elves were pretty damn corny that way." Shae chuckled in reply. "Imagine hundreds of Shakespeares, except with pointy ears and magic."

Regina chuckled too. "So… Is this stone really made of stardust?"

"Well, the stone is actually obsidian." Shae explained. "But there's stardust inside."

"What exactly is the purpose of the stardust?"

"I'm glad you asked, cuz that's the really awesome part." Shae said, grinning excitedly. "The stardust is magical, and when the two rings are close to each other, the stardust will glow, and the closer the rings are, the brighter the dust glows. The elven lovers used the rings to find each other again, and they ran away together, to live happily ever after, or, you know… Whatever. And Remus and I used them to find each other any time we got separated. Saved us from some pretty sticky situations a few times too."

"So… So Remus has the other ring?" Regina asked.

Shae sighed, nodding sadly. "Yeah… That's why the dust isn't glowing at all. He's… He's not even in this world."

Regina frowned as Shae's eyes suddenly grew immensely sad. She sat forward, and pressed a gentle kiss on her fiancee's lips. "I'm sorry… I… I miss him too."

Shae smiled, gently caressing her cheek. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll see him again some day. He always has a way of turning up when you least expect it."

Regina nodded, placing another kiss on Shae's lips. Regina sighed, wrapping her arms around the woman she loved, holding her tight as their lips parted. When they pulled away, Regina smiled into her fiancee's blood red eyes.

"So… Once we're married, who's going to take whose last name?" Regina asked of Shae.

"Well, I don't really have a last name, so I guess I'll take yours." Shae replied with a shrug. "Unless you count the one I used when I was out in this world, but I just sort of… Made it up."

"What was it?"

"Cormac."

"'Shae Cormac.'" Regina muttered, testing the name on her lips. "I… Like it. Where did you get it from?"

Shae shrugged again. "I dunno, it kind just popped into my head one time when someone asked me what my last name was. Got a nice ring to it, but uh… I don't know."

"Maybe… We could make up our own last name." Regina offered with a smile.

Shae gasped excitedly. "Oh! Yeah! How about… 'Shae and Regina Skywalker?'"

Regina laughed, shaking her head slowly. "No, no, absolutely not."

Shae laughed too, placing a quick kiss on her lips. "Honestly, I don't really care. I just want you to be my wife."

Regina smiled as Shae kissed her again, wrapping her arms around her neck. "Speaking of which…" Regina said, pulling away slightly. "What do you want me to call you? After we're married, I mean."

Shae's brow furrowed in confusion. "Uh, well… I mean, 'Shae' is still fine. But if you want to call me something else then I guess that's ok."

Regina laughed again. "I meant… Well, you'll call me your wife. But for you… Well, 'wife' just doesn't really seem… Well… You."

"No, it doesn't, does it?" Shae muttered, glancing away from Regina as she pondered. "How about… Partner?"

Regina thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I like it. You'll be my partner in love, and my partner in crime."

Shae laughed, grinning cheekily at her. "Well, I pretty much always have been your partner in crime. I love it."

"I love _you_." Regina said, smiling into her lover's eyes.

"I love you too." Shae replied, smiling back.

The two lovers kissed again, and Regina giggled happily as Shae rolled onto her back, pulling Regina on top of her. Shae wrapped her arms around the woman she loved as she kissed her again, sighing contentedly as Regina ran her fingers through her soft, messy hair. After another round of passionate and vigorous love making, Regina fell asleep peacefully in her fiancee's arms. Shae held her close, pressing gentle kisses along her neck and shoulders any time she stirred. The two lovers lie there in each other's loving embrace all throughout the night, completely unaware of the utter chaos that would ensue the very next day.

XX

The next morning, Regina awoke alone in her bed. For a moment, her heart was filled with panic. Had last night been some sort of dream? She then noticed Shae's clothes scattered around her bedroom floor amongst her own, and she breathed out a sigh of relief. She quickly got out of bed, and donned her robe. She poked her head into Henry's room, and smiled when she found her son sleeping peacefully in his bed. She carefully shut Henry's bedroom door again, and made her way down the stairs. As she neared the kitchen, she smell of pancakes being cooked wafted through the air. She smiled when she found Shae standing at the stove, whistling an upbeat tune.

"Good morning, beautiful." Shae said with a smile, turning around as Regina entered the kitchen.

Regina smiled too as Shae gently took her in her arms, kissing her tenderly. "I didn't know you could cook." Regina said with a surprised laugh.

"Just because I don't eat, doesn't mean I can't cook." Shae replied with a grin.

Regina laughed as Shae kissed her again, wrapping her arms around her neck. "Besides…" Shae whispered, pulling away from her lips. "There, uh… A different kind of breakfast I'm interested in."

Shae placed her hands on Regina's hips, and gently pushed her backwards against the counter. She grinned deviously into Regina's eyes, and kissed her again, slowly undoing the silk belt of Regina's robe. Shae's grin broadened as she admired Regina's naked body underneath her robe.

Shae leaned in for another kiss, but Regina placed her hands on her chest, pushing her back slightly. "Shae, Henry is right upstairs!"

"Don't worry, I'll be able to hear him coming." Shae replied with another grin.

Regina didn't resist this time as Shae kissed her urgently. She bit her lip as Shae pulled away from her lips and got down on her knees. Regina gasped, moaning softly as Shae placed a slow, gentle kiss between her legs.

"Oh, Shae… Oh god, I missed you." She whispered lustily as Shae began licking her from end to end.

"I missed you too." Shae whispered back, grinning up at her.

Regina moaned again as Shae found her clit, slowly and gently massaging it with her tongue. She dug her fingers into the edge of the counter, biting into her bottom lip as she reveled in the sensations Shae's tongue was providing her with. She grinned as Shae gently ran her fingertips up and down the underside of her thighs, gently teasing her lover with her soft touch.

Shae stopped, and Regina jumped, both of them startled as the landline phone began ringing. Regina decided to ignore it, and Shae laughed as she grabbed a fistful of her hair, shoving her face back into her womanhood. Regina bit her lip again, trying to remain quiet as Shae began licking her furiously. She gasped, a deep moan escaping her lips as Shae inserted two fingers inside her, and began pumping them vigorously.

"Oh god… Oh, Shae… Yes!" Regina whispered, digging her nails into Shae's scalp.

Shae lifted one of Regina's legs, placing it over her shoulder. Regina threw her head back, gasping loudly as Shae thrust her fingers even deeper inside her. Shae had always had a knack for finding the exact spot that drove her lover wild, and another moan escaped out of Regina's lips as she found it, working it harder and harder.

"God dammit!" Regina cried as the phone rang once again.

She pushed Shae away from her, and stomped irritably over to the phone. Just as she was about to reach for it, Shae wrapped her arms around her waist, pulling her back. Regina drew in a sharp breath through her teeth as Shae bit in to the tender flesh of her neck.

"Leave it." Shae whispered in her ear.

Regina gasped as Shae slipped her hand down between her legs, gently stroking her finger across her already wet and swollen clit. Regina leaned back into her lover, tilting her head back and kissing her softly.

"You know as well as I do that they'll just keep calling." Regina whispered to her.

Shae breathed out a disappointed sigh, removing her hand from between Regina's legs. She kept her arms wrapped around her waist as she answered the phone, and Shae pressed against Regina's back, placing gentle kisses up and down her neck.

"What?" Regina suddenly exclaimed into the phone. "Oh my god… W-We'll be right there."

"What is it?" Shae asked in concern as Regina turned around, her brown eyes wide with shock.

"I-Its… Mother Superior." She breathed. "She's been murdered."

Shae and Regina hastily got dressed, and roused Henry from his peaceful slumber. They took the boy with them as they got in Regina's car, and raced to the convent. When they arrived, they found Emma, her parents, Neal, Tinkerbell, and Hook all gathered on the steps leading up to the convent. The others watched as Emma and David covered Mother Superior's body with a blanket.

Regina and Shae were both horrified to find out that Mother Superior had been killed by Peter Pan's shadow, who they had all assumed was still trapped in the mainsail of The Jolly Roger. Neal, Tinkerbell, and Hook left to retrieve the hollowed out coconut with the candle inside that they had used to trap Pan's shadow in Neverland, and the others stayed behind to discuss what to do next. They all were perplexed, knowing full well that there was only one person that could control the shadow, and that was Pan himself. However, Pan was trapped inside Pandora's Box, or so they all thought.

"You have to get Henry out of here." David said to Regina. "Pan is likely still after him, he's not safe out in the open."

"You guys will protect me, right?" Henry asked, looking up at Shae and his mother.

"Of course we will, kid." Shae said, patting him gently on the shoulder. "Nothing's going to happen to you, I promise."

"Come on, we'll go to my vault. You'll be safe there." Regina told her son with a gentle smile.

Regina wrapped her arm around Henry's shoulder, and Shae followed after them as they turned to walk back toward the car.

"Regina, wait!" Emma said suddenly, hurrying after them.

Regina and Shae both stopped, and Henry continued walking, stopping and waiting patiently by Regina's car. Emma gazed over at her son anxiously for a moment, then back at Regina.

"Just, uh… Keep a close eye on him, ok?" She said in a low voice. "He doesn't really… Seem like himself."

Regina narrowed her eyes at Emma. "Why? Because he asked for me?"

"No! I-I didn't… I didn't mean-" Emma stammered.

"That's exactly what you meant." Regina spat bitterly, taking an angry step toward her. "You can't stand the fact that I'm his mother too. And maybe, just maybe, he wants me when he's frightened. You forget, I have ten years of soothing his nightmares under my belt. He's fine."

Emma sighed heavily. "Regina, it's not you, I promise. I just… I have a gut feeling that something's off, ok?"

"Well then, maybe you can use that gut of yours to find Pan's shadow instead of worrying about who's going to comfort our son." Regina retorted fiercely.

Emma sighed again, turning to Shae. "Shae, can you please… Shae?"

Shae, who had been staring silently down at her cell phone, finally glanced up. "Hm?"

"What the hell are you doing?" Emma asked her.

Shae glanced between Emma and Regina, then back down at her phone. She then held it up, pointing at the screen. "Angry Birds." She said innocently. "I just beat level twelve!"

Emma sighed once again, and Regina rolled her eyes at her fiancee. "How is it that I ended up with a two-hundred year old child?" She asked, shaking her head bemusedly.

"Just lucky, I guess!" Shae replied with a quirky grin.

Regina rolled her eyes again, and grabbed Shae's arm, leading her toward the car. They drove speedily out to the cemetery and, once there, Regina went inside with Henry, sealing the doors behind her. She left the key with Shae, and instructed her to wait outside and keep watch for Pan, his shadow, or anyone or anything else that might try and harm Henry. Shae agreed, and she stood leaning against the wall of Regina's father's mausoleum, once again staring down at her phone, playing Angry Birds.

"God damn, fucking pigs." She muttered angrily.

"Shae! Shae, help!"

Shae gave a start, her phone falling from her hands. She quickly unlocked the doors to the mausoleum, and pushed aside the coffin once inside. She found Henry standing at the bottom of the hidden staircase, looking panicked.

"Come quick!" He exclaimed, his eyes wide. "It's my mom! Somethings wrong!"

Shae raced down the steps, and when they turned the corner, the vampire gasped. Regina was lying face down on the ground, seemingly unconscious.

"REGINA!" Shae shouted, rushing over to her.

Shae carefully rolled her over, and shook her by her shoulders, gently patting her cheeks. "Regina? Regina!"

When her fiancee's eyes didn't open, Shae began to panic. "God dammit… W-What the hell happened?" She asked Henry.

"I-I don't know! She just collapsed!" Henry cried in reply.

Shae glanced back down at Regina, but something lying on the floor near her caught the vampire's eye. She reached out, gingerly picking up a small, white bottle. She carefully examined it, running her finger across the fine, white powder gathered on the rim. She gently rolled the powder around between her thumb and forefinger, and gave it a gentle sniff.

"You sure about that?" Shae asked Henry quietly, slowly rising to her feet. "Or did you use this sleeping powder to knock her out?"

Shae turned around to face the boy, who was looking perplexed. He opened his mouth to respond, but then shut it again, sighing heavily as he hung his head. When he glanced back up at Shae, the look on his face sent shivers down the vampire's spine. It was a look that Shae had never once seen on Henry's face. It was a look of pure, unadulterated malice.

"Finally figured it out, have you?" Henry sneered at her.

"You're not Henry at all, are you?" Shae asked him quietly, her red eyes wide with shock. "I'm gonna guess… Pan?"

The boy that wasn't Henry smirked at her, giving the vampire a small nod. "That's right. You're not as stupid as you look after all."

The small white bottle fell from Shae's hand, and her eyes began to glow a bright, neon red. She outstretched her arm at Pan, his body slowly rising into the air.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Pan said with a grin as Shae held him hovering in the air. "You don't want to hurt poor Henry."

"You're not Henry!" Shae snarled at him.

"No, but I am in his body." Pan replied, still grinning despite his predicament. "And whatever you do to this body, you do to Henry."

Shae kept her hand outstretched at Peter Pan inside Henry's body, holding him in the air as she contemplated his words. She then slowly lowered her arm, her eyes fading back to normal as Pan's feet touched the ground again.

"I'm sorry we had to meet like this, Shae." Pan said, the evil tone in Henry's voice giving Shae chills. "Perhaps in another time, we would have been allies."

"I highly doubt that." Shae spat viciously.

"No? Well, not now, at least, but perhaps before." Pan said with a shrug, slowly pacing back and forth in front of Shae. "You know, I used to hear the most bone chilling stories about The Evil Queen and her vampire from The Enchanted Forest. I have to say, I'm rather disappointed. It was much too easy to incapacitate Regina, and you, well… You're simply going to let me go."

"Why in the hell would I do that?" Shae snarled, glowering at Pan.

"Because you're weak."

"You obviously don't know me very well."

"I think I know you well enough." Pan replied with another shrug. "I know that you wouldn't do anything to harm the son of the woman you love. Or, I suppose I should say 'fiancee' now. I don't believe I got to say congratulations on your engagement."

Shae clenched her fists, watching silently as Pan stepped over to a crevice in the stone wall, opening the small wooden box lying within it. He picked up the small scroll that was inside, and stepped back over to Shae, grinning darkly at her.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you? Love is nothing but weakness." Pan sneered at the vampire. "It's made you soft, you and your Queen. Which is why you're going to let me take this scroll, and walk out of here unharmed."

Shae squatted down infront of Pan, to better glare into his eyes that were actually Henry's. "We're gonna find a way to put you back in your own body, Pan." Shae said in a dark and dangerous tone. "And when we do, I'm coming for you, so you best be fucking ready."

Pan chuckled, patting the vampire on the shoulder. "Oh, I'll be ready. The question is… Will you?"

Shae straightened back up, glaring at the back of Pan's head as he walked away with the scroll in hand. Shae had no idea what exactly that scroll was, but in Pan's hands, she knew it did not bode well for the town of Storybrooke. She rushed back over to Regina, kneeling at her side as she shook her by the shoulders once again.

"Regina? Regina, wake up!" She shouted desperately, tears welling into her eyes. "Dammit, come on… Please, please wake up."

When Regina continued to remain motionless, her eyes still closed, Shae snarled in frustration. She leapt to her feet, bellowing out a roar of rage, slamming her fist into the wall. The stone wall cracked and crumbled around Shae's fist as she punched it over and over and over again. She finally stopped, her chest heaving with rage, and she kicked a nearby trunk, sending it flying across the room, various books and objects scattering about the vault.

"WHY?" Shae screamed into the air. "WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING?"

She sunk back down to the ground, leaning her back against the wall, tears streaming out of her eyes as she gazed over at Regina's unconscious body lying across the room from her.

"Why is it that every time I think I can finally sit back and enjoy my life with the woman I love, something fucking terrible happens?" Shae asked out loud.

Shae wasn't exactly sure who she was talking to, who or what exactly was responsible for constantly intervening in her and Regina's life. Whether it was god, or gods, or simply fate itself, Shae didn't know. All she knew was that she was angry at whatever force that was doing this to her and the people that she cared about most.

"Is it the vampire thing?" She questioned again. "Are we just fucking cursed or something? That doesn't really seem fair, you know. But… I guess that's kinda the point, right? 'Life's not fair.' I get it, I get it…"

Shae sighed heavily, closing her eyes as she leaned her head back against the wall. They suddenly snapped open as Shae's extra sensitive hearing picked up footsteps from outside the mausoleum, several sets of footsteps. She rose to her feet, bending her knees and readying herself for whoever was coming. She relaxed as Emma rounded the corner down the steps, followed closely by her parents, and Mr. Gold.

"Regina!" Mary Margaret exclaimed, rushing over to her.

"We're clear down here!" Emma called up the steps, then turned to Shae. "What happened?"

"It's Pan, he switched bodies with Henry." Shae spat bitterly.

"Yeah, we already know." David said, eyeing Regina with concern. "What did he do to Regina?"

"He knocked her out with her own damn sleeping powder." Shae snarled, clenching her fists as she thought about Pan.

Mr. Gold waved Mary Margaret out of his way, and he bent over Regina, putting his hands out over her. Her body glowed with a soft blue light for a moment, and her eyes suddenly fluttered open.

"Regina!" Shae exclaimed, rushing over to her.

Shae pulled her to her feet, and wrapped her in a tight and grateful hug. Regina blinked several times in shock, then stared around at the others.

"What… What happened?" She asked as Shae released her.

"Pan." Shae said darkly. "Somehow he switched bodies with Henry."

Regina's eyes grew wide with shock, and then she sighed, rubbing her aching forehead. "And I fell for it." She breathed miserably.

"It's alright, Regina, we all did." Shae told her soothingly, gently rubbing her arm.

Regina nodded, glancing around at all the others. "I… I just… I wanted so badly to believe everything he was saying that I missed all the signs." She said, slowly shaking her head. "I just wanted to believe that… That he still needed me to be his mother."

"I still do."

They all spun around, and Shae furrowed her brow when she saw a tall, blonde haired boy dressed in a dirty green tunic standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Henry?" Regina asked, her eyes wide with shock.

Henry, who was in the body of Peter Pan, nodded, and rushed forward, throwing himself into Regina's arms. Regina held him tight, smiling up at Shae from over Henry's shoulder.

"So, what exactly did Pan want down here?" David asked, looking to Shae.

"Uh, I dunno. He took some kind of scroll." Shae replied uncertainly.

"Please tell me you didn't keep it down here." Gold said, staring wide eyed at Regina.

Regina glanced up at Shae, then Henry, then around at all the others. "Well… Where else would I keep it?"

"Keep what?" Emma asked, looking fearful.

Regina sighed, taking a moment to respond. "The curse."

Silence fell over the group as they all stared around at each other with wide, horrified eyes. "Y-You mean…" Henry began in a fearful stammer. " _The_ curse?"

Regina nodded slowly. "But… Why would Pan want the curse? I've already cast it."

"And I broke it." Said Emma.

"Doesn't mean you can't cast it again." Gold said darkly. "And this time, without your parents' true love woven in, even you, Miss Swan, would be powerless to break it."

"I don't understand." David muttered as he slowly shook his head. "We're already in this land."

"Regina…" Shae said quietly, turning her wide, blood red eyes onto her fiancee. "What exactly would casting the curse in Storybrooke do now?"

Regina bit her lip, thinking quietly. "Well… Everyone would forget who they were, just like before, and time would stand still." She replied slowly. "But… This time, Pan would be in charge, not me."

"That's not all, dearie." Gold said in another dark tone. "The last curse was cast to serve your wishes, this one will be done according to Pan's desires. I would count on something dark and hellish."

"So… So what do we do?" Asked Mary Margaret, glancing nervously at her husband and daughter.

"We use the scroll itself." Gold replied, and when he received many confused looks, he went on. "The curse can only be undone by someone who used the scroll, and that's you, Regina. You must destroy the scroll, and both yours and Pan's curses will be ended. But, know this… There will be a price, a steep one."

Regina glanced up at Shae again, her eyes full of fear. She took Shae's hand, and Shae smiled nervously down at her, squeezing her hand gently and reassuringly.

"What do I need to do?" Regina asked Gold, her voice quivering slightly.

"First, we'll bring Pan to us with a little spell." Gold replied with a knowing grin. "A spell that will return him and Henry to their own bodies."

"Thank god…" Henry breathed.

They laughed at the relieved look on Henry's face. They exited the vault, and found Neal, Tinkerbell, and Hook waiting patiently outside. Once they had all grouped together, they quickly came up with a plan. David, Neal, Tink, and Hook hurried off to the convent to find The Black Fairy's wand amongst the departed Mother Superior's things. Gold said that he would need the wand to cast the spell that would return Henry to his own body and, once it did, Henry would have the scroll, and he would be able to bring it to Regina.

The others were all gathered inside Mr. Gold's shop, waiting for those who had went to the convent to return with the wand. The others were milling about the shop, quietly talking amongst themselves while Henry, who was still in Pan's body, sat on a cot, bouncing his legs anxiously. He gave Shae a weak, nervous smile as the vampire sat down next to him.

"Hey, you doing ok, kid?" Shae asked him, gently patting his arm.

"Yeah, I-Im just… Ready to be me again." Henry replied with another weak smile.

"Yeah, I bet." Shae said, breathing out a laugh. "Listen, uh… I-I know that this really isn't the best time with the whole uh… Impending doom thing going on…"

"W-What is it?" Henry asked, looking fearful.

"Well… Since it wasn't actually you in your body last night, I uh… I didn't get a chance to tell you something." Shae went on slowly. "Henry, I um… I asked your mom to marry me."

Henry's eyes grew wide with shock. "Y-You did?"

Shae nodded. "And uh… Well since you're her son, I probably should have asked you first, made sure you were ok with it-"

"Of course I'm ok with it!" Henry exclaimed, throwing his arms around Shae. "T-That's amazing!"

Henry released Shae, and leapt up from the cot, rushing over to his mother, who was talking with Emma. Regina's brow furrowed in confusion as Henry hugged her tight.

"Mom! You're getting married?" Henry asked, his eyes shining with excitement. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Regina laughed, giving Shae a surprised look as her fiancee stepped up next to her. "Oh, um… Well, with all the excitement I never really got a chance to."

"That's so awesome!" Henry exclaimed, once again throwing his arms around both Shae and Regina. "C-Can I be the best man?"

Shae laughed, wrapping her arm around Regina's shoulders. "Sure kid, of course you can."

"Awesome!" Henry said again.

"We're gonna have to get you a tux." Emma said, grinning at her son.

Henry nodded excitedly, smiling at his mother and Shae. "So… So what am I gonna call you?" He asked Shae. "Am I gonna have to call you 'mom' too?"

"Oh my god, no!" Shae exclaimed, looking appalled. "It's still gonna be just 'Shae,' alright?"

Henry laughed, nodding again. "So… So when's the wedding?"

"I don't know, we haven't really talked about it." Regina replied, glancing up at her fiancee. "But I… I can't wait."

"Me either." Shae agreed with a smile.

Shae leaned forward, kissing the woman she loved gently on the lips. Regina smiled against her lips, gently gripping the front of Shae's jacket. Even with the threat of another curse looming over them, all of Regina and Shae's worries melted away as they kissed. Shae silently vowed that as soon as Pan was taken care of, she would marry Regina as soon as she could. She loved her too much to wait for long.

David, Neal, Hook, and Tinkerbell finally returned with The Dark Fairy's wand, and Gold prepared Henry for the spell. They watched anxiously as Henry laid back on the cot, and Gold waved the wand over his body. They all gasped, and Regina gripped Shae's hand tight as Henry began shaking and convulsing as his spirit left Pan's body. Once the convulsing had stopped, they all rushed out onto the street, with Belle in tow, leaving Gold behind to wait for Pan to wake, and have a long overdue chat with his father. Shae tracked Henry's scent over to the clocktower, and they all gasped again with delight as Henry, now back in his own body, came sprinting out the doors of the library.

"Hey! You guys just saw me!" Henry exclaimed in protest as both Emma and Regina hugged him tight.

"We didn't see _you_." Regina said, her eyes shining with grateful tears.

"He's got it!" Emma exclaimed as Henry handed her the scroll. She then turned to Regina, nodding determinedly. "It's up to you now."

Emma pressed the scroll into Regina's hand, and the others all converged around her. Shae placed her hands gently on Regina's shoulders, smiling reassuringly as Regina turned her head back to look at her. They all gasped in fright as a beam of bright purple light suddenly shot out of the scroll. Regina's eyes instantly rolled back into her head, and she began to fall backwards.

"REGINA!" Shae shouted, catching her under her arms before she hit the ground.

"Oh my god!" Mary Margaret exclaimed as Shae knelt down on the ground, Regina lying totally unconscious in her arms once again.

"What the hell was that?" Emma asked, kneeling down across from Shae.

"I-I don't know!" Shae exclaimed, panicking as she stared helplessly down at the woman she loved lying senseless in her arms. "Regina? Regina!"

Regina suddenly gasped, her eyes snapping open. She glanced dazedly around at everyone, then up at Shae. She gasped again when she saw her fiancee, and she threw her arms around her, kissing her deeply and passionately. Shae's brow furrowed in confusion at the feeling of Regina's kiss, at the tears that were suddenly rushing down her face.

"Oh Shae…" Regina whispered, pressing her forehead to Shae's and gently caressing her face. "Shae, I'm… I'm so sorry."

"S-Sorry?" Shae asked, her eyes full of concern. "For what? Regina, what happened when you touched the scroll?"

More tears spilled down Regina's face as she gazed into her lover's eyes. "I… I saw what needed to be done."

Henry knelt down next to his mother, also looking concerned. "Mom… Are you going to be ok?"

Regina smiled sadly at him, gently placing her hand under his chin. "The important thing is… Is that _you_ will be."

"No he wont!"

They all jumped, gasping and crying out in shock as they saw Peter Pan standing in the street before them. Regina and Shae both scrambled to their feet, and Regina gasped again when she realized the scroll was no longer in her hand. She glanced up at Pan, who was grinning at her, holding up the scroll.

"He has the-" Captain Hook started to shout.

Pan waved his hand, and all their bodies glowed momentarily with a pale red light. "The curse? That I do."

The entire group had been magically frozen in place by Pan's spell, all except Shae. When she realized what had happened, that Pan's spell didn't work on her, she laughed triumphantly.

"HA! Surprise, mother fucker!" She shouted. "Now, it's time for-"

"Oh, fly away, bat girl." Pan drolled, waving his hand again.

"No, wait-"

Shae words caught in her throat as she was suddenly engulfed in a cloud of bright green smoke. She felt herself being lifted in the air, and she squeezed her eyes shut, the wind rushing loudly through her ears as her body began spinning round and round wildly. As suddenly as it came, the spinning stopped, and her feet made contact with solid ground once again. She collapsed face first into the ground, and realized that she was now staring at grass and dirt.

"God dammit, Pan!" She snarled, pushing herself up shakily onto her knees.

She stared all around her, and when she saw she was surrounded by trees, she realized that Pan had sent her somewhere deep in the forest. She suddenly heard a strange sound coming from behind her, and she turned her torso around. She gasped in alarm, her eyes growing wide as saucers. Behind her stood the wishing well, with rolling clouds of bright green smoke billowing out of it, rushing straight toward her.

"OH SHIT!"

She scrambled to her feet and sprinted forward just as the smoke began to surround her on all sides. She kept running wildly, pushing her power of superhuman speed to its limits. She glanced over her shoulder, watching as the smoke got farther and farther away from her. When it was finally lost from her sight, she skidded to a stop, her whole body shaking with fear.

"Shit… That was close…" She breathed, doubling over with her hands on her knees.

She took a moment calm herself, then straightened up, gazing all around her once again. Just ahead, she spotted some sort of large mansion that she had never seen before. She hurried toward it, and her heart leapt with excitement when she found a road. She rushed forward again, using her power of super speed to follow the road and make her way back into town.

She returned to the spot outside the clocktower where she had been before Pan sent her away, and she began to panic again when Regina and the others were nowhere to be seen. She rushed into the library, thinking that maybe they had gone inside to take cover, but she found it empty. Next, she sped over to Granny's Diner, and asked Granny and Ruby if they had seen what had happened. When neither Ruby or her grandmother had any answers for her, she continued her search, trying to remain calm as panic bubbled in her stomach.

She checked Gold's shop, Emma and Mary Margaret's apartment, and even Regina's house and her office inside the town hall. She grew more and more scared and frustrated when she found them all empty. She returned once again to the clocktower, and found the residents of Storybrooke rushing down the street, all in a panic as the rolling green clouds of Pan's curse drew ever closer.

"Whale! Hey!" Shae called out to Dr. Whale as she spotted him. "Have you seen Regina? Or… Or Emma, or Charming? Anybody?"

"Yeah, I just saw them loading up Emma's car with a bunch of stuff." Whale replied in a panicked rush. "I-I think they were headed to the town line."

"What? Why?" Shae exclaimed, growing more and more frightened and confused by the second.

"How the hell should I know?" Whale cried irritably. "There's a curse coming! It's not like I stopped to ask them."

Shae groaned, rolling her eyes at the doctor as he hurried off again. She then sped off herself, in the direction of the town border. As she ran with lightning speed, her head reeled with panicked thoughts. What the hell was going on? Why had Emma been packing up her car? She spotted a large group of Storybrooke residents as she finally reached the town line, and her brow furrowed in confusion when she saw Emma hugging her parents, all three of their faces streaming with tears. When she spotted Regina, she was hugging Henry, her own face stained with tears.

"Regina!" Shae called out as she rused up her.

"Shae!" Regina exclaimed, releasing her son. "There you are!"

Regina threw her arms around the woman she loved, and kissed her gratefully. The panic that was already bubbling in Shae's stomach threatened to boil over as she realized Regina's whole body was shaking, her lips trembling beneath her own.

"Regina… Are you alright?" Shae asked, holding her out at arm's length by her shoulders, staring deep into her eyes. "W-What the hell is going on?"

"Shae, I need you to listen carefully." Regina said, urgently gripping Shae's hands, her voice cracking with emotion. "In order to stop Pan's curse, I'm going to cast a spell, a spell that will wipe Storybrooke from existence and… And send us all back to the lands that we came from."

Shae's mouth gaped open in horror, and she shook her head slowly. "W-What? No! I-I'm going back to The Enchanted Forest with you!" She cried, staring fearfully into her lover's eyes. "I can't go back to my homeland… Regina, it's destroyed! It's probably nothing but ashes now, I-I can't-"

"You're not going back to your homeland." Regina cut in, her tone heavy with misery. "You're… You're staying here in this world. You have to go with Emma and Henry, you three are the only ones that can leave Storybrooke safely."

Shae gaped silently at her again, her blood red eyes wide with utter shock. "What?" She breathed, anxiously searching her lover's eyes. "N-No! No, I'm not leaving you!"

Shae, jumped, whirling around as she felt a hand on her arm. It was Emma, Henry standing close behind her, both their faces stained with tears.

"Shae, you have to." Emma said quietly, her voice heavy with misery. "It's the only way for Regina's spell to work."

"W-What the hell are you talking about?" Shae demanded angrily.

"In order to cast the spell, I have to give up what I love most." Regina explained, her eyes shining with tears. "That's Henry and… And you, Shae."

Shae shook her head vigorously, staring bewilderedly between Emma and Regina's tear stained faces. "No! T-There… There has to be some other way!"

"There isn't." Regina said, her face twisting with sorrow. "There is no other way. Please, you… You have to go."

"NO!" Shae shouted.

"Shae, please…" Regina begged her as she gripped the front of her jacket. "Please… Don't make this any harder than it already is. There's no time."

Shae shook her head again, her eyes welling with tears, her head spinning wildly. She placed her quivering hands on Regina's hips, and pressed her forehead to her fiancee's, tears spilling down her face.

"I can't…" She whispered, choking back a sob. "Regina, I… I can't just leave you."

Regina smiled up at her sadly, gently brushing away her tears with her thumbs. "Oh, Shae… I-It'll be alright. As soon as I cast the spell, you… You won't even remember me any more."

Shae drew back a step, her eyes growing wide with horror again. "What?"

"That's just how the spell works, Shae." Emma said, gently placing her hand on Shae's arm again. "It'll erase our memories, but… But Regina said she can give us new ones, happy ones. Right?"

Regina nodded, but Shae shook her head defiantly once again. "No… I don't want new memories. I don't want to forget you."

"Shae, please… I want to do this for you, for all of you." Regina begged her fiancee again. "You'll have a brand new life, a good one. You'll forget all about me, your homeland, The Enchanted Forest. You'll even forget that you were once a vampire."

"I can't forget about being a vampire, Regina." Shae replied, her voice and her eyes both filled with fear. "I-If I don't get the blood I need I'll… I'll die!"

"No, you won't." Regina said with another sad smile. "You won't be a vampire anymore."

Regina held out her hand, and a small, blood red vial appeared in her open palm with a puff of purple smoke. "This potion, it will make you human again." Regina explained quietly. "But it will only work in a land without magic. You have to drink it as soon as you cross over the town line."

Shae's mouth hung open in shock once again, and she shook her head bewilderedly. "W-What? Where the hell did you get that?"

They all jumped as a clap of thunder resonated through the air around them, the billowing clouds of bright green smoke from Pan's curse looming ever closer.

"There's no time." Regina said urgently, pressing the vial into Shae's hand. "Shae please, you have to do this, you have to go. If you don't then the spell won't work, and we'll all fall under Pan's curse."

Regina smiled into her lover's eyes, placing her hand gently on Shae's cheek as more tears leaked out of the vampire's eyes. "It's time for both of us to be heroes again."

Shae choked out a sob, tightly gripping Regina's arms. "If this is what being a hero gets you then… Then I don't want to be a hero."

Regina nodded, and her face twisted in painful sorrow once again. Shae quickly drew her into her arms, and kissed her passionately. She poured all her love into one last kiss, holding the woman she loved desperately in her arms. Their tears mingled together as their lips parted, their hearts hanging heavy with sorrow.

"I love you." Shae whispered to her true love.

"I love you too." Regina whispered back.

Emma exchanged one last tearful embrace with her parents, and Regina held Henry tightly in her arms, one last time. Emma and Henry both stepped over the town line, where Emma's car was parked and waiting. Shae hesitated before crossing the line herself, and turned back to Regina.

"A-Are you sure this will work?" Shae asked her, holding up the red vial.

Regina bit her lip. "I… I suppose I can't be sure." She said hesitantly. "I've… Never used it before."

Shae nodded, then took Regina by the hand, staring seriously into her eyes. "If it doesn't, then… Then you can't erase my memories, I'll-"

"You'll die." Regina finished sadly.

Shae nodded again, then turned back to Emma and Henry, who were both waiting just across the line bordering Storybrooke. Shae stepped across the line, the air shimmering around her body as she broke through the magical cloaking barrier. She turned back to Regina and the others, and Regina smiled through her tears, nodding at her.

Shae uncorked the vial, and brought it up to her lips, tilting her head back and swallowing the potion in one gulp. She grimaced at the potion's strange taste, and, for a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Shae glanced up at Regina, and opened her mouth to question her. Suddenly, Shae's blood red eyes rolled back into her head, and everyone cried out in alarm as she collapsed to the ground.

"Shae!" Emma shouted as her and Henry both rushed over to her.

Regina watched helplessly from the other side of the town line as Shae's body began convulsing wildly. Then, a pulsewave of magic shot out of Shae's body, and she drew in a deep, shuddering gasp, sitting bolt upright.

They all gaped silently at Shae as they stared upon her now human body. Shae's messy crop of hair remained as jet black as ever, but her complexion and her eyes were completely changed. Her skin was tan and olive colored, with a slight golden undertone, as if she were somehow italian, or possibly latino. Her eyes were no longer blood red, but a bright, piercing blue. Somehow, Shae still did not appear to be quite human.

"What is that? What _is_ that?" Shae asked fearfully, staring down at her own body. She placed her hand over her heart, and her brow furrowed in confusion. "My… My heartbeat… Oh… Oh god."

Emma knelt down next to Shae as the now former vampire seemed to be panicking, her breaths coming fast and ragged. "Shae! Shae, calm down." Emma told her soothingly. "Just breathe, ok?"

"No… No, no, no…" Shae muttered, her now blue eyes wide with fear. "I-I don't like it… I'm going back."

Shae scrambled to her feet and rushed back toward the town line. Regina grabbed onto her arms, pushing her back just before she crossed the line, and Emma gripped the back of her jacket.

"No… No, Regina… Regina, I can't do this… I just… I can't…" Shae stammered, tears rushing down her face once again.

"Oh, Shae…" Regina breathed in wonder, the magical barrier around the town shimmering as she reached out and touched Shae's face. "Oh… Look at you! You're eyes, they're… They're blue!"

"T-They are?" Shae asked, breathing out a surprised laugh. "It's been so long… I… I guess I forgot."

Regina smiled, more tears spilling out of her eyes as she cupped Shae's face in both her hands. "They're… Oh, they're beautiful…"

Regina stepped over the town line, throwing her arms around the woman she loved, kissing her deeply. Shae sobbed as she held her, both of their bodies shaking as they kissed desperately, neither one of them wanting to let go.

"Regina…" Emma whispered urgently, grabbing onto her arm.

Shae and Regina broke apart, and followed Emma's pointed finger with their eyes. The bright green clouds of Pan's curse were now only a few yards away, rolling and billowing ever closer. Regina hastily turned back to the woman she loved, and slipped Shae's ring off of her finger, gently pressing it into Shae's hand.

"Regina… No…" Shae whispered, choking back another sob.

"Please, take it." Regina whispered back, gently cupping Shae's face in her hands again, gazing into her bright blue eyes. "Maybe… Maybe with it, some small part of you will still remember me. Because I'll… I'll always remember you, Shae. I'll never forget you. I'll… I'll never stop loving you."

Regina smiled up into the eyes of her true love, tears streaming down her face. She slowly stepped backward, back over the town line. Shae clung desperately to her hand, and she choked out a sob as she released it, and Regina turned away from her, facing the looming green clouds.

The sudden ringing in Shae's ears drowned out everything else, and she screamed as she felt Emma's hands tugging at her arms, pulling her backward. She screamed and cried hoarsely into the air as she was dragged away from the woman she loved, watching as Regina pulled the small scroll out of her pocket, tearing the parchment in half as she unrolled it. Shae was shoved into the passenger seat of Emma's car, and Shae and Henry both turned around, gazing out of the back window as Emma drove away. Regina was holding her arms up in the air, tendrils of bright purple magic shooting out of her hands. Suddenly, the rolling clouds turned from green to purple. Shae sobbed, squeezing her eyes shut as Regina and the others were engulfed by the now purple clouds. She was gone. Regina, once The Evil Queen, always the woman that Shae loved more than anything in the world, was gone.

XX

Shae gasped, sitting bolt upright. She stared dazedly all around her, her eyes seeing nothing but a black, endless void. She gasped again as a tall, bright red door suddenly appeared in front of her, a door that seemed strangely familiar. She slowly pushed herself onto her feet, her heart hammering in her chest as she stepped up to the door. She turned the knob, slowly pulling it open.

"NO!"

She screamed, falling face first into the fiery burning room as an unseen force shoved her through the door. She scrambled back to her feet, turning around to find that the door had disappeared, replaced by a wall of fire.

"HELP!" She screamed, shielding her eyes from the roaring flames. "SOMEONE, HELP! PLEASE!"

She fell to her knees, throwing her arms over her head, screaming as her flesh sizzled and burned.

"REGINA!"

Shae's eyes snapped open, and she sat forward, her chest heaving, her entire body covered in a layer of cold sweat. She stared around her dark and quiet bedroom, and she breathed out a sigh of relief, trying to calm her pounding heart. She laid back down in her bed, placing her hands over her facing, breathing heavily.

"Hey…" The woman lying next to her muttered sleepily, peering at her through groggy eyes. "You ok?"

"Yeah… Yeah, I'm ok." Shae whispered to her. "Just… Just that dream again."

The woman sharing her bed mumbled something incoherently, throwing her arm across Shae's torso, resting her head on her chest. Shae smiled as she received a kiss on the cheek, and she wrapped the woman she loved in her arms, gently running her hand up and down her back.

"Mmm… I love you…" Her lover whispered.

Shae smiled again, sighing contentedly, the fear and panic she had felt from her recurring nightmare melting away as she held the one she loved in her arms. She tenderly kissed her forehead, resting her cheek on the top of her head, breathing in the comforting scent of her long, blond hair.

"I love you too, Emma."

XX


	10. Chapter 10, A New York State of Mind

**Author's Note: The song in this chapter is Can't Help Falling in Love. Originally done by Elvis Presley, but if any of you actually want to look it up, check out the version done by Twenty One Pilots. It's dope. =)**

CHAPTER 10

Shae groaned, picking her head up from her pillow and reaching over to the end table next to the bed, fumbling around for her cell phone. She finally found it, and managed to snooze her alarm. She sighed heavily, burying her face in her pillow and throwing out her other arm, frowning when her hand did not make contact with any part of Emma's body. She picked her head up again, frowning even more when she found Emma's side of the bed empty.

Shae rolled over and sat forward, burying her face in her hands, frustrated by yet another night of being awoken by the same horrible dream. Nearly every night for the past year, Shae had been having the same recurring nightmare about being trapped in a room that was on fire. Every time the dream ended the same way, with her calling out for someone named Regina. She was continually left puzzled. She couldn't remember ever meeting anyone by that name, and, if she really had, why was she so convinced in her dream that this Regina could help her?

Shae shook her head, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She shuffled sleepily out of her and Emma's bedroom, and made her way down the hallway, slowly opening the door to Henry's room. The boy was fast asleep, his arm draped over the side of the bed, his mouth hanging open as he drooled into his pillow.

"Henry…" Shae mumbled, poking the boy's shoulder. "Up and at 'em, broseph. Time for school."

Henry groaned, rolling over and pulling his blankets over his head. "Five more minutes…" He grumbled.

Shae chuckled. "Alright, alright… Five more minutes."

She carefully pulled Henry's door closed behind her, and grinned when she heard the sound of the shower running. As she stepped into the bathroom, Emma called out to her.

"Shae, is that you?" She asked from the other side of the shower curtain.

"Mm-hmm." Shae answered as she stripped off her t-shirt and boxers.

"Can you hand me another bottle of shampoo? Mine's empty."

Shae retrieved Emma's shampoo from underneath the sink, and stuck it through the shower curtain. "Thank you, I- Oh!"

Emma gasped as Shae climbed into the shower with her, then grinned, wrapping her arms around her neck. Shae pulled her in close as she kissed her, Emma's naked breasts pressing against the scars on her chest. Shae had been the victim of a bear attack when she was younger, leaving her chest and back mangled and scarred, with three long scars running diagonally down her face as well. Emma didn't mind Shae's disfigured torso, and had often voiced that she thought all of Shae's scars were quite sexy.

The warm water washed over them, steam rising around their bodies as the two lovers kissed slowly and deeply, their tongues brushing against each other playfully. Shae gently explored Emma's naked body, running her hands down her sides and over the curve of her buttocks. She drew her hands up again, and Emma gasped as Shae fondled her breasts, gently pinching her nipples between her thumbs and forefingers.

"Mmm… Good morning." Emma muttered, grinning against Shae's lips.

"Good morning, beautiful." Shae replied, grinning back.

Emma hummed happily against her lover's lips as Shae kissed her again. She bit her lip, smiling as Shae moved her lips to her neck, then down to her collar bone, pressing gentle kisses all the way down her torso.

"This is quite a wake up call." Emma observed, grinning again as Shae got down on her knees, kissing along her hip bone.

"Well, they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Shae told her matter-of-factly.

Emma gasped with delight as Shae placed a deep, slow kiss in the center of her womanhood. She leaned back into the corner of the shower, throwing one of her legs over Shae's shoulder. She gripped two fistfulls of Shae's hair, biting her lip again as Shae began slowly licking her. Emma had been with a decent amount of people in her thirty years of life, but she had never found anyone that was better with their tongue than Shae, her current partner of nearly five years. Shae had been the first woman Emma had ever been with, and would likely be the last, as Emma was deeply and irrevocably in love, and Shae with her.

Emma gasped again as Shae found her clit, and began working it with her tongue vigorously. "Mmm… Oh fuck, Shae…" She cooed softly.

Emma could feel the grin on Shae's lips as she began licking her clit faster and faster. Emma moaned softly, trying to remain quiet as her arousal swelled. She bit hard into her bottom lip, her breathing becoming more and more labored. She dug her nails into the back of Shae's head, pushing her face in deeper to her womanhood. She smiled as she felt Shae moan softly from between her legs as she raked her nails up her back, which was something Emma knew her lover liked very much.

"Oh… Oh god… Oh… FUCK!" Emma cried out, unable to help the volume of her tone as she reached her climax.

Shae grinned again, slowly licking her from end to end as she came. A deep, satisfied moan escaped Emma's lips, and she wrapped her arms around Shae's neck as she stood up, resting her head against her chest. Shae smiled, gently kissing her forehead as she held Emma tight. They stood there together in silence for a moment, the warm water flowing down their bodies as they both tried to even out their ragged breaths.

"Oh god…" Emma whispered, placing a gentle kiss on Shae's neck. "Oh, I love you, Shae."

"I love you too." Shae whispered back.

Emma smiled up into Shae's piercing blue eyes, placing her hands on either side of her face as she kissed her. They both suddenly froze, staring wide eyed at each other as they heard the sound of the bathroom door creaking open.

"Henry?" Emma called out.

"Yeah?" Came Henry's voice, still slightly groggy.

"What, uh… Whatcha' doin'?"

"Brushing my teeth."

"Now?"

"Well, yeah!" Henry replied obviously. "I'm not going to school with morning breath. Gross!"

Shae stifled a laugh, and Emma chuckled, shaking her head slowly. They waited patiently as they listened to the sounds of water running in the sink, and vigorous brushing. They then heard the sound of Henry spitting, and the tap turned off.

"Morning, Shae!" Henry said chipperly.

Both Shae and Emma's eyes grew wide again. "Uh… M-Morning, Henry." Shae replied hesitantly.

They both burst into laughter as they heard the door swinging shut, and Emma buried her face in her hands, resting her forehead against Shae's chest. Once they had finished their shower, Shae and Emma both returned to their bedroom, where they both began getting dressed for the day. Shae donned her usual frayed blue jeans, a Metallica band t-shirt, and a plaid flannel top, her favorite pair of red Chuck Taylor's sitting next to her feet.

"So did that weirdo from the other day ever end up coming back?" Shae asked of Emma as she sat on the edge of their bed, pulling on her socks.

"You mean that guy who said he was an 'old friend' and tried to kiss me?" Emma asked from inside the walk-in closet. "No, I think I scared him off after I kicked him in the nards."

Shae chuckled. "Well, if he ever comes back let me know. I wanna give him a nice fat knuckle sandwich for good measure."

Emma raised an eyebrow at her as she stepped out of the closet, only half dressed in jeans and a black, lacy bra. "Shae, the last time you gave someone a knuckle sandwich, he sued you. Or do you not remember the whole two months we spent in court?"

"Oh, I remember." Shae said with another chuckle. She then got up from the bed and stepped up to the woman she loved, placing her hands on her hips. "But for you, I'd get sued a billion more times."

Emma smiled, wrapping her arms around Shae's neck as she kissed her. "Yeah, I don't really think you can afford that on a bartender's salary."

When her, Emma, and Henry all moved to New York about a year ago, Shae had landed a job as a bartender at a local gay bar called Eclipse, owned by a gay man named Terry Richards, and managed by his long time friend, Rosa Marcos. Rosa, who herself identified as bisexual, immediately took a liking to Shae, but was disappointed when she found out Shae was with Emma. Regardless, Shae was offered the job, and Terry and Rosa were both highly impressed with the business she brought in. Along with tending the bar, Shae also performed on stage with her acoustic guitar on the open mic nights the bar hosted. Much to Emma's dismay, the queer women of New York positively swooned over her girlfriend, but Shae reminded her lover time and again that she only had eyes for her.

"What is with you today?" Emma asked, grinning as Shae began kissing at her neck, gently squeezing her firm buttocks. "I mean, you're normally pretty insatiable, but damn!"

Shae laughed, placing a light kiss on her lips. "I dunno. You're just extra gorgeous today."

Emma raised an eyebrow at her curiously. "I didn't do anything different."

Shae shrugged, smiling into Emma's hazel green eyes. "Eh, you didn't have to."

Emma smiled back, her cheeks flushing, her heart fluttering in her chest as she gazed up into the brilliant blue eyes of the woman she loved. She grabbed the front of Shae's flannel shirt, pulling her in close for another kiss.

"So, are you excited for tonight?" Shae asked, wrapping her arms around Emma's waist.

"Yeah, actually, I am." Emma replied, gently running her fingers through Shae's messy black hair. "I never went to my high school prom, it was too lame for me. But… I dunno. I think this one will be fun, with you and Henry there."

In collaboration with a few of the other local gay bars and organizations, Eclipse was hosting what they announced as "Queer Prom" at the local community center. It was to be an all ages party, inclusive to all members of the community who wished to attend. They had a DJ lined up, a photographer, a decent sized bar for the adults, plenty of punch, soda, and snacks for the kids, and they even purchased a plastic crown and tiara for the winners of the Prom Drag King and Queen. A special live performance by Shae Cormac was advertised on the fliers, which caused quite a stir amongst the women of New York's LGBT community. They were expecting a pretty large turnout, and the regulars at Eclipse had been all abuzz over the event for weeks.

"Good, cuz you'll definitely be seeing some of my famous moves." Shae said with a quirky grin. "I do a pretty mean sprinkler. Check it out."

Emma giggled as Shae began doing the sprinkler in the middle of their bedroom. She threw her arms around Shae's neck, stopping her awkward and goofy dancing with another kiss. She sighed contentedly, her heart full with the blissful happiness of her life with her son and loving girlfriend. She couldn't remember a time when she had ever been happier.

After they finished getting dressed, Emma, Shae, and Henry shared a hasty family breakfast of cereal and milk. As Emma finished getting ready for her job at the bail bonds office, Shae packed Henry his lunch.

"You're gonna be late." Emma chided Shae. "You know how Terry gets when you're late."

Shae rolled her eyes. "I know, I know… Such a drama queen. Come on, Henry. I'll walk you to the bus stop."

Shae gave Emma a quick kiss goodbye and, just as she promised, walked side by side with Henry to the bus stop just down the block from their apartment. Henry sat on the bus bench with his backpack beside him, and waved at his mother as she got into her tiny yellow bug. He watched as she drove away, and vacated the bench as soon as the yellow bug turned the corner.

"She's gone!" Henry called out.

Shae poked her head out from around the corner of a nearby building, grinning at Henry. "Operation Soaring Falcon is a go!" Henry said excitedly.

"Dope." Shae said, giving Henry a high five as he ran up to her. "Come on, let's hit it. We're gonna have to stop and get coffee for Terry and Rosa first."

Shae and Henry made their way to the subway station, where they hopped on a train going downtown. Henry liked riding the subway, and he grinned excitedly up at Shae as they sat side by side. Shae grinned back at him, gently ruffling his hair. They made a quick pit stop at a local coffee shop, then headed toward the community center. Shae had promised her bosses that she would help them with setting up the decorations for the prom, and Shae, unbeknownst to Emma, had pulled Henry out of school to help. Henry was excited about their super secret mission, and he and Shae had come up with the code name, 'Operation Soaring Falcon.'

"You remembered to call my school, right?" Henry asked Shae as they walked up the sidewalk toward the community center.

"Yeah, of course! Told them you were super sick and kept pooping your pants." Shae replied with another grin.

"What?" Henry exclaimed, looking horrified. "You didn't really tell them that, did you?"

Shae chuckled, shaking her head slowly. "Nah, I just told them you had the flu." She replied reassuringly. "Come on, do you really think I'd embarrass you like that?"

Henry shrugged. "Well, you are kind of embarrassing sometimes."

Shae gasped, placing her hand over her heart in mock shock. "I am not!"

"You are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

When Shae and Henry finally entered the community center, they found a small group of people already busy hanging decorations and setting up tables. They found Terry and Rosa over by the stage, blowing up rainbow colored balloons.

"You're late." Terry said, raising an eyebrow at Shae irritably.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry." Shae said apologetically. "But, I brought you guys 'Sorry we're late' coffees."

"Dope." Rosa said, grinning as Shae set the carrier of drinks she was holding onto the stage.

"One grande peppermint mocha with soy for Terry." Shae announced, handing Terry his coffee.

"No whip?" Terry said, pointing a finger at Shae.

"No whip." Shae confirmed with a knowing nod. "And one small coffee for Rosa, as black as your soul, as you so often say."

"Damn straight." Rosa replied with a sharp nod, taking her cup from Shae.

Shae smiled, handing a cup to Henry as well. "And one hot chocolate with cinnamon for my main man Henry."

They all tapped their cups together, and sipped the hot beverages carefully. Shae smiled fondly as she looked upon her bosses, who had quickly become two very good friends to Shae and Emma, and even Henry too. Terry was a tall, bald, stockily built black man with an over the top, dramatic personality, always dressed to the nines in something from either Gucci or Prada. Rosa and Shae often quoted the movie Mean Girls, poking fun at Terry and saying that he was too gay to function. Rosa was a short, thin, latina woman with a bushy, wild mane of black hair, just as dark as Shae's. She had a sharp and gruff personality, but deep down she was a total sweetheart, but very few people actually knew that.

"Mmm… Girl, I forgive you so much." Terry said gratefully as he sipped his latte.

"Thanks for letting me help set up for the prom." Henry said, smiling at Terry and Rosa.

"No problem, little man." Rosa said with a grin, giving Henry's shoulder a gentle punch. "We'll need your help with the balloon arch. You know Terry can't tie these balloons to it with those sausage fingers."

"Excuse me, miss sasquatch feet?" Terry exclaimed sassily.

"Hey!" Rosa snapped, pointing an accusing finger at Terry. "My feet are only slightly larger than average!"

"Mm-hmm…" Terry replied with a dramatic eye roll. He then looked down at Henry, and his brow furrowed when he noticed that the boy was dressed in his school uniform, his backpack slung over his shoulder. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Shae's letting me play hookie today." Henry announced, smiling excitedly up at Shae.

Shae grinned sheepishly as her bosses both raised an eyebrow at her. "Does Emma know that?" Terry asked, folding his arms over his chest.

Shae exchanged a nervous glance with Henry, who shrugged at her. "Um… Well, not exactly."

Terry gave another dramatic eye roll, and Rosa only chuckled. "That's so cool." She said in admiration. "I wish my mom's girlfriend would have let me ditch school."

"I didn't know your mom was gay." Shae said in surprise.

"She's not." Rosa replied, then gasped. "Maybe I wish my mom was gay!"

"Girl, if your mom was gay you wouldn't be here." Terry said with a flippant wave of his hand.

"Hey, where's Anthony?" Shae suddenly asked, searching the small group of people gathered inside the community center.

Terry snorted, rolling his eyes once again. "You know that bitch ain't coming."

"Nah, he'll show up, just at the last minute." Rosa said with a small chuckle. "He'll do like one thing to help, then complain about how hard he worked for like a month."

Anthony was the other bar tender that Rosa and Terry had hired. After the influx of sales they gained after hiring Shae, they both thought it would be a good idea to bring in a handsome gay man to draw in more male customers. Anthony was also a black man, tall and exceptionally muscular, with a jawline chiseled by the gods themselves. However, where he excelled in looks, he was lacking in general work ethic and punctuality.

Shae left Henry with Rosa to help her set up the rainbow balloon arch, and Shae and Terry worked on hanging the rainbow streamers. Much to Shae's dismay, Terry refused to get on the ladder, so Shae stood shakily on the top step, taping the streamers to the wall, Terry holding on to the ladder below her.

"Bro! Will you actually hold the damn ladder, please?" Shae said irritably when she noticed Terry staring down at his phone, his other hand resting lazily on the side of the ladder. "You know I don't like heights!"

Terry rolled his eyes again, stowing his phone in his pocket, placing his other hand on the ladder. "Who would have thought someone so tough as nails as you would be afraid of heights?"

"Hey, I never once claimed to be tough as nails." Shae replied defensively. "You know I love romantic comedies. Pretty Woman? Fucking. Amazing."

"Girl, don't I know it!" Terry heartily agreed. "Speaking of romance… You got anything special planned for your girl tonight?"

Shae shrugged as she reached up, placing another piece of tape on the wall. "Uh, yeah actually. I'm gonna propose tonight."

"SAY WHAT?"

Shae grabbed on to the wall as the ladder shook dangerously from Terry's sudden outburst. She glanced behind her, raising an eyebrow at Terry, whose eyes were wide as saucers.

"Oh my god, oh my god, OH MY GOD!" He exclaimed.

"Dude! Why are you freaking out right now?" Shae asked after she carefully climbed down from the ladder.

"Girl, you can't just drop a bomb like that on me!" Terry shouted, frantically waving his hands in the air. "Oh lord… Oh lord, this is all wrong! Why do we have so many balloons? Shae… Shae, there's too many balloons. TOO MANY BALLOONS!"

"Bitch, calm down!" Shae exclaimed, grabbing Terry's hands and shoving them back down to his sides. "There's a perfectly acceptable amount of balloons! It's all good, I've got it all planned out."

"What? What are you gonna do?" Terry asked, squeezing both of Shae's hands and jumping up and down excitedly. "Tellmetellmetellmetellme!"

"Alright, alright! Jesus!" Shae replied, shaking her head in amusement. "Here's what I'm gonna do. I've got a special song that I learned just for tonight, and I'm gonna play it at the end of my set. Then, you know, I'm just gonna… Get down on one knee and… Hope she says 'yes.'"

Terry drew in a deep, dramatic gasp, gripping Shae tightly by the arms. "Oh, girl, that is the most romantic damn thing I've ever heard!" He exclaimed. "What does Henry think?"

Shae raised an eyebrow at him again. "Uh… Henry doesn't know yet."

"SAY WHAT?"

"Dude, you've _got_ to stop yelling."

"You didn't tell Henry?" Terry asked, looking horrified. "You didn't ask him if it was ok?"

"Er… No. Should I have?"

"YES!" Terry shouted again. "Dammit, Shae, he's her damn son! What if he doesn't want you to marry her?"

Shae's mouth gaped open in shock. "Uh… I… I didn't think about that. I mean… Why wouldn't he?"

"I don't know!" Terry exclaimed, throwing his hands up in despair. "Maybe he don't like you that much. Maybe he thinks your haircuts stupid or something."

Shae frowned at him. "You think my haircuts stupid?"

"Girl, have you even _tried_ brushing it?"

"Shit, Terry, I think you're right." Shae muttered, her bright blue eyes wide with shock. "Not about the hair, about Henry. I gotta tell him."

"Damn right, you do! Go on!"

Terry shooed Shae off, and she hurried over to Henry, who was still tying balloons to the arch around the doors of the community center with Rosa.

"Hey, Henry, I need to talk to you for a second." Shae said nervously.

She led Henry down the nearby hallway toward the bathrooms, and stopped when they rounded the corner, out of sight of everyone else where they could talk quietly.

"What's up?" Henry asked, eyeing Shae curiously.

"Um… W-Well, there's uh… There's something I need to tell you." Shae stammered anxiously. "Um… Listen… Y-You know I love your mom, right?"

"Uh… Yeah, of course." Henry replied slowly, his brow furrowed with confusion over the nervousness of Shae's tone. "Shae, is everything ok?"

"Yeah! Yeah, actually… Everything's great." Shae replied with a smile. She then knelt down in front of him, taking both his hands in her's. "Henry, I uh… I was gonna ask your mom to marry me tonight. I-If it's ok with you, obviously."

Henry's jaw dropped open in shock, and Shae waited anxiously for his answer. Slowly, a wide, joyous smile spread across the boy's face, and his eyes shined bright with excitement.

"Of course it's ok!" Henry exclaimed, throwing his arms around Shae's neck. "T-That's so awesome!"

Shae breathed out a relieved sigh, laughing as she hugged him tight. "C-Can I be the best man?" Henry asked her excitedly.

Shae laughed again, nodding at him. "Of course you can, kid."

"Awesome!" Henry exclaimed again. "So when's the wedding? Should I write a speech? Oh my god! I-I'm gonna need to get a tux, right?"

"Slow your roll, kid!" Shae told him with a another laugh, shaking her head slowly. "She hasn't even said 'yes' yet!"

"Well, she will!"

"You think so?"

"Duh!" Cried Henry. "She loves you! Of course she'll say 'yes!'"

Shae laughed again, nodding her head. She then cleared her throat and took Henry's hands again, staring very seriously into the boy's eyes.

"Now, listen, Henry there's… There's something you need to know." Shae said slowly. "That kid at school that was picking on you and calling you names because of… Of your mom and me, there's… A lot more people like him out in the world. And if me and your mom get married it… It might get worse, ok? I just… I want you to be ready for that."

Henry shrugged unconcernedly. "That's ok."

Shae breathed out a surprised laugh. "Really?"

Henry smiled as he nodded. "People like that are dumb anyways." He said with another shrug. "You make my mom really happy, and you make me happy too. That's all that matters."

Shae shook her head in utter disbelief at the young boy's resolute wisdom. She laughed, smiling broadly as Henry hugged her again.

"I… I love you, Shae." Henry told her quietly, hugging her tighter.

Shae gasped, and she swallowed the hard lump that had suddenly formed in her throat, her eyes instantly welling with tears. This was the first time Henry had ever said that to her. When Shae first found out that Emma had a son, she was hesitant to pursue a relationship with her. She had never spent much time around children, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to take on the responsibility of being a co-parent. But, all that changed the moment she met Henry. Emma's son was kind, funny, and uncommonly smart. He and Shae had an instant bond, and spent a lot of time together playing video games and watching cartoons. Emma often joked that her girlfriend was secretly a child herself, which was why she and Henry got along so well.

"Oh, Henry… I… I love you too, buddy." Shae whispered as she held him tight, grateful tears spilling down her cheeks.

Henry pulled away from their embrace when he heard Shae sniffling. "A-Are you crying?"

"What? No! Shut up! _You're_ crying!" Shae exclaimed, hastily wiping the tears from her face.

Henry laughed, and Shae laughed with him. "I'm just, uh… Really happy, Henry."

"Me too." Henry replied with a smile. "Hey! D-Do you have the ring? Can I see it?"

Shae nodded, and stood up again, removing a small, black jewelry box from her pocket. She paused before opening the box. She chuckled, rolling her eyes exasperatedly.

"I can hear you guys breathing back there!" She called over her shoulder. "Just come see, already!"

Terry and Rosa poked their heads out from around the corner, smiling excitedly. They rushed over to Shae and Henry, and they both gasped when Shae opened the ring box. Sitting inside, was a thick, silver banded ring engraved with crescent moons on either side. The stone was round, smooth, and jet black, small particles sparkling from inside it, like stars in the night sky.

"Awesome!" Henry breathed, his eyes wide with wonder.

"Dope." Rosa said in agreement.

"It's not a diamond, so I know it's not exactly traditional." Shae told them with a small shrug. "But me and Emma have never really been a traditional couple, so…"

"Oh, honey, it's perfect." Terry said earnestly, placing his arm around Shae's shoulders. "Emma is going to love, love, LOVE it!"

They all laughed as Terry snapped his fingers sassily with each of his words. "Seriously, dude, it's pretty damn awesome." Rosa told Shae with a grin. "Where did you get it?"

Shae opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again, her brow furrowed as she stared down at the ring sitting in its box. As she tried to recall where exactly she had gotten the ring, she realized that she just… Couldn't, which she found very strange.

"I uh… I don't know." Shae replied with another shrug. "I don't really remember. I've kinda just always… Had it, I guess."

They all shrugged it off unconcernedly, and returned to work. Henry gave Shae one last tight hug before he returned to the balloon arch with Rosa, and Shae smiled as she hugged him back, her heart lighter than ever before. After spending her entire childhood getting tossed around from foster home to foster home, she was immensely excited to finally have a family of her own. She truly could never remember a time when she had been happier.

Shae was grateful to be done atop the ladder once she and Terry finally finished hanging the streamers. They were now busy putting together the place settings for the tables. They glanced up suddenly as Rosa began cackling loudly over something Henry had said to her.

"You know, that is one special kid you've got there." Terry told Shae, smiling fondly over at Henry. "You and Emma did good by him."

"Eh, I didn't really do anything." Shae replied with a shrug. "He gets it all from Emma."

"I dunno, he's gotten an awful lot from you too." Terry said with a knowing smile. "He really looks up to you, you know."

"Hey, Shae! Check it out!"

Shae turned around and found the balloon arch finally finished, Rosa and Henry both standing back and admiring their handywork.

"Pretty dope, right?" Henry asked Shae with a grin.

"Super dope!" Shae replied excitedly.

When Shae turned back to the table, she found Terry staring at her, eyebrow raised. She laughed, throwing up her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. Maybe he has picked up some stuff from me."

Shae suddenly felt her cell phone buzz in her pocket, and she pulled it out, smiling as she saw she had received a text from 'Swan Song.' _Stakeout is boring, I miss your face. Wanna do lunch?_ The text read.

"Yo, you guys cool if I go grab lunch with Emma?" Shae asked of Terry.

Terry sighed, rolling his eyes dramatically once again. "First you show up late and now you wanna leave for lunch?" He asked, raising another eyebrow at Shae. "Ugh… You're just lucky I'm a sucker for true love."

"'True love?'" Shae asked with a snort. "Come on, you don't really believe that bullshit exists, do you?"

"I dunno, girl. You and Emma sure seem to have something special."

"Yeah, we sure do." Shae muttered in agreement, smiling down at the picture of her, Emma, and Henry that served as the background image of her phone. "If true love really does exist, then I guess I've finally found mine."

XX

"Where the hell is she?"

Emma glanced down at her phone, frowning as Shae continued to be more and more late. She and Henry had been ready for almost an hour already, and Emma was beginning to grow a bit irritated. She had never really been one for dressing up, but she made a special exception for tonight. She chose a red, knee length dress, with red heels and lipstick to match, her long blond hair styled in loose, wavy curls. Henry was dressed in a black button up, black pants, and a red tie to match his mother's dress.

Emma jumped slightly when her phone suddenly chimed in her hand. She opened the text from Shae, which said: _Come outside. I have a surprise._

Emma and her son hurried from their tiny apartment, and made their way downstairs. When they finally stepped outside, they both gasped when the found a black limousine waiting on the street outside of their apartment building. Shae was grinning at them, her torso poking out of the limo's sunroof.

"Get in, losers! We're going to prom!"

"AWESOME!" Henry exclaimed excitedly.

Emma laughed as Shae ducked back down, and clambered out of the limo to greet her girlfriend. Shae was also dressed in a black shirt and pants, her red tie the same color as Henry's, and once again sporting her red Chuck Taylor's. She wrapped Emma in a tight hug, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Wow…" Shae breathed in wonder as she observed Emma's outfit. "You look… Beautiful."

Emma smiled, her cheeks flushing just as bright as her red dress. Shae planted a light kiss on her lips, and they both laughed when Henry rolled his eyes at them.

"Shae… This is… Amazing." Emma said, glancing over at the waiting limousine with wide eyes. "But… How did you even afford this?"

"You know I make hella tips on ladies night." Shae replied with a grin. "Come on, let's get in. We're already late."

Henry smiled excitedly up at his mother, and climbed into the limo after Shae. As the driver took them to the community center, Shae popped open a bottle of champagne, and poured two glasses for herself and Emma, and a glass of sparkling cider for Henry. Emma and Shae laughed as Henry stuck his head out of the sun roof, throwing his arms up and bellowing excitedly into the night air.

When they arrived at the community center, they found the 'Queer Prom' already in full swing. The building was packed with people, all dressed up in various kinds of dresses, gowns, suits and ties. Mostly everyone was gathered on the dance floor, but others were milling about elsewhere, drinking and chatting, and a number of children were chasing each other about.

"Welcome to Queer Prom, y'all!" Terry exclaimed when they found him and Rosa standing by the bar.

"You guys, this place looks amazing!" Emma said as Terry and Rosa both greeted her with a warm hug. " _You_ look amazing!"

Terry had come to the prom as his drag persona, Tayanna Sinclaire. He was garbed in a long, flowing, black sequin dress, with glittering black pumps to match, causing him to tower over everyone even more so than he already did. His makeup was done up to perfection, and he had donned a long, bright blonde wig. Rosa, however, was dressed much more simply than her long time friend. She wore a simple, dark blue dress that fell past her knees, her mane of black hair as big and wild as ever.

"Honey, ain't nobody surprised by that." Terry replied, flipping back the long blond hair of his wig.

"You guys look fly as hell." Rosa said, grinning at the three of them. "Love the matching ties."

"Twinsies!" Shae exclaimed, giving Henry a high five.

Emma took her son over to the snack table to get him some punch, leaving Shae with her bosses. "So, you nervous?" Rosa asked her.

Shae shrugged. "Uh… Yeah a little, I guess."

"Don't you worry, she's gonna say 'yes.'" Terry said, waving his hand unconcernedly. "And if she don't, then she's a damn fool anyway."

Shae laughed, and Rosa gave her friend an impressive eye roll. Henry spotted some kids from his school, and he disappeared to join them. Emma was a bit reluctant to join her girlfriend on the dance floor, but eventually relented. She was immensely relieved when, after playing several top pop hits, the DJ switched to Faithfully by Journey. Everyone gathered on the dance floor found their partners, and they even spotted Henry nearby, slow dancing with a young girl in a purple dress. Shae laughed, giving him a thumbs up as he smiled nervously at her.

"You having a good time?" Shae asked Emma as they danced in a slow, swaying circle.

Emma nodded, smiling up into Shae's bright blue eyes. Shae smiled back, and leaned in, placing a slow, tender kiss on Emma's lips. Emma sighed, gently running her fingers through the hair on the back of Shae's head. When Faithfully was over, the DJ cut the music, and Terry, aka Tayanna Sinclaire, took the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, _especially_ ladies…" Terry said into the microphone, giving the crowd a wink. "It is now time for a very special live performance by Eclipse's very own, SHAE. CORMAC."

The crowd cheered and applauded as Shae stepped up onto the stage, and Emma was jostled about as she was surrounded by various women pushing their way to the front of the dance floor. Henry rejoined his mother, accompanied by the girl that he had been dancing with.

"That's my mom's girlfriend." Henry told her proudly. "She's really awesome."

Henry and his friend both smiled excitedly up at Emma, and she laughed, gently ruffling her son's hair. "So… Are you excited?" Henry asked her.

Emma furrowed her brow at her son. "For what?"

Henry's eyes suddenly grew wide as saucers. "Uh… Er… Nothing! N-Nevermind."

Emma continued to stare curiously down at her son, but shrugged it off, turning her attention back to the stage as Shae began to play her acoustic guitar. Emma had bought it for her shortly after they had moved to New York. During the move, Shae's old guitar, which she had fondly named Bianca, had somehow just disappeared. Emma knew how much Shae missed playing, and she was overjoyed when Emma gave her the new guitar. Emma had been anxious, since the guitar she had purchased was not anywhere near the quality of Bianca, but Shae insisted that she absolutely loved it.

The crowd danced and swayed to Shae's music, and burst into raucous applause every time she finished a song. Emma's heart fluttered in her chest as she listened to her girlfriend's singing. She loved the sound of Shae's voice, and the way she so skillfully strummed her guitar. Emma often said that she had immediately fallen in love with Shae the first time she had ever heard her sing.

"Thank you! Thank you so much, everyone." Shae said into the microphone after the cheers and applause had subsided. "I have one more song to play for you guys tonight."

She stepped away from the mic, and removed the strap of her guitar from around her neck. She set the guitar down behind the DJ's table, and when she stepped back up to the mic, she was holding a ukulele. Henry suddenly grabbed on to Emma's hand, and began pushing through the crowd, dragging his mother to the front of the dance floor. Terry and Rosa pushed their way to the front as well, and Emma stared curiously at all of them as they grinned excitedly at her.

"This is a very special song, for a very special lady here with me tonight." Shae said into the mic once again, smiling out at the crowd. "Some of you probably know it, so please sing along."

Emma felt her face flush a deep red as Shae turned her eyes onto her. "Emma Swan, this song is for you."

As Shae began strumming out a few chords on her ukulele, Emma felt her eyes welling with tears once she realized what song it was. Shae had played it for her once before, the first time she had told Emma she loved her. She smiled, wrapping an arm around Henry's shoulders as Shae began to sing.

"Wise men say,  
Only fools rush in.  
But I can't help falling in love with you.

Shall I stay?  
Would it be a sin,  
If I can't help falling in love with you?

Like a river flows surely to the sea.  
Darling, so it goes,  
Some things were meant to be.  
Take my hand, take my whole life, too."

Emma smiled as Terry wrapped his arm around her shoulders, his other around Rosa's, and they all slowly swayed in a line, singing boisterously with Shae. "Cause I can't help falling in love with you!"

Shae smiled down at Emma as she sang, more and more members of the crowd singing with her, their arms around their loved ones.

"Like a river flows surely to the sea.  
Darling, so it goes,  
Some things were meant to be.

Take my hand, take my whole life, too  
Cause I can't help falling in love with you."

Shae paused the song for dramatic effect, strumming her ukulele slowly, the entire crowd singing the last line of the song with her.

"Cause I can't help falling in love with you!"

As the crowd clapped and cheered, Shae set her ukulele down at her feet, and lightly leapt down from the stage. Terry and Henry both gave Emma a gentle shove forward, and she whirled around to question them. She stopped when she felt a hand in her's, and turned back around to find Shae standing in front of her. A sudden hush fell over the crowd as Shae took both of Emma's hands in her own.

"Emma, I love you." Shae told her quietly, smiling into her eyes. "And I love Henry. The two of you are… My whole world. I want us to be a family."

Shae released Emma's hands, and Emma gasped, placing her hand over her mouth as Shae dropped down on one knee before her. Her eyes welled with more tears, and her heart began to race as Shae reached into her pocket, removing a small, square jewelry box. She opened the box, and took Emma's hand, smiling up at her.

"Emma Swan. Will you marry me?"

Tears rushed down Emma's face, and she nodded. "Yes… Yes!"

The crowd erupted in applause, and Shae stood up, removing her ring from its box and slipping it onto Emma's finger. Emma's head was spinning as Shae pulled her into her arms, and she wrapped her arms around Shae's neck, holding her tight as she kissed her deeply. Tears of joy leaked out of both Emma and Shae's eyes, and they were both suddenly lost from each other's sight as they were bombarded with congratulatory hugs and handshakes. Henry hugged them both excitedly, his own eyes shining with tears. They received hugs from both Rosa and Terry as well, and they all laughed as Terry frantically fought back his own tears, not wanting to ruin his flawless makeup.

The rest of the night was a blur for the newly engaged couple. They were both given several drinks in celebration of their engagement, and Emma was suddenly immensely grateful that Shae had rented the limo. She smiled fondly as she watched Shae carrying Henry up the steps to their apartment. He had spent most of the night on the dancefloor with his friends, and had almost immediately fallen asleep on the drive home. Once Shae had carefully placed Henry in his bed, she joined her now fiancee in their bedroom, where Emma was sitting on the edge of the bed, removing her heels from her aching feet. She stood up when her fiancee entered the room, and she threw her arms around her, starting on the buttons of Shae's shirt as she kissed her.

After several rounds of vigorous love making, Shae and Emma lie in each other's arms, Emma's head resting on Shae's chest. They laid there in silence for a while, both of them feeling lighter and happier than they ever could remember. Just like Shae, Emma had spent her entire childhood in foster care, without of family of her own. Now, she finally had one. It may not have been a traditional sort of family, but it was her's, and she loved it. She loved her son, and she loved Shae. She was blissfully excited to start this new chapter in all their lives.

"Who's going to take whose last name?" Emma suddenly asked, tilting her head up to look into her fiancee's eyes.

Shae's brow furrowed, and she gently ran her fingers up and down Emma's bare back as she pondered. "Um… I dunno. I haven't really thought about it."

"You can take mine if you want." Emma replied with a shrug.

"Shae Swan." Shae muttered, testing out the name. "I dunno. Kinda sounds like something off of a Chinese take out menu."

"Shae Swan, Shae Swan…" Emma muttered as well, then grimaced. "Yeah… Yeah, I hear it."

"What about Emma Cormac? That's not bad."

Emma smiled as she shrugged, propping herself up on her elbow and placing a gentle kiss on her lover's lips. "We could come up with our own last name." Shae offered. "What about… Emma and Shae Skywalker?"

Emma gasped excitedly. "Yeah! Or, how about… Emma and Shae Solo?"

"Dope! I love it." Shae replied with a grin.

Emma laughed, placing another kiss on her fiancee's lips. Shae sighed, wrapping her arms around Emma as they slowly and gently enjoyed each other's lips. Emma pulled away slightly, and tenderly caressed Shae's cheek, gazing into her brilliant blue eyes.

"Shae, I… I'm just… I'm so happy." Emma whispered, her eyes welling with tears once again.

Shae nodded, smiling back at her. "Me too."

They kissed again, wrapping their arms around each other, holding each other tight. After another round of passionate love making, they both fell asleep in each other's arms. Shae wasn't plagued by her recurring nightmare that night. She slept peacefully all through the night, holding the woman she loved in her arms, completely unaware that the very next day, her and Emma's world would be turned completely upside down.

XX

Emma walked Henry down to the bus stop the next morning, and got into her yellow bug, leaving Shae in the apartment alone. Shae had assumed that Emma was going to work, but, unbeknownst to her new fiancee, Emma was on her way to a different apartment downtown. Emma had lied to Shae about the strange man that had showed up on their doorstep and tried to kiss her. She had seen him again, and he once again babbled on about some town in Maine called Storybrooke, and that her parents were there, and were apparently in danger. When she failed to believe him, told him that he was crazy, the strange man gave her a slip of paper with an address on it. Emma couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was off, so she decided to investigate. What she found shocked her to her core.

The address was for a tiny apartment downtown, an apartment that happened to belong to Neal Cassidy, Henry's Father. Emma hadn't seen Neal in years, and Henry had never even met him. But, somehow, Neal had a camera in his apartment with Henry's name embroidered on the strap. Emma was floored, and her head spun wildly, her heart racing. How was that possible? When she left the apartment and had the photos on the camera developed at the local drug store, she grew even more shocked. There were pictures of her, Henry, and Neal, and other people that Emma didn't recognize, all in a town called Storybrooke.

Emma got back into her yellow bug, and drove hastily down to the county police station. She had turned the strange man in to the police the day before when he once again found her. Her heart raced as she stood outside the police station, waiting for the stranger to be released. Fear bubbled in her stomach. What the hell was going on? Why couldn't she remember anything from the pictures? Was the strange man really telling the truth?

As soon as the stranger stepped out of the doors of the police station, Emma bombarded him with questions. She demanded to know just what the hell was going on, insisted that he had photoshopped the pictures on Henry's camera. He remained persistent as ever, once again going on about her parents, about a life that she had lost, a life that she couldn't remember.

"This again?" Emma asked irritably as the man held out a small, blue vial to her.

"Trust me, Swan, if you drink this, everything will make sense." He insisted. "I know you can tell somethings wrong. Deep down, you know I'm right."

Emma shook her head vigorously, rubbing her aching forehead. "I-If what you're saying is true, then I'd have to give up my life here."

"Swan, this life, your life, it's all based on lies!" The strange man cried in a desperate tone.

"No, it's real!" Emma shouted back. "And it's pretty damn good! I have Henry, a-and a woman that I love, a fiancee!"

The stranger raised an eyebrow at her. "You mean the vampire?"

"The what?"

"Shae, I mean. She's your fiancee?" The man asked, and when Emma nodded slowly, he went on. "I see. Well, perhaps there's someone else that you love in the life you've lost, and someone else that she loves too, her true love."

"True love?" Emma asked heatedly. "What the hell are you talking about, man?"

The man sighed exasperatedly, once again holding up the blue vial. "Look, if you want the truth, then drink this." He said, staring very seriously into her eyes. "Do you really want to live a life of lies? You know all this isn't right. Trust your gut, Swan. It'll tell you what to do."

Emma drew back a step, eyeing the strange man warily. "Shae always says that."

The man nodded at her. "Right, then if you won't listen to me, listen to her."

Emma bit her lip, staring down at the ground as she thought, her head spinning wildly. He was right, she did have a sinking feeling that something was definitely wrong. She sighed, giving the stranger a nod. He nodded back, and Emma took the blue vial from his hand. She uncorked it, took a deep, steadying breath, and took a sip of the liquid inside.

She gasped, all her memories from her previous life, her real life, rushing back to her with that one sip. Memories of things that had happened to her flashed before her eyes. Henry showing up in Boston, going to Storybrooke, meeting Regina, breaking the curse. The first time Shae showed up in Storybrooke flashed before her, as did her first encounter with Regina in the cemetery, finding the box with her name on it in Regina's vault, and finding it empty. Tears leaked from her eyes as she remembered Neal, telling him that she loved him as he fell through the portal, finding him in Neverland, only to lose him again to Pan's curse. Emma remembered Shae drinking the potion that made her human, dragging her away as she screamed for Regina. She remembered Regina raising her arms toward the rolling green clouds of Pan's curse, casting the spell that would wipe Storybrooke from existence.

Suddenly, the flashes of memories stopped, and her vision cleared. She stared down at the sidewalk for a moment, her chest heaving, her heart racing. She then turned her wide eyes onto the man standing before her, whom she now recognized.

"Hook."

XX

Shae whistled an upbeat tune as she walked down the street toward her and Emma's apartment, a paper bag with a bottle of wine inside it tucked under her arm. Terry and Rosa had given Shae the night off in celebration of her engagement, and Henry had arranged to spend the night at a friend's house. While Emma was at work, Shae had spent her day cleaning up the apartment, preparing for a romantic evening with her fiancee. She grinned. 'Fiancee.' She was still getting used to the word.

When she stepped into the apartment, she immediately froze when she found her fiancee sitting at the kitchen table with a strange looking man. He had dark brown hair, and a layer of equally dark brown stubble on his cheeks. He was dressed very strangely in a long, black leather coat, reminiscent of the kind some sort of pirate would have worn. He wore a black leather glove on one of his hands, which didn't actually appear to be real.

"Uh… Hey." She said, giving Emma a nervous smile. "Who's this?"

"Killian Jones." The man at the table answered with a grin. "Old friend."

Shae was about to question him more, but stopped when Emma got up from the table and hurried over to her. The look on her face made Shae extremely anxious.

"Shae, right now, I need you to trust me, ok?" Emma said in a rush. When Shae nodded, she held up a small, blue vial, half full with some sort of liquid. "I need you to drink this. There's not much left, but I… I just hope it's enough to work."

"Work? Work on what?" Shae asked, glancing between her fiancee and the man named Killian. "Emma, what's going on?"

"Shae, please." Emma said sternly. "Please just trust me, and drink this."

Shae stared into Emma's hazel green eyes, stared at the serious and slightly panicked look on her face. She then nodded, and took the vial out of Emma's hand. Emma and Killian watched her anxiously as she drained the remaining liquid in the vial. Shae gasped, stumbling backward as her memories rushed back to her, flashing before her eyes.

She remembered everything. She remembered her homeland, becoming a vampire, losing Nadia, thinking that she left Remus behind after she went through the mirror, meeting Regina. Her eyes welled with tears as she remembered Regina, her true love. She remembered returning to Storybrooke, finding Emma there, going with her and Snow White to find her heart. She remembered fighting with Regina in the cemetery, accepting her deal, Regina finally restoring her heart after twenty eight years. She remembered realizing she was still in love with Regina, waking up from the sleeping curse by her kiss, fighting with her once again as she destroyed the bean field, staring down helplessly at her unconscious body after she had been tortured by Greg Mendell. Lastly, she remembered getting down on one knee, putting her ring on Regina's finger, and screaming in horror as Emma dragged her away from her true love.

Suddenly, the visions stopped, and she was once again standing in the dining room of the apartment that her and Emma shared. Emma was still standing in front of her, her hands over her mouth, her eyes shining with tears as she watched Shae's memories returning. Shae finally turned her eyes onto the man still sitting at the table.

"Hook." She whispered, staring wide eyed at the pirate.

Captain Hook grinned at her. "Miss me, love?"

Shae leaned back against the wall, her heart pounding, her head spinning. She ran shaky hands through her hair, once again staring at Emma, her fiancee.

"Holy shit…" She breathed, tears now spilling out of her eyes. "Emma… W-What… What the hell is happening?"

Emma sighed, glancing over at Hook. "Just… Give us a minute, ok?"

Hook nodded, and Emma took Shae by the hand, leading her back out of the apartment. Shae's head was still reeling as she walked with Emma's hand in her's, blood pulsing loudly in her ears. Emma stopped once they had reached the rooftop terrace of their apartment building, and turned back to Shae, whose eyes were still wide as saucers.

"Shae, listen, there's been another curse." Emma told her quietly. "Storybrooke… It's back."

"Back?" Shae asked, running her quivering hands through her hair once again. "S-So… I-Is everyone else-"

"Yeah, they're back too." Emma finished for her. "My parents, Neal, and… Regina."

"Regina…" Shae breathed, her bright blue eyes welling with tears once again. "Shit… Holy shit…"

"What do you remember?" Emma asked suddenly. "A-About us, I mean. Our fake memories."

Shae chewed on her thumbnail as she thought, her head still spinning. Suddenly, her arm fell back down to her side, and her eyes grew wide once again.

"We never broke up." Shae answered in a voice barely above a whisper. "When you told me you were falling in love with me I… I didn't leave, I said I loved you too. We stayed together, a-and… You… You never gave up Henry. We moved to New York a… Year ago. Holy shit… They've all been gone for a year."

Emma nodded slowly. "Yeah, that's what I remember too."

Shae breathed out a shocked laugh. "Regina did say she wanted us to be happy. I just didn't think she meant… You know…"

Emma nodded again, and the two of them fell silent for a while, both their heads spinning with their real memories and their fake ones. They both thought about their life together, and about the ones that they loved back in Storybrooke.

"Shae, I need to ask you a question." Emma suddenly said, glancing back up at Shae with tears in her eyes. "And I… I need you to be completely honest with me."

Shae swallowed the hard lump that had formed in her throat, and when she nodded, Emma went on. "Do you still love Regina?"

Shae nodded again. "Yeah… Yeah I do." She answered quietly. "A-And you? Do you still love Neal?"

Emma nodded too. "Yes."

Shae continued nodding, and began anxiously chewing on her fingernail once again. "I need to ask you another question." Emma said, taking a step closer to Shae. "And please… Please don't lie to me."

"I can't lie to you, Emma." Shae replied with a slight chuckle. "You'll know it if I do."

Emma nodded, and took a deep, steadying breath before she posed her question to Shae, who was now her fiancee. She bit her lip, fighting back tears.

"Do you… Do you still love me too?" Emma finally asked.

When Shae didn't answer, and only stared silently down at the ground, Emma went on, her voice cracking and breaking with emotion. "Because I… I still love you, Shae."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, and silent tears leaked down her face. When she opened her eyes again, she found Emma's face streaming with tears as well. She breathed out a slow, shaky sigh, and nodded.

"Oh god…" Emma whispered, placing her hands over her mouth as more tears spilled down her cheeks. "Oh god, Shae… W-What… What do we do?"

"I don't know." Shae whispered in reply. "Fuck… Dammit, this is crazy. This is… This is FUCKING CRAZY!"

Shae kicked out at a nearby chair, sending it flying across the rooftop and crashing into the cement wall. Emma placed her hand gently on Shae's arm, but Shae recoiled at her touch, drawing back a step.

"No… N-No, don't." Shae stammered, shaking her head vigorously. "I-It'll just make everything worse…"

"Right, you're right, I-Im sorry." Emma said, taking a step back. She took another steadying breath, her whole body shaking. "We… We have to go back to Storybrooke. We can… Figure the rest out later."

"Such a shame… Just when I was really starting to like you guys."

Emma and Shae both jumped, and whirled around as a man stepped out of the shadows. Shae clenched her fists when she realized that it was Walsh, their next door neighbor. Shae never liked Walsh. The first day that she and Emma had moved into their apartment, Walsh started flirting with Emma, and even asked her out. He had been disappointed when Emma told him about Shae, but otherwise left it alone. Still, the guy gave Shae the creeps. Anytime they were coming and going from the apartment, Walsh just seemed to be… Around. She just couldn't quite shake the feeling that there was something off about him.

"Walsh… W-What are you doing up here?" Emma asked, eyeing the man warily.

"I really wish you guys hadn't drank that potion." Walsh replied in a low, menacing tone.

Both Emma and Shae's eyes grew wide with shock, and they exchanged an anxious glance. "What?" They asked in unison.

"You two just couldn't leave WELL ENOUGH ALONE!" Walsh bellowed, knocking over a chair as he walked slowly toward them.

Shae stepped protectively in front of Emma. "Who the hell are you, Walsh?"

Walsh stopped in his tracks, grinning deviously at them. Emma and Shae gasped as Walsh's pupils suddenly began to glow bright red. Shae reacted quickly, and pulled Emma to the ground, throwing herself on top of her as Walsh rushed at them. He tried to stop himself before he reached the edge of the roof, but it was too late, and he went hurtling over the side. Shae and Emma both scrambled to their feet and leaned over the edge, peering down into the street.

"WOAH!" Shae shouted.

Where Walsh's body should have been, was instead what looked to be some sort of monkey, a monkey that had wings, and it was flying up toward them. They leapt back as the monkey landed on the edge of the roof. He screeched at them, and threw himself upon Emma. Shae acted quickly once again, and she grabbed a lead pipe that was lying on the ground.

"GET DOWN!" She shouted at Emma.

Emma stopped her struggling with the flying monkey, and threw herself to the ground. Shae swung the pipe at the monkey, and there was a hollow sounding thump as the pipe made contact with the back of his head. The monkey stumbled backward, once again falling over the edge of the roof. Emma staggered back to her feet, and rushed over to the edge next to Shae. They both watched as the monkey that was once Walsh landed hard in the street below, his body crumbling into black dust.

They both whirled around again as they heard a bang from behind them, and Shae raised the pipe in the air. She lowered the pipe when she found Hook standing in the rooftop doorway, and they both breathed out a sigh of relief.

"What in the blazes was that?" Hook asked them, his eyes wide with fear.

"Oh, you know, just a flying monkey." Shae replied with a shrug, tossing the pipe to the ground.

"It was more than that." Emma said, shaking her head as tears welled into her eyes. "It was a reminder that we were never safe, Shae. All that we wanted, all that we thought we could have… It's not possible, not for us. Not for the savior."

"Emma…" Shae said slowly, gently taking her by the hand.

"Don't!" Emma shouted, wrenching her hand out of Shae's grip. "It'll just make things worse, remember?"

Shae sighed, and she nodded slowly. She momentarily exchanged a glance with Hook, then followed after Emma, who had stomped back inside. Once back in the apartment, they left the bottle of wine Shae had bought abandoned, instead turning to something stronger to drown their worries in. As they sipped on their whiskey, Hook told Shae everything he had already told Emma. He had been in The Enchanted Forest, aboard The Jolly Roger when he received a note attached to the bottle of memory potion. He had no idea who the note was from, but it warned him that a new curse was coming to take the whole land back to Storybrooke, and that Hook needed to find Emma, to once again return as the savior and break the curse.

After several drinks, Shae and Emma left Hook in the living room to sleep on their couch. Once they had gotten ready for bed, Shae and Emma stood on either side of their bed, staring awkwardly at each other.

"Um… I should just go… Sleep on the couch." Shae stammered. "I'll make Hook sleep on the floor or something."

Shae turned to leave, and Emma rushed around the bed, stopping her by grabbing her arm. "Shae, wait…"

Shae turned back to face Emma, whose eyes were once again shining with tears. She placed her hands on Shae's chest, and Shae watched sadly as tears began to leak out of her eyes. Emma gazed up into Shae's bright blue eyes, eyes that had once been filled with so much love for her, eyes that now showed only pain and confusion. Emma gently cupped Shae's face in her hands, and kissed her full on the lips. Shae hesitated for a moment, but she then sighed, wrapping her arms around Emma's waist and kissing her back. Emma snaked her arms around Shae's neck as their lips parted. They kissed slowly, passionately, and desperately, both of their hearts filled with sorrow and confusion over Neal and Regina, and their love for each other, which was still strong, despite their returned memories.

Emma pulled back from their embrace, staring up into Shae's eyes. "Shae… Does this… Does this feel real to you?" She asked in a whisper, gently caressing her olive toned face. "Because it… It still feels real to me."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, and more tears leaked down her face. When she nodded silently, Emma choked out a sob, and buried her face in Shae's chest. Shae hesitated for a moment once again, but then she wrapped her arms around Emma, holding her tight as she sobbed into her chest.

"I-It… It's gonna be ok." Shae told her as she gently rubbed her back.

"Is it?" Emma asked, pulling away and staring into Shae's bright blue eyes, her face twisted in sorrow. "I mean… Jesus, Shae… What are we even gonna do? W-What do we tell Henry?"

Shae shook her head, more tears streaming down her face. "I… I don't know." She admitted miserably. "Look, let's just… Try and get some rest, ok? We'll figure it all out in the morning."

Shae turned to the door once again, but Emma held on to her hand. "Shae, wait… Please." She said pleadingly. "There's a reason I gave you the rest of the memory potion and not Henry. I… I can't face all this alone."

Emma's face twisted in misery once again, and she gripped the front of Shae's t-shirt, choking back another sob. "Shae I… I need you."

Shae nodded as Emma began sobbing again, and she carefully helped her into their bed. Shae climbed into bed as well, and laid down next to Emma, pulling her into her arms as she cried softly. Tears streamed from Shae's eyes as she held Emma in her arms. She thought about Regina, and her heart ached with misery. She so badly wanted to see her, wanted to hold her, kiss her, tell her how much she missed her. But, at the same time, she couldn't ignore her feelings for Emma. She was comforted by her smell, her touch, her kiss. She knew Emma was struggling with the same feelings for her, and for Neal, the man that she still loved, the father of her child.

"Oh god, Shae…" Emma whispered between sobs. "What are we gonna do?"

Shae held her tight, burying her face into the top of her head. "I don't know, Emma. I just… Don't know."

XX

The next morning, Emma, Shae, Henry, and Hook all piled into Emma's tiny yellow bug and set off to Maine. Emma told Henry that she had a case to work in Storybrooke, and that he and Shae were going with her. Henry was perplexed by the fact that his mother was pulling him out of school for an unknown amount of time, but he otherwise seemed to accept her white lie. Emma and Shae both felt terrible about lying to the boy but, without his memories, they were left with little other choice.

Night had fallen by the time they had crossed into the state of Maine. Henry had fallen asleep in the back seat next to Shae, his headphones in his ears. Emma drove with Hook in the passenger seat, both sitting silently as Shae talked on the phone with Terry.

"Honestly, I have no idea how long we'll be gone. Might be a while." Shae said into the phone. "Yeah, I'll keep in touch. Tell Rosa I said bye, ok? Cool. Thanks, Ter-Bear."

Shae ended the call, and stored her phone back in the pocket of her leather jacket. Now that she was herself again, she left her frayed blue jeans and flannel shirt abandoned. Instead, she returned to her old way of dress. Combat boots, black pants, an ACDC band t-shirt, and her old, black leather jacket. Shae breathed out a sad, heavy sigh, rubbing her aching forehead.

"You alright back there, mate?" Hook asked from the seat in front of her.

"Look, dude, I'm not your 'mate.'" Shae snapped irritably. "I've got my memories back now, remember? I haven't exactly forgotten about how you helped Cora dump me in the middle of the harbor. Or about how you helped Greg and Tamara kidnap Regina. Did you know the asshole tortured her for hours?"

"Shae! Watch it." Emma chided her, staring nervously into the rearview mirror at her son.

"Don't worry, he's asleep." Shae replied dismissively. "Henry, I'll give you twenty dollars if you wake up!"

When Henry remained with his head slumped against the window, his eyes closed, Shae nodded in a satisfied sort of way. Emma sighed, falling silent once again as she focused on the road in front of her.

"Listen, ma- Shae." Hook said, turning in his seat to look back at Shae. "I should tell you that I… Regret the things I have done to you and your Queen in the past, and I apologize. I have been… Trying to turn over a new leaf, as of late."

Shae sighed, gazing out at the trees whizzing past the window. "Yeah, I know." She replied quietly. "Sorry I snapped at you like that. I'm just… All this, it's just… A lot, you know?"

Hook nodded solemnly. "Aye, I imagine it is."

"Hey! Look!" Emma suddenly exclaimed.

Shae sat forward, and Hook turned back around as Emma slowed the car to a stop. Sitting off to the side of the road on their right, was a green road sign that read, 'Now Entering Storybrooke.'

"Holy shit… It's actually here." Shae breathed, her eyes wide with shock.

"Yeah, looks like it." Emma replied, looking back at Shae in the rearview mirror. "You ready?"

Shae chuckled bitterly. "I don't even know if I can answer that question."

Emma sighed, stepping on the gas once again. "Yeah… Me either."

The car slowly rolled forward, gaining more and more speed as they neared the Storybrooke town line. They held their breath as the car crossed the line. The air shimmered around the yellow bug as it broke through the magical cloaking barrier. When they continued across the line unharmed, they breathed out a collective sigh of relief.

"Well, me made it through." Emma said with a small shrug. "Now, we just gotta-"

"AUGH!"

Emma and Hook both jumped as Shae doubled over in the back seat, crying out in apparent pain. Hook whirled around in his seat, and Emma slammed on the breaks. They gasped as a pulsewave of magic shot out from Shae's body.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Hook asked in alarm.

"Shae! Shae, are you ok?" Emma asked.

"I… I don't know…" Shae replied shakily. "S-Somethings… Somethings wrong, I don't- AHH!"

Shae doubled over in pain again, and her whole body began shaking violently. Emma and Hook cried out in alarm as Shae jerked back in her seat, her body convulsing.

"What the hell is happening?" Hook asked, turning his fearful eyes onto Emma.

"I don't know!" Emma replied. "Come on, we've gotta get her out of the car."

Emma and Hook both vacated their seats, and Emma rushed around to the passenger side door. When she threw it open, Shae was continuing to convulse violently, and her body was now covered in a thick layer of sweat.

"Mom?" Henry asked as he finally woke, pulling his earbuds out of his ears. "What's going on?"

"It's alright, Henry, Shae's not… She's not feeling well." Emma told her son in a panicked rush. "I need you to stay in the car, alright?"

Henry nodded uncertainly, and Emma and Hook both seized each of Shae's arms. They quickly pulled her out of the car, and her convulsing suddenly stopped as they laid her down in the grass. Emma and Hook exchanged a worried glance as she continued to lie motionless on the ground, her eyes closed.

"Shae? Shae!" Emma shouted, shaking her by her shoulders.

Shae gasped, her eyes snapping open. Emma and Hook gasped too when they saw Shae's eyes. They were now glowing a bright, neon red. Hook and Emma both leapt to their feet, drawing back a step as Shae's back arched, and she let out a loud, agonized scream.

"Bloody hell! S-She's changing back!" Hook exclaimed, staring down at Shae with wide, fearful eyes.

"What?" Emma asked in alarm. "How? How's that possible?"

"You heard The Evil Queen, remember?" Hook replied. "She said that potion that turned Shae human would only work in a land without magic. Now that she's back in Storybrooke, where there is magic-"

"She's changing back." Emma breathed, her eyes wide with horror. "Holy shit… W-What do we do?"

They both stared helplessly down at Shae, who was once again convulsing, groaning and screaming in pain, her eyes glowing bright red. Emma glanced over her shoulder, and saw Henry's face in the back window of her car.

"Go, get your boy out of here. He can't see this." Hook said quickly, grabbing Emma's arm. "I'll stay here, make sure she's alright."

Emma didn't bother arguing. She knew that if Henry saw Shae changing back into a vampire, it would only make everything she was already dealing with a million times worse. She rushed back to the car and got back into the driver's seat. Hook watched her drive away for a moment, then knelt back down at Shae's side once again.

"Shae, can you hear me?" Hook asked as Shae groaned in pain. "What can I do, mate? How can I help?"

Shae shook her head, her whole body shaking like a leaf in a violent breeze. "You… C-Can't." She choked out, slowly turning her glowing eyes onto the pirate. "Just… Just go…"

"What? No, I won't leave you like this!"

Shae reached out and grabbed the front of the pirate's jacket, pulling him down closer. "You… Have to." She rasped. "Go… Warn… The town…"

Hook hesitated, staring down at Shae's sweat covered face. Shae suddenly pushed him back, and Hook fell backwards onto the ground.

"GO!" Shae screamed at him. "GO, NOW!"

Shae let out another agonized, blood curdling scream. Hook slowly rose to his feet, watching in horror as Shae kept screaming, her body shaking and convulsing more violently than ever before. He then turned and sped off down the road, Shae's screams of pain ringing in his ears.

Shae closed her eyes, digging her nails into the dirt as unimaginable burning, white hot pain shot through her entire body. She had felt the same pain only once before, when she had been bitten by Dracula over two hundred years ago. She knew exactly what was about to happen. Right now, her human body was dying. She would soon black out, and when she woke, her skin would be pale and cold to the touch, her eyes a deep blood red, and her heart would no longer beat. She would then be consumed by a powerful lust for blood, and she wasn't certain she'd be able to control it. She gasped, feeling her heart stopping dead inside her rib cage. Her last thoughts were of Emma and Henry, how happy she had been with their life together the past year. She then thought of Regina, her beautiful, piercing brown eyes swimming before her. Then, everything went black.

XX

Emma sat in the corner booth at Granny's Diner with Henry and her parents, her head spinning with everything her parents had told her the night before. Apparently, the last thing they both remembered was Emma driving away from Storybrooke with Shae and Henry, then they woke up in their beds in Storybrooke, as if they had never left, as if no time had passed at all. It was blatantly obvious that time had passed, though, since Mary Margaret was now several months pregnant. No one else in Storybrooke seemed to remember the year they spent in The Enchanted Forest either. No one knew who had cast the new curse, and why their memories of the past year had been erased.

Emma had been forced to introduce David and Mary Margaret to Henry as old friends, which she could tell broke both her parents' hearts. Emma didn't have the time nor the mental energy to be worried about them, though. She was too worried about everyone else, and about who had cast this new curse. But mostly, she was worried about Shae. No one had seen her since the previous night, and they had no idea where she had gone.

Emma was roused from her silent musings at the sound of glass shattering. She turned around in her chair, and her heart sunk when she saw Regina, standing rooted in her spot, a broken glass lying in pieces at her feet. She stared wide eyed at Henry, who only look confused, and slightly shocked.

"Regina!" Emma exclaimed, rising from her seat and rushing over to her. "Regina, hey! We need to talk."

Regina didn't, or couldn't, respond. She only continued to stare at her son, her mouth gaping open in shock. Emma sighed, grabbing Regina's arm. Regina followed in silent shock as Emma led her out of the back of the diner and into the hallway of the bed and breakfast.

"He looked right through me." Regina breathed in horror, her brown eyes shining with tears.

Emma sighed again sadly. "Because he doesn't remember you."

"But you clearly do." Regina said, her tone now slightly irritated. "Why are you here? How did you know to come back? I gave you all new memories. You and Henry and… And Shae."

"It was Hook." Emma answered. "He got a note saying to come find me. The note was attached to a memory potion. I drank some and I… I gave the rest to Shae."

Regina's eyes grew wide with shock, and a smile slowly crept across her face. "You did? So… So Shae remembers everything?"

Emma nodded, and opened her mouth to tell her about how Shae was once again missing, but stopped when the door to the bed and breakfast suddenly burst open. It was David and Mary Margaret, and they were both grinning at Regina.

"Regina, you'll never guess who we just found!" Mary Margaret said excitedly.

Another man suddenly stepped through the door, a man that Emma had never seen before. He was obviously new to Storybrooke, as he was dressed in medieval style black leather armor. He was tall and thin, with a short crop of messy, chestnut brown hair that stuck up in the front. Emma's brow furrowed when she noticed that his skin was a pale gray color, and his eyes were a deep, blood red, just like Shae's.

"Remus?" Regina asked, her eyes wider than ever before.

The man turned his blood red eyes onto Regina, and his pale gray face lit up with joy. "Regina!"

The man named Remus pushed Mary Margaret and David aside, a little roughly, and rushed toward Regina, throwing his arms around her. Regina laughed in surprise as she hugged him, and David and Mary Margaret smiled as they watched the two old friends reunited once again.

"My god, you are a sight for sore eyes!" Remus exclaimed, releasing Regina and holding her out at arm's length. "Look at you, you look wonderful! I love what you've done with your hair."

Regina laughed again, and threw her arms back around Remus. "Oh, Remus, I've missed that devilish charm." She said with a smile. "I just… I-I don't… What are you doing here?"

"I'm just as clueless as everyone else, I'm afraid." Remus replied, glancing over at David and Mary Margaret. "One moment I was in The Enchanted Forest, the next I woke up in this strange town."

"We think someone cast another curse." David told him with a grave nod. "It looks like our memories of the past year have been erased."

Remus's blood red eyes grew wide with shock. "Bloody hell, a whole year? Who would do such a thing?"

They all fell silent, and Regina's mouth gaped open when Emma, David, and Mary Margaret all gave her a pointed stare.

"It wasn't me!" She cried indignantly. "Not this time, at least."

"Oh, so this is the land that your curse took the kingdom to?" Remus asked Regina.

"Yes, it is." Regina replied. "Wait a minute… How exactly did you escape the first curse?"

"Er, well, that's a bit of a long story." Remus replied hesitantly.

"Why don't we all go sit down?" Mary Margaret offered.

Remus and Regina both nodded, and they all went in to the empty common room of the bed and breakfast. Once they were all seated around the table, Regina posed her question to Remus once again. For some reason, the vampire seemed quite nervous.

"Yes, well… That is uh… Well, because of your mother, actually."

Silence fell over the table, and they all stared at Remus, mouths gaping open in shock. "You knew Cora?" Mary Margaret breathed in surprise.

Remus nodded. "For a short time, yes. Lovely woman."

"How?" Regina asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Well, as you know, after spending several lovely weeks at your castle, I left in search of a cure." Remus explained.

"Cure?" Asked Emma.

"For my uh… Blood sucking condition." Remus replied with a grimace. "I had been searching for one for quite some time. I was on my way to a far away land called Agrabah in search of a genie when I ran into your mother along the way. She was travelling with a devilishly handsome pirate at the time, and, well… You know me."

Regina chuckled when Remus gave her a knowing wink. "Yes, that would be Captain Hook." She said with a nod. "I'm sorry, Remus, but I'm afraid our one handed pirate is very fond of women."

Remus sighed heavily. "Yes, all the good looking ones are, I'm afraid."

"So, what happened with you and Cora?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Right, well, Cora told me of a place called Lake Nostos." Remus went on. "She said that the waters there had restorative powers, and could potentially restore my humanity. So, I offered up my services, and in exchange, Cora would take me to this lake."

"Looks like you never made it there." Emma said, looking Remus up and down.

"Well, no. Not with Cora, at least."

"What do you mean?" Regina asked.

"After taking up with your mother, I soon learned who exactly she was, and what she was planning to do." Remus answered. "She was going to freeze an entire corner of the kingdom for twenty eight years to avoid your curse. As you can imagine, I wasn't very keen on wasting that much of my time, so I attempted to escape."

Regina chuckled dryly. "Let me guess… My mother wasn't exactly happy about that."

Remus chuckled too. "No, she certainly wasn't. And I'm sure you also know just how powerful of a sorceress she is. So, I ended up frozen in her spell for twenty eight years anyway. When I came to, she and Captain Hook were gone, and the land was in ruins. I travelled to the lake your mother had mentioned myself, but unfortunately found it completely dry."

"So how exactly did you end up in Storybrooke?" Asked David.

"Well, as I said, I'm not exactly sure." Remus replied with a shrug. "I had been travelling with Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men when we apparently got swept up in this new curse."

"Wait a minute… You were travelling with Robin Hood and his Merry Men?" Mary Margaret asked, breathing out a surprised laugh.

"Yes, of course!" Remus replied. "'Merry Men?' Do you really think I'd pass up that opportunity?"

They all laughed as Remus grinned cheekily at them, a grin that mimicked the kind that Shae was often sporting. Emma suddenly gasped, and her eyes grew wide with realization.

"Holy crap!" She exclaimed, causing everyone at the table to stare curiously at her. "You're… You're _that_ Remus! Shae's best friend!"

"Yes, that's right." Remus replied with a smile. "Is Shae here too? Where is she? I would very much love to see her. I've missed her terribly."

"I-I'm not sure." Regina said, looking to Emma anxiously. "Did she come back with you and Henry?"

Emma bit her lip, and nodded slowly. "Yeah, she did. But… But as soon as we crossed the town line, she started to… Turn back into a vampire."

Silence fell over the table once again as both Remus and Regina stared at her with wide eyes. "What?" Breathed Regina. "How's that even possible?"

"I'm not sure." Emma replied, shaking her head. "Hook thought it had something to do with the potion you gave her, how it only worked in a land without magic."

"Potion? What potion?" Remus asked, glancing at Regina.

Regina sighed, and they all took a moment to explain to Remus what had happened with Peter Pan's curse, and how Shae had been living as a human for the past year. Remus seemed deeply troubled by this news.

"Where exactly is she now?" Remus asked of Emma.

"I'm… Not sure." Emma admitted sadly. "Hook stayed with her after she started turning, and I left with Henry. I… I didn't want him to see. He thinks that Shae is sick in the hospital right now."

"So… She's missing?" Remus asked, and when Emma nodded, his blood red eyes grew wide with fear. "Oh dear… Oh, that's not good. Not good at all."

"What are you talking about, Remus?" Regina asked the vampire.

Remus sighed as he sat forward in his chair, staring around at all of them very seriously. "A newborn vampire is by far the most powerful and most dangerous vampire of them all." He explained. "Their blood lust is… Unchecked, uncontrollable. Shae might have some control over it since she's been through it all before, but… But still, she could be a danger to this whole town, and to herself."

"My god." David breathed, looking just as fearful as Remus. "W-We've got to do something, we've gotta find her."

"Remus, your ring!" Regina suddenly exclaimed. "You can use it to find her, right?"

Remus gasped. "Yes, you're right! I nearly forgot." He then began fumbling around inside his black leather armor. "I stopped wearing it on my finger years ago when I lost my hand to a particularly aggressive griffon back in my home land."

"You lost your hand?" Mary Margaret asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

"Well, it grew back." Remus replied with a shrug. "Ah! Here we are."

The vampire removed a silver chain from around his neck. Attached to it was a silver banded ring with a black sparkling stone, just like Shae's. Remus's ring, however, had two suns engraved on either side of the band, where Shae's had crescent moons. They all stared in wonder at the black stone as the stardust forged inside the obsidian began glowing bright.

"That's strange…" Remus muttered, staring down at the ring in his hand. "It looks as if Shae's ring is in this very room."

"Er… That's because it is."

They all turned their eyes onto Emma, and gasped when she removed her hand from underneath the table. Shae's ring was still on her finger, the stardust in it's stone glowing bright, just like Remus's ring.

"W-What?" Regina breathed, her eyes wide as saucers. Her face then fell, and her lips curled into an angry snarl. "Why the hell are you wearing Shae's ring? _My_ ring?"

"Regina, listen." Emma replied gently. "You… You gave us new memories, remember?"

"Yes, of course I do." Regina snapped in reply.

"Right, ok, so…" Emma went on in the same slow and careful tone. "You know that… That you made it so Shae and I never broke up… Right?"

Regina nodded, and then, suddenly, her eyes shone with horrified understanding. "No… No, she… She didn't."

Emma nodded too. "Yeah, she, uh… She proposed to me."

"What?" David and Mary Margaret both exclaimed in unison.

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" Remus demanded angrily.

Once again, they all took a few moments to explain to Remus what Regina had done to cast the spell to stop Pan's curse. As Remus listened quietly, his blood red eyes grew wider and wider with shock.

"My god…" Remus breathed, running his hand through his hair. "This is quite a conundrum you've created, Regina."

"Yes, well, I… I didn't expect to ever see Shae again." Regina replied bitterly. "I… I wanted her to be happy, and I wanted my son to have a family."

"She was happy, Regina." Emma said quietly. "We all were. And Henry, he-"

"Look, I hate to interrupt all of… This." David cut in. "But I really don't think now is the best time. We need to focus on finding Shae."

Regina sighed, and nodded. "Yes, you're right." She said, then turned to Remus. "You remember the last time Shae disappeared, when she drank human blood, right?"

"Yes, of course." Remus replied with a nod. "I found her hiding underground in an old ruin. Is there somewhere like that here?"

They all fell silent for a moment as they pondered, and Regina suddenly gasped, urgently grabbing Remus's hand. "My vault!"

"Yes! That's it! She's gotta be there!" Emma exclaimed.

"Right, we must hurry." Remus said with another nod.

David and Mary Margaret stayed behind to look after Henry, and Emma, Regina, and Remus got into Emma's car, and she drove them speedily out to the Storybrooke cemetery. Remus, who was a few inches taller than Shae, struggled for a moment to remove his long, lanky limbs from the back seat of Emma's tiny yellow bug. Once he was safely out of the car, they followed Regina to her father's mausoleum. They pushed aside the stone coffin, and Regina and Emma made to descend the steps, but Remus stopped them.

"No, no, you two stay here." Remus told them sternly. "As I said before, her bloodlust will be out of control. If she catches even a whiff of your scent, she might go into a frenzy. Even I might not be able to stop her then."

Emma and Regina exchanged a silent, anxious glance, but then they both nodded. Remus nodded back, and he carefully made his way down the steps. He checked the small, cluttered room to his left, and when he found it empty, he turned back around, and started down the long, dark hallway.

"Shae?" He called out. "Shae, are you down here?"

Remus stopped in his tracks when he saw a shadow move across the back wall. He then breathed out a sigh of relief as Shae slowly sidled around the corner, and a smile slowly crept across his pale face.

"Remus?" Shae breathed, her now blood red eyes wide with shock. "Remus… I-Is that you?"

"Well, I certainly hope so." Remus replied with another cheeky grin. "Otherwise, I've been wearing the wrong underpants."

Shae laughed loudly, and she rushed forward, throwing her arms around her old friend. "Oh god, Remus… It's you, it's actually you!"

"Oh, it's good to see you, my friend." Remus whispered as he hugged Shae tight. "I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too." Shae whispered back. "What… What are you even doing here?"

"I'm not quite sure." Remus replied with a frown. "Apparently I got swept up in some sort of curse. I only just woke up here a few days ago."

"So… So you don't remember anything either?" Shae asked him.

Remus shook his head. "No, apparently we've all had a whole year wiped from our memories. Lord knows what I did in all that time."

Shae laughed again, once again throwing her arms around her friend. Remus laughed too, and hugged her tight once again. They stood in silence for a moment, and, in that moment, neither of them cared about who exactly had cast the curse, and why they wanted everyone in Storybrooke in the first place. They were both just immensely grateful to be reunited once again.

"What about you? Are you alright?" Remus asked, holding Shae out at arm's length by her shoulders. "Regina told me all about what happened with Peter Pan's curse."

"You've seen Regina?" Shae asked with an excited smile. "H-How is she? Is she ok? Does she remember anything?"

"No, unfortunately, she's just as clueless as the rest of us." Remus replied with a shake of his head. "Apparently, she's-"

"Shae?"

Shae gasped, her blood red eyes wide as she stared over Remus's shoulder. Remus spun around, and found Regina herself standing at the bottom of the steps. He opened his mouth to chastise her for disobeying him, but stopped short when Shae shoved him roughly aside. As he stumbled into the stone wall, Shae rushed over to Regina, and swept her up into her arms.

"Oh god… Oh, Shae, it's you, you're really here!" Regina exclaimed, her eyes welling with tears of joy as she held Shae tight.

"Yeah, yeah I am. I'm here." Shae whispered, grateful and joyous tears leaking out of her eyes.

Regina pulled away from their embrace, and gently cupped Shae's face in her hands, tears rushing down her face as well.

"You came back." Regina whispered, smiling into Shae's now blood red eyes.

Shae smiled back, gently caressing Regina's cheek. "I always come ba- AHH!"

Regina gasped as Shae suddenly shoved her away from her. Shae stumbled back a few steps, knocking in to Remus, holding her hand over her mouth and nose.

"Stay back!" Remus shouted at Regina, who had taken a step toward Shae. "Shae… Shae, are you alright?"

Shae only groaned in reply, and she stumbled back into the wall, clutching either side of her head. Regina stood rooted in her spot, watching the woman she loved as she began shaking violently, groaning as she attempted to fight off the bloodlust that was consuming her.

"Dammit, Regina, get out of here!" Remus bellowed furiously.

"REMUS!" Regina shouted, pointing behind him.

Remus whirled around, and only had time to let out a startled gasp as Shae, whose eyes were now glowing bright red, seized him by the front of his armor, and hurled him against the wall. As Remus crashed to the ground, Shae rushed at Regina, who was too shocked and horrified to react in time. She cried out in pain as Shae grabbed her by her throat, and slammed her against the wall. Regina stared into Shae's glowing red eyes as two long, sharp fangs shot down from her gums.

"SHAE, NO!"

Remus was on his feet again, and he grabbed the back of Shae's jacket, pulling her away just as she was leaning in to Regina's neck. Remus sent his friend hurtling down the long hallway, where she crashed into the wall, hitting the ground hard. Shae snarled furiously at him, and scrambled back to her feet. Remus threw himself upon Shae, and the two vampires grunted and groaned as they wrestled around on the ground.

"Regina?"

Regina whirled around, and found Emma hurrying down the stone steps, looking worried. "Are you alright?" Emma asked her. "I heard shouting."

Emma and Regina both jumped as Remus cried out in pain. Shae had managed to wrestle her arm free from his grip, and clocked him right in the forehead with her elbow. Remus fell backward, dazed from the blow to his head, and Shae rose to her feet once again. Emma and Regina both stared in shock as Shae turned her glowing red eyes onto them, her long, sharp fangs protruding from her lips as they curled into a snarl.

Shae lunged at them, and Emma brought up her hands protectively in front of her face. Two beams of glowing white magic unwillingly shot out of both her hands, hitting Shae right in the chest. The vampire was blasted backward, and the back of her head smacked into the stone wall. She crashed to the ground, where she lie face down, completely motionless.

"Woah…" Emma breathed, staring down at her own hands in shock.

"Remus!" Regina exclaimed, rushing over to him. "Remus, are you alright?"

Remus groaned, sitting forward and rubbing his aching forehead. "Fine, I'm fine."

Emma and Regina both helped Remus to his feet, and he glanced over at Shae, who was still lying senseless on the ground. He breathed out a sigh of relief, then turned back to the two women standing before him.

"Come on, let's get out of here before she wakes up." He grumbled.

The three of them left Regina's vault, and pushed the stone coffin back over the hidden staircase. Once outside in the cemetery, Remus rounded on Emma and Regina.

"Do you two got shit in your ears?" He spat furiously. "I told you to stay here!"

"I'm sorry, Remus, I… I needed to see her." Regina replied shakily. "I… I just… I couldn't…"

Regina stammered into silence, biting her lip as tears leaked out of her eyes. Remus exchanged a quick glance with Emma, and then he sighed heavily.

"It's alright." He said gently, smiling as he placed his hand on Regina's shoulder. "No one got hurt, that's all that matters, yeah?"

Regina nodded silently, hastily wiping the tears off of her face. Remus nodded too, then fixed them both with a grave and serious stare.

"Now then, is there somewhere in this town where you can gather the townsfolk?" Remus asked them.

"Uh, yeah, the town hall, I guess." Emma replied, raising an eyebrow at him. "Why?"

"We need to warn them about Shae." Remus said in a grave tone. "I will do everything I can to help her through this, but she will need to venture out to hunt. Everyone will need to stay as far away from the woods as they can, just in case."

"Wait a minute… That gives me an idea." Emma said, and Remus and Regina exchanged a curious glance as an excited smile slowly spread across her face. "Right, lets round everybody up. I think I know how we're gonna find who cast this curse."

XX

Later that afternoon, the entire town of Storybrooke was gathered inside the town hall. Emma tried her best to maintain order, but things quickly got out of hand. Apparently, there were more winged creatures like the one that had been posing as Walsh, and they were attacking anyone who got near the town line. Several people had already gone missing, including a few of the seven dwarves, and Little John, one of Robin Hood's Merry Men. The people of Storybrooke grew even more frightened when Emma told them about Shae. She attempted calm them, told them that Shae didn't actually want to hurt anyone. But her words seemed to be falling on deaf ears.

Regina stood at the back of the hall, clenching her fists and gritting her teeth as the townsfolk hurled accusation after accusation at her. Even though she denied having cast the curse over and over again, the people of Storybrooke seemed determined to place all the blame on her. Unbeknownst to them, that was a major part of Emma's plan. The townsfolk needed someone to blame, to be distracted, while Emma, with Regina's help, searched for the real culprit.

A sudden hush fell over the town hall as the doors swung open, and Remus stepped through. "Where's Shae?" Regina asked as he came to stand next to her. "Is she alright?"

"Yes, she's fine." Remus replied with a gentle smile. "She's awake now, and safely locked away in your vault."

"What the hell is he doing here?" Growled Leroy, staring daggers at Remus.

"Oh, wonderful, the tactless dwarf is here." Said Remus, rolling his eyes at Leroy. "Ever so lovely to see you again."

"What exactly are you doing with _her_?" Dr. Whale demanded, pointing an accusing finger at Regina. "What kind of allegiance have you sworn to The Evil Queen?"

Remus glanced at Regina, then back at Whale, raising an eyebrow at him. "Well, none I suppose." He admitted with a shrug. "Shae is my dear friend, which makes Regina my dear friend simply by association. Also… Well, I suppose I just like her better than you lot."

"Thank you, Remus." Regina said with a grin.

"You're very welcome, Regina." Remus replied, grinning back.

"Then you're just as evil as she is!" Shouted Granny, pointing a finger at Remus.

Remus gasped dramatically, placing his hand over his heart in mock shock. "Evil? Me? Oh, I take offense to that. At best, I consider myself to be a chaotic neutral."

"I don't give a damn what you consider yourself!" Granny snarled, taking an angry step forward. "You probably helped her cast this damn curse, you and the other damn vampire!"

"Excuse me, but that 'other damn vampire' nearly sacrificed her life to save all of you a year ago!" Regina snarled back. "Or did you forget about that too?"

"Regina, please." Pleaded Archie as he pushed his way to the front of the crowd. "Just tell us the truth. We'll all understand."

"Speak for yourself." Granny said with a snort.

"I am telling the truth!" Regina insisted furiously. "If I had done this, then I'd certainly have my son, and Shae by my side, not Remus. No offense."

"None taken." Remus replied with a shrug.

"Yeah, you're not getting anywhere near Henry." Emma said in a dangerous tone. "Not until I get to the bottom of all this."

"Oh, so you're siding with the rabble now as well?" Remus asked, raising his eyebrows at Emma. "We've already been through this. Regina is bloody innocent! We both are!"

"I'm not so sure I believe that." Emma replied, narrowing her eyes at Remus.

Remus put his arm out protectively in front of Regina, and they both drew back a step as the citizens of Storybrooke began rising out of their seats, and slowly advancing toward them.

"Come any closer and I'll rip your bloody lungs out!" Remus snarled viciously at them.

"Have you all forgotten who you're dealing with?" Regina asked in a low, menacing tone. "If you all really want me to be The Evil Queen, then fine. That's exactly what you'll get."

Regina stepped in front of Remus, and threw out both her arms. A pulsewave of energy shot out at the townsfolk, and they all began panicking as the earth began to quake violently beneath their feet. Regina then placed her hand on Remus's shoulder, and disappeared with the vampire in tow with a whirl of purple smoke.

When they reappeared safely in Regina's mayoral office, Remus let out a low chuckle. "An earthquake? Oh, that was bloody brilliant, it was."

Regina sighed heavily, sitting on the edge of her desk. When she didn't respond, Remus's brow furrowed, and he stared at her concernedly.

"Oh, come on! Don't tell me you were bothered by all that nonsense?" He asked with another eyeroll.

"Well, you saw how quick they were to blame me for all this!" Regina cried.

"So what?" Remus replied with a snort. "The Regina I used to know wouldn't give a rat's ass about what the common rabble thought of her. All she cared about was getting revenge, and a certain dark haired vampire almost as charming as I am. Almost, but not quite."

Regina laughed as Remus grinned cheekily at her. "Yes, well, I'm not exactly that person anymore." She sighed again, rubbing her aching forehead. "Remus… A lot has changed since you've been… Gone. I've changed, and so has Shae. Before we got separated, I was trying to change for my son, to be… Good. And Shae… She was trying to change too. For me."

"Yes, I can see that." Remus muttered in reply. "She speaks so strangely now. She kept saying this word, 'dope.' What the hell does that even mean?"

Regina laughed again, shaking her head slowly in amusement. "Yes, that does sound like her." She replied quietly. "Oh, Remus… I… I miss her so much. I know a year has passed but… It feels like just yesterday I was saying goodbye to her, for what I assumed was going to be forever. It… It broke my heart."

Remus frowned as Regina bit her lip, fighting back more tears. "And now… Now she's back again." Regina went on. "But she's… Engaged to someone else."

Remus sighed, and he sat down next to Regina, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Regina… None of that was real." He told her soothingly. "What you and Shae have, that's what's real, yeah? And I'm going to do everything in my power to return her to you as soon as possible. I promise you that."

Regina smiled up at him, and nodded slowly. "Thank you, Remus." She said, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I'm glad you're here. I've really missed you these last twenty eight years."

Remus smiled back, gently rubbing her back. "Oh, I've missed you too, Regina."

Suddenly, the door to Regina's office burst open, and Emma stomped in, looking quite angry. "An earthquake?" She demanded. "Really?"

"Well, I had to make a statement, didn't I?" Regina asked, pushing away from the desk. "Besides, you're all fine."

"Do you think they fell for it?" Remus asked of Emma.

Emma nodded. "Yeah, I think they did. Now we can find out who _really_ cursed this town."

Emma gave Regina the small blue vial that once held the memory potion given to her by Captain Hook. A miniscule amount of the potion still remained at the bottom of the bottle. Not enough to be used, but Regina was confident that it was just enough to replicate. While Remus returned to Regina's vault to look in on Shae, Emma stayed with Regina, waiting anxiously as the former Queen carefully brewed her own batch of memory potion. Emma held her breath as Regina drank the potion, and her heart sunk when Regina hurled the bottle across the room, where it shattered into pieces against the wall. It hadn't worked. Regina didn't remember anything, and there was no more of the original potion left to use.

With little else they could do, the two women decided to give up for the time being, and were both about to leave for their homes. Regina was about to walk out the door when Emma grabbed her arm.

"Regina… Wait." She said. "There's uh… Something we need to talk about."

Regina turned back around, and eyed Emma expectantly as she bit her lip, nervously fiddling with the zipper of her jacket.

"Look, I know everything going on with Shae is complicated enough as it is." Emma began slowly. "But… I just… I don't want to keep anything from you, ok?"

Regina's brow furrowed in concern. "What? What is it?"

Emma took another moment to respond, choosing her words carefully. "Well, um… Now that our memories are back, Shae and I both know that we… We have other people here in Storybrooke, people that we both love." She went on. "Shae has you and… And I have Neal, once I find him. But… Um… T-The thing is… Uh…"

Emma sighed, running her hand through her long blond hair. "Getting our memories back… It… It didn't exactly… Erase our feelings for each other."

Regina's face fell, and her brown eyes grew wide with shock. "What… What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that… That you're… You're Shae's true love, you know?" Emma replied, her voice cracking with emotion as she fought back the tears welling in her eyes. "A-And Neal, he's the father of my child, and I love him. And Shae… She loves you. But… We still… We still love each other too. Our feelings for each other are still very… Present. A-And, you know… Real."

"No…" Regina whispered, shaking her head vigorously, tears welling in her own eyes. "No, it can't be. Your memories, your life, it was all fake!"

"That's the thing, Regina! It wasn't fake, at least not for us!" Emma cried desperately. "For us, and for Henry… The last year was all very real. And it was… It was good. Really good. We were really happy. And for that I… I guess I have to thank you."

Regina breathed out a bitter, sour laugh. "Oh, yes, please do thank me for making my son forget who I am, and having my fiancee fall madly in love with you." She spat furiously. "I'm so glad that you've enjoyed having the love of the two people that _I_ love most in this world. Yes, you're ever so welcome for that."

Emma squeezed her eyes shut, tears rolling down her cheeks as Regina stomped away from her. She stopped at her desk and leaned her hands against it, hanging her head as tears streamed down her face, her heart aching with sorrow.

"Regina, I'm sorry." Emma said miserably. "I know this is all insane… But I'm obviously not going to stand in the way of you and Shae, alright? I… I would never do that. I just… I thought you should know."

Regina didn't respond. She dug her nails into the edge of her desk, biting down hard into her bottom lip as tears continued to flow down her face. She heard footsteps from behind her, and she watched as Emma placed Shae's ring on the desk next to her.

"You should have this back." Emma said quietly. "It's yours anyway."

Regina remained rooted in her spot, listening as Emma's footsteps grew fainter and fainter. When she heard the door to her office click shut, she finally broke down. She grabbed Shae's ring from off the desk, and slowly sunk down onto the floor, leaning her back against her desk. She held the ring tightly in her fist, pressing it against her forehead as she sobbed.

Her heart ached with misery over her failed attempt to replicate the memory potion. She had been filled with so much hope that she would be able to restore Henry's memories, so her son would actually remember who she was. She had hoped that she would finally get her son back, as well as the woman she loved, the woman that had proposed to her what felt like only days ago. She sobbed bitterly as she thought about Shae. She so badly wanted to go to her, to hold her in her arms and tell her how much she loved her, how sorry she was that she had let her go. But, after seeing Shae consumed by her blood lust, she knew it was best to stay away. She knew Remus would take care of her, and he had promised to return Shae to her as soon as he could. Regina took a deep, steadying breath, nodding determinedly to herself. Remus had brought Shae back to her once before, and she had to remain confident that he would do it again.

XX

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Remus?"

Remus glanced over at Shae as they walked through the woods, raising an eyebrow at her. "No, actually, I think I've changed my mind. It's a horrible idea."

Shae stopped in her tracks. "What? Really?"

"NO!" Remus exclaimed, throwing his arms up in in despair. "That's the third bloody time you've asked me! Now just shut your fat old gob and come on!"

Shae stuck her tongue out at the back of Remus's head as she continued walking. After spending several days safely locked away in Regina's vault, only venturing out to feed on various wild game in the woods, Remus thought it was time for Shae to be amongst humans again. Shae was nervous, but Remus insisted that he wouldn't let anything happen, to her or anyone else.

"Where exactly are we going again?" Shae asked her friend.

Remus sighed exasperatedly. "I told you, the men I had been travelling with have a camp set up just outside of town."

"Right, right." Shae muttered in reply. "So who are these guys?"

"Well, they call themselves The Merry Men." Remus replied with a chuckle. "Their leader is a man named Robin, Robin Hood."

Shae's raised her eyebrows at him in surprise. "Robin Hood? _The_ Robin Hood?"

"Yes, do you know him?"

"Well, no, but I know his story." Shae replied. "He's a human right? In the movie I saw he was a fox, and Little John was a bear. And there was like… A chicken with a lute. I dunno… It was pretty good though."

"Movie?" Remus asked, brow furrowed in confusion. "What the bloody hell is a movie?"

"Oh, right, uh… It's sort of like… Um… Moving, talking pictures."

"Moving pictures?" Remus exclaimed, then breathed out a surprised laugh. "I say, this world is utterly fascinating!"

"Yeah, it's pretty damn cool." Shae said with a grin. "I have _got_ to take you to New York sometime. Oh, and Los Angeles! Oh, man, Remus, you'd love L.A. It's hunk central down there."

"Really?" Remus asked, grinning back.

Shae nodded earnestly, and Remus laughed. Shae was about to tell him more, but she stopped when she spotted a campfire in the distance, along with several rows of tents. She tensed up as a breeze blew by, and she clenched her fists, gritting her teeth as the scent of humans washed over her.

"It's alright, you'll be fine." Remus said gently. "I'll be right here with you, yeah?"

Shae nodded again, and Remus smiled, nodding back. Shae trailed along behind Remus as he led them into Robin Hood's camp. A group of men were seated around the campfire, all with mugs in their hands, looking sullen.

"Oi! Why the long faces, gents?" Remus asked of them.

"Didn't you hear?" Asked a portly bald man with a brown beard. "It's Little John. He's been turned in to some sort of winged beast."

"Winged beast?" Remus asked, his blood red eyes wide. "Bloody hell… How exactly did that happen?"

"Not sure." The same bearded man replied. "Some sort of dark magic, it seems."

"I see… That is sad news indeed." Remus muttered sadly, exchanging an anxious glance with Shae. "Er, Shae, this is Friar Tuck. Friar Tuck, Shae."

"Oh! So this is the friend you were always going on about?" Friar Tuck said with a warm smile. "Come, sit, drink with us. Any friend of Remus's is a friend of ours."

There were some 'Ayes' and other murmurings of agreement from the rest of the men as Shae and Remus sat among them by the fire. They were both handed mugs of ale, and Friar Tuck raised his own into the air.

"To Little John." He said solemnly.

"Little John." The others echoed.

"So, this uh, 'winged beast,' did it happen to like a monkey with wings?" Shae asked of Friar Tuck after a moment of silent drinking.

Friar Tuck exchanged a glance with several of the other men, and then nodded. "Well… Yes, actually. How did you know?"

"I've seen one before, just a few days ago." Shae replied. "It was posing as my next door neighbor, seemed just like a regular guy, till he, you know… Changed."

"Just like Little John." Said the man next to the Friar, his eyes wide.

"Do you know where they might have come from?" Friar Tuck asked.

Shae shrugged, taking another sip of her ale. "Well, the only person I know of that uses flying monkeys is The Wicked Witch of the West."

"The what now?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow at his friend.

"Er, well, she's from a land called Oz." Shae replied, shrugging again. "In this world it's just a story, but… I dunno, I guess Oz might actually exist. I mean, I didn't think Robin Hood and his Merry Men were real, but here you all are."

"Who says I'm not real?"

Shae shifted in her seat, and found a man standing just behind Remus. He had a short crop of dirty blonde hair, and a layer of stubble on his cheeks to match. He was dressed in blue jeans, hooded sweatshirt, and jacket of the modern world, but he also had a weathered green scarf around his neck, a kind that was obviously of another time, and another land.

"Ah! Remus, there you are!" Robin Hood said with a smile. "I was beginning to wonder where you had run off to."

"No need to worry, I was just taking care of my friend here." Remus said, patting Shae's shoulder. "Robin, this is Shae. Shae, Robin of Locksley."

"Oh! Well, I've certainly heard a lot about you." Robin said with another warm smile. "Pleasure to meet you at last."

Shae smiled back, nodding as she shook Robin Hood's outstretched hand. The sleeve of his jacket pulled back slightly, and Shae's once again unbeating heart dropped straight out of her chest. On Robin Hood's arm was an interesting tattoo, a tattoo of a lion. Shae stared up at him, her mouth gaping open in silent horror.

"It's you…" She whispered, her blood red eyes wide as saucers.

Robin Hood's brow furrowed at the mortified look on Shae's face. "Er, sorry, have we met before?"

"No… No, no, no…" Shae muttered as she shook her head vigorously.

She rose from her seat, her mug of ale dropping out of her hand. She backed away, from the campfire and from Robin Hood, her head spinning, her ears ringing. Remus, Friar Tuck, and the rest of the men all eyed her curiously. Remus said something to her, and she said something back, but she had no idea what. Suddenly, she was running, the trees whizzing past her in a green and brown blur as she sprinted full tilt through the forest.

Shae slowed to a stop as she realized her legs had carried her to the abandoned cabin where she had stayed while Regina had been in Neverland. She pushed her way through the door, and as soon as it swung shut behind her, she collapsed. She fell to the floor on her hands and knees, her whole body shaking. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears dripping down from her eyes and onto the hardwood floor. He was here. The man with the lion tattoo, Regina's other true love, Robin Hood, was here in Storybrooke. He was now closer to Regina than he possibly ever had been, and Shae was terrified.

She collapsed sideways onto the floor, her quaking limbs unable to support her body anymore. She laid on her back, staring up at the ceiling as silent tears flowed down the sides of her face. Her heart ached with misery, with fear, and, most of all, confusion. As she lie shaking on the floor, her thoughts wandered to Emma, how happy she had been just a few short days ago, blissfully unaware of the other life, and the other love, that she had left behind. She remembered how it felt standing on the stage, singing to Emma what was, in Shae's opinion, the greatest love song ever written. She remembered her then still beating heart hammering in her chest as she got down on one knee, how it pulsed with excitement and joy when she said 'yes.' She remembered feeling much the same when she had posed the same question to Regina. Though her heart was, at the time, still and unbeating, gazing into Regina's beautiful brown eyes, seeing her smile, made her undead heart flutter all the same.

Shae suddenly pushed herself to her feet, her body still shaking. She had to go to Regina, had to find her, tell her how sorry she was for what happened with Emma, how sorry she was over the confusion in her heart. She had to tell her how much she still loved her, despite her feelings for Emma. She couldn't spend another moment without her, not with Robin Hood, her other true love, now so near.

She marched over to the door, and let out a startled gasp when she threw it open. There was a woman standing on the other side, her fist raised to knock on the door. She had long red hair that fell in loose curls down to her shoulders, and piercing, ice blue eyes.

"Oh! I-I'm terribly sorry to disturb you." The woman said in a rush. "I'm new to this town, a-and I'm afraid I've gotten myself horribly lost in these woods."

"Oh, uh… Ok." Shae stammered, still slightly startled. "Um… Right, I-I'm Shae."

The red haired woman smiled at Shae, holding out her hand. Shae shook it, though a bit hesitantly. There was something about the look in this stranger's ice blue eyes that made the vampire anxious.

"I'm Zelena. Pleasure to meet you."

XX


	11. Chapter 11, Lost

**Author's Note: Hello my lovely and loyal readers! I just want to say how much I love and appreciate all of you. I also want to let you know that, due to a recent promotion, my job has been demanding a lot more of my time lately. That being said, my writing process has been, and will likely continue to be, a lot slower than usual. But I promise that I will keep writing and I will post chapters as often as I possibly can. Again, thank you all for reading and for all your comments. You're all the best. =)**

CHAPTER 11

"Hold still, will ya?"

"My nose itches!"

Emma Swan sighed, using her fingernail to scratch the end of Shae's nose for her, then returned to blotting some olive toned makeup onto the vampire's face. After spending several days locked away in Regina's vault with Remus, Shae had finally overcome her bloodlust and was ready to rejoin the town of Storybrooke, eager to help Emma and the others find The Wicked Witch. Just as Shae had suspected, Emma and her parents deduced that The Wicked Witch of the West from the land of Oz was the one behind the new curse. What they still didn't know, however, was why, and what she was planning to do now that they were all in Storybrooke.

The other problem that they had to deal with was Henry. He hadn't seen Shae since the night they arrived in Storybrooke. Emma had been forced to lie to him once again, and told him that Shae was sick in the hospital, and highly contagious, which was why Henry wasn't allowed to see her. Emma knew that if Henry saw Shae in her current state, without his memories, he would be utterly confused, and likely scared.

Emma and Shae were down in Regina's vault. Shae was sitting on an old and battered trunk, and Emma was attempting to remedy the situation by using makeup to hide the paleness of Shae's skin. When Emma finally finished, she stepped back to admire her handiwork.

"Well… It's not perfect, but it'll have to do." She said with a sigh.

She bent down to reach into her purse, and retrieved a contact case from inside, handing it to Shae. "What's this?" Shae asked her.

"Colored contacts." Emma explained. "Henry will freak if he sees those red eyes."

Shae nodded, and carefully removed the lids to the case. She hesitated for a moment, nervously chewing on her lip ring. She then held the case back out to Emma.

"You do it." She said.

"What?" Emma exclaimed.

"Please?" Shae begged her. "I've never worn contacts before! I don't even know how to put them in!"

"You just, you know… Pop them in. It's not that hard."

"But… Just… I-I don't…"

Emma laughed, shaking her head in amusement. "Are you seriously scared to put contacts in your eyes?"

"No!" Shae cried indignantly. "I-I just… I've never done it before! I don't wanna mess it up."

Emma sighed again, taking the contact case out of Shae's hand and rolling her eyes. "Fine. Just… Hold still."

Shae obeyed, holding rigidly still as Emma stepped up close and leaned over her. She tilted her head back, and flinched slightly when Emma carefully lowered both the blue colored contacts into her eyes, but otherwise didn't make a fuss. She blinked several times, wiping away the moisture that had leaked onto her cheeks, then looked up at Emma expectantly.

"Well?" She asked her.

Emma furrowed her brow, placing her hands on either side of Shae's face and turning it from side to side, examining her eyes. They were a slightly darker shade of blue than Shae's eyes were when she had been human, but they were at least passable.

"Again… Not perfect, but they'll do." Emma replied with a shrug.

Shae smiled up at her, and Emma smiled back, gazing into Shae's now light blue eyes. A sudden tension built up between them as Emma kept her hands on Shae's face, gently caressing her cold skin with her thumbs. Shae gazed up into Emma's own hazel green eyes, and Emma bit her lip as they both fought back the powerful urge to kiss each other.

They both had thought a lot about each other the last several days, and about the other people in their lives, the ones they also loved. Shae so desperately wanted to see Regina, to tell her how sorry she was for attacking her, and for everything that had happened with Emma, and Emma herself was miserable over Neal's absence. No one had seen him since they all had arrived back in Storybrooke, and Emma was worried that The Wicked Witch had turned him into a flying monkey, just like the dwarves, and Little John. Though Emma missed Neal terribly, and Shae missed Regina, they both still ached for each other. Their hearts were filled fear, confusion, and immeasurable guilt. But Emma couldn't fight it any longer. She was heartsick over Neal's absence, and filled with fear over the threat of The Wicked Witch looming over their heads. In the year that they had spent together in New York, Shae had been Emma's source of comfort any time things got tough. Emma wanted that comfort again, now more than ever.

Shae gasped as Emma's lips touched her's, but she didn't recoil or push her away. As their lips parted, Shae wrapped her arms around Emma's waist and pulled her onto her lap. Emma entangled her fingers in Shae's hair as they kissed, and she was relieved to find that Shae's embrace was filled with the same desperate longing as her own. Though Shae's lips were now cold, they still felt familiar, safe, and comforting. They kissed slowly, passionately, desperately, wrapping their arms around each other as their tongues touched lightly.

"Oi, you two alright down there, it's been- Oh bloody hell!"

Emma and Shae both nearly leapt out of their skin, and they snapped their heads to the side to find Remus standing at the bottom of the stone staircase. He had finally set aside his medieval style leather armor and had borrowed some clothes from Shae. He was now garbed in a pair of frayed blue jeans, a black tank top, and Shae's spare black leather jacket. He was also sporting an utterly shocked, and quite angry, expression on his face.

"What exactly are you two doing down here?" He demanded hotly

Emma quickly vacated Shae's lap, and Shae rose to her feet, drawing back a few steps. Emma turned her back on both the vampires as she felt angry and confused tears welling into her eyes. They stood in awkward silence for a moment, neither of them really quite sure what to say.

"Remus… C-Can you give us a minute?" Shae stammered quietly.

Remus remained where he stood for a moment, his blood red eyes narrowed at the two of them. He then breathed out a relenting sigh, and turned on his heel. Once he had disappeared back up the stone staircase, Emma turned around to face Shae.

"Emma… We can't do this." Shae told her in a voice barely above a whisper.

Emma bit her lip, nodding as she fought back the tears. "I know."

"We… We just… This has to stop now."

"I know."

"I mean… With Neal… A-And Regina-"

"I know, Shae!" Emma shouted angrily, tears now leaking out of her eyes. "I fucking know, ok?"

Shae fell silent, glancing away from Emma and down at the ground, biting back her own tears. They stood in silence for a few moments, both their hearts aching with misery.

"Alright, well, obviously we shouldn't be alone together any more." Emma finally said, wiping the tears away from her face. "I think we should just… Stay away from each other for a while. Focus on finding The Wicked Witch, you know?"

Shae sighed, and nodded slowly. "Yeah, I think that's probably best." She muttered sadly. "Just… What do we tell Henry? I need to go see him, let him know I'm ok."

Emma sighed too. "I… I don't know." She replied quietly. "I just… I don't know."

XX

Regina smiled at her son as she handed him the ice cream cone she had bought him. She tried her best to smile through her own misery, but it was difficult. While Emma, her parents, and Hook searched the town for The Wicked Witch, Regina had offered to stay with Henry, for his protection, but also so she could spend some time with her son. As they walked side by side through the park, she tried to enjoy being with him. But, without his memories, all Henry knew her as was the mayor of Storybrooke. Her son had no idea who she was, and to top it all off, the woman she loved, her fiancee, had feelings for someone else, feelings that Regina herself had created. She was thoroughly miserable, but she kept smiling, for Heny's sake.

"Are you alright, Henry?" Regina asked her son after a few moments of silence. "Do you not like the ice cream?"

"Er, no, the ice creams great." Henry replied with a weak smile. "I… I just… I miss Shae. She's my mom's girlfriend, well, fiancee now, I guess. She got really sick when we first got here, and I haven't seen her since. I guess she's really contagious or something."

Regina sighed, smiling sadly. "I see. Well, I'm sure she'll be just fine. She has always been very… Resilient."

"You know her?" Henry asked.

"Um… Well, yes." Regina replied slowly. "We're um… Old friends."

Henry nodded, and Regina bit her lip as the boy fell silent once again. "So… You seem to like Shae a lot." She said with another sad smile.

Henry nodded again. "Yeah. She's awesome. She even beat a guy up for me once."

Regina raised her eyebrows in shock. "She did? What happened?"

"Er, well, there was this kid at school that was… Picking on me, because of Shae and my mom." Henry explained slowly. "He kept calling me, um… The, uh, f-word."

"F-Word?" Regina asked, brow furrowed in confusion. Her eyes then shone with understanding. "Oh… I see. I-I'm so sorry, Henry. That's horrible."

Henry gave her an unconcerned shrug. "It's ok. It didn't really bother me. He was a jerk anyways. But… When I told Shae and my mom about it, they both got really mad."

"As they should have." Regina said, nodding in agreement. "So what happened?"

"Well, my mom and Shae waited with me after school one day, and they found the kid's dad." Henry went on. "They yelled at him, and he… He called them both the f-word too, and Shae punched him in the face."

Regina laughed, shaking her head in amusement. "Well, I can't say that I feel sorry for the man."

Henry laughed too. "Me either. It was pretty awesome." He said with a smile. "I just… Miss her a lot. I wish she was here."

"Wish granted, kid."

Henry and Regina both spun around, and both their faces lit up with joy when they found Shae herself standing behind them, a wide grin stretching across her face.

"Shae!" Henry exclaimed.

The ice cream cone fell from his hand as he ran over to her. Shae laughed, lifting him into the air as he threw himself into her arms. Regina smiled, tears welling into her eyes as she looked upon the woman she loved. Shae smiled warmly back at her from around Henry's shoulder, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Her now light blue eyes were filled with immense sadness.

"Are you ok?" Henry asked as Shae set him back down on the ground. "M-My mom said that you've been really sick."

Shae smiled down at him, nodding as she gently patted his shoulder. "Yeah, I was, but I'm… Better now."

"Are you sure?" Henry asked, his brow furrowed as he looked Shae up and down. "You look… Weird."

"Gee, thanks dude!" Shae cried sarcastically.

Henry laughed, and once again threw his arms around Shae. "I missed you." He whispered as he hugged her tight.

Shae smiled, gently ruffling his hair as she hugged him back. "I missed you too, buddy." She replied. She then knelt down in front of him, taking both his hands in her's. "Listen, I've gotta talk to the mayor, but we'll hang out later, ok? See that guy over there?"

Shae pointed behind her at Remus, who was quietly waiting a few yards away, leaning casually against a lightpost. "That's Remus, he's a really good friend of mine." Shae went on, waving Remus over. "Now, he's a little weird, but he's really awesome. He's gonna keep an eye you."

Henry's brow furrowed once again, and he looked irritated. "Why does everyone think I need a babysitter?"

Shae sighed, exchanging an anxious glance with Regina. "Look, I know you can take care of yourself, alright?" She said seriously. "But… This case your mom's working on, well… Let's just say there's some shady stuff going on around town. We just want to make sure that you're safe."

Henry nodded slowly, and Shae straightened up again as Remus approached them. "Right, Remus, this is Henry. Henry, Remus."

"Pleasure to meet you, Henry." Remus said chipperly as he shook Henry's hand.

"Cool accent." Henry said with a smile. "Where are you from?"

Remus's face fell, and he glanced nervously at Shae and Regina. "Erm… Well, uh… Um…"

"Iceland." Shae answered, stopping Remus from stammering. "Remus is from Iceland."

"Really?" Henry asked, mouth gaping open in shock.

Remus looked to Shae and Regina once again. "Er… Yes?"

"Cool!" Henry said excitedly, walking beside Remus as he led him away from Shae and Regina. "What's it like there?"

"Well, it's made entirely of ice, you see." Remus replied matter-of-factly. "That's why it's called Iceland."

Shae and Regina both laughed, shaking their heads in amusement as Remus and Henry walked away from them. When they turned the corner and were lost from sight, Shae finally turned to Regina. They stood in awkward silence for a moment, neither of them entirely sure what to say. Shae then stepped up to Regina, and gently drew her into her arms. Regina sighed, wrapping her arms around Shae's torso, breathing in her familiar and comforting scent.

"I missed you." She whispered.

"I missed you too." Shae whispered back.

They pulled away from their embrace, and Regina gazed up into Shae's light blue eyes. She smiled, tears welling into her eyes once again. Shae smiled back as Regina gently caressed her cheek. Regina leaned in closer, staring longingly at Shae's lips.

"Regina…" Shae whispered, drawing back slightly. "Listen, I… There's um… Something I need to tell you."

Regina sighed heavily, dropping her hand back to her side. "I already know, Shae." She said sadly. "I was the one that gave you and Emma new memories, remember?"

Shae nodded, biting her lip hesitantly. "Right… Yeah, I-I know that." She stammered. "But, um… T-There's… There's something else."

"I know." Regina repeated quietly. "Emma told me that… That even with your memories returned, the two of you… Still have feelings for each other."

Shae sighed, and nodded again. "Regina, I… I'm so sorry." She whispered, taking Regina's hands in her's. "I didn't… I… I don't…"

Regina smiled, gently placing her hand on Shae's cheek once again. "It's alright." She whispered back. "I was the one that made it so the two of you never broke up. It's… It's my fault anyway."

"Regina, no, don't say that." Shae said, shaking her head slowly.

"It's alright, it's the truth." Regina admitted sadly. "I understand that this is all very… Complicated. I'm just… Happy you're here."

Shae nodded, smiling sadly back at her. "Look, me and Emma talked and… We agreed that we need to just… Stay away from each other for a while. Focus on our, you know, witch problem." She explained slowly. "And… And you and me, we uh… Well…"

"I understand." Regina said, giving her a weak smile. "Focusing on finding The Wicked Witch and stopping her from… Well, whatever wickedness she has planned is best for all of us. We will… Work out the rest after."

Shae nodded, and Regina nodded back. She then reached into her pocket, and produced Shae's ring. She smiled sadly up into Shae's eyes, pressing the ring into her hand.

"Until then…" Regina began slowly. "You should have this back."

Shae stared down at the ring in her hand, then back up at Regina. She opened and closed her mouth several times, staring into Regina's brown eyes. She then sighed, and nodded slowly, slipping the ring back onto her own finger. Regina bit her lip, tears threatening to leak out of her eyes. She then cleared her throat, and took Shae by the hand.

"Come on, there's something else I want to show you."

Shae eyed her curiously for a moment, but then followed after Regina as she led them out of the park. They walked hand in hand toward downtown Storybrooke. The street was filled with people milling about, and they all stared daggers at both Shae and Regina. With The Wicked Witch still at large, the townsfolk were all still under the impression that Regina was to blame for the new curse. Regina knew that it was for the best, but all the menacing looks the townspeople shot her way made her blood boil.

Shae suddenly stopped in her tracks, and gasped loudly when she saw what Regina was leading her toward. It was Shae's turquoise VW Bus, sitting along the street just outside Granny's Diner.

"Blanche!" Shae exclaimed, rushing over to her old bus. "No way, she's still here!"

Regina laughed, shaking her head slowly as Shae threw her arms out around the bus, smiling as she pressed her cheek against the cold metal door.

"Yes, I found it- _her_ , this morning." Regina said. She then removed the VW's keys from her pocket and handed them to Shae. "Here. Look inside."

Shae gave her another curious glance as she took the keys out of Regina's hand. She hastily unlocked the back door, and when she pulled it open, she gasped again.

"Bianca!" She cried.

Shae's acoustic guitar was sitting on the floor in the back of the VW bus. Shae smiled excitedly at Regina, and Regina smiled back, watching as Shae picked up her old guitar. She placed the strap over her shoulder and strummed out a few chords, a wide grin on her face.

"Oh, she sounds just as beautiful as ever." She sighed happily. "Thank you, Regina. Just… Thank you."

Regina smiled, and was about to reply, but all that came out was a surprised gasp as Shae kissed her. It took them both a moment to realize what was happening, and Shae stepped back slightly once she did. They stared at each other in silent shock for a moment, but then Shae removed her guitar from around her shoulders, setting it back down inside the bus, and pulled Regina into her arms, kissing her again.

As it always did when the two lovers kissed, the entire rest of the world suddenly melted away around them. They wrapped their arms tightly around each other, kissing passionately, desperately, and gratefully. Regina smiled against her lover's lips, entangling her fingers in her messy hair as Shae's tongue brushed lightly against her's. For a moment, all of Regina's worries seemed to fade away. Shae was back in her arms once again, and in that moment, that was all that mattered.

"Shae?"

Regina and Shae gave a start as they broke apart, and found Emma standing on the sidewalk just behind them, holding a to-go bag from Granny's Diner. She was accompanied by her parents, who were both eyeing their daughter warily.

"Emma! Uh, hey!" Shae said nervously, stepping back from Regina. "W-We were just, uh- OOF!"

Mary Margaret, David, and Regina all gasped as Emma stomped up to Shae, and slapped her hard across the face. Shae stumbled back into her bus, her light blue eyes wide with shock. Somehow, Emma looked to be even more shocked than Shae was, and she clapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide as saucers.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret chided her daughter.

"What the hell?" Regina demanded furiously.

"I'm sorry!" Emma exclaimed. "I-I… Oh my god… I'm so sorry!"

Shae silently gaped at Emma, rubbing the cheek that she had slapped. Regina breathed out a bitter, sour laugh, rubbing her forehead and shaking her head slowly.

"Well, it seems like you and your _fiancee_ still have some issues to work out." Regina said as she turned to Shae, spitting out the word 'fiancee.' "Now, if you'll excuse me."

"Regina! Regina, wait!" Shae called after Regina as she furiously stomped away. "Regina! Dammit…"

Shae breathed out a heavy, defeated sigh, sinking down on the rear edge of her VW. She leaned forward with her elbows on her knees, burying her face in her hands. Emma stood rooted in her spot in silent shock over her own actions, and she exchanged a nervous glance with her parents.

"Shae, are you alright?" Mary Margaret asked gently.

"Yeah, I'm just fucking peachy!" Shae spat sarcastically, then glared at Emma. "Thanks for that. As if things weren't complicated enough already."

"Shae, I'm really sorry." Emma said, her tone heavy with guilt. "I… I don't know what came over me."

Shae sighed again, rising to her feet and slamming the back door to her bus shut. She then stomped over to the driver's side door, and threw it open.

"Where are you going?" Emma asked, brow furrowed in concern.

"I just… I need to be alone for a while, alright?" Shae replied irritably.

Shae got into her bus, lighting a cigarette as she drove away from Emma and her parents. She retreated out to the abandoned cabin in the woods. She desperately wanted to go to Regina, to tell her how sorry she was. But she knew it would be best to leave her be for the time being. She knew full well how Regina got when she was angry, and she knew there would be no talking to her now.

When Shae arrived at the cabin, her brow furrowed in confusion when she found a broken glass lying in pieces on the floor of the kitchen. She thought back to the last time she had been in the cabin. It had been a few nights before, after she had run away from Remus and his friend Robin Hood, Regina's other true love. She remembered breaking down in tears on the floor of the cabin, but found it strange that she couldn't remember breaking the glass. She shrugged unconcernedly, retrieving a broom from the closet, completely unaware of just how concerned she should be over her missing memories.

XX

After failing to find The Wicked Witch, and failing to replicate the memory potion that was given to Hook, Emma came up with an interesting idea, one that she had learned as a bail bonds person. She had spread the word around town that Regina actually had succeeded in making her own memory potion, and was planning on using it to prove her innocence. Emma had called it, 'smoking out the perp.' If The Wicked Witch found out that Regina was making a memory potion, she would more than likely try to stop her.

Regina had agreed, though a bit begrudgingly, to join Emma on a stakeout of the mayor's office after nightfall. She had also brought along Remus, thinking that the extra vampiric muscle couldn't hurt. The three of them sat in Emma's little yellow bug, all carefully watching the second story window of Regina's office.

"So, what, we just sit here and wait?" Regina asked of Emma.

Emma shrugged and nodded. "Until The Wicked Witch makes a move on your office, yeah."

"I think it's all rather exciting, don't you?" Remus said from the back seat, grinning at both of them. "Lying in wait for the… Oh, what was that word you used?"

"Perp?" Emma offered.

"Yes, that's it. 'Perp.' What a strange word." Remus replied. "Still, though, I could do without this insufferably tiny horseless carriage."

"I told you, it's called a car." Emma said with a chuckle.

"Right, 'car.'" Remus muttered. "Another strange word. I think-"

Remus stopped short, and they all jumped as there was a sharp rapping on Regina's passenger side window. They breathed out a sigh of relief when they realized it was Shae.

"I just thought, you know, two vampires are better than one." Emma said with a sheepish shrug when Regina shot her an irritated glance.

Regina sighed, and rolled her eyes as she opened the door for Shae. There was some grunting, groaning, and swearing as Shae squeezed her long, lanky limbs into the back seat with Remus. When she had finally managed to get into a sitting position, Regina pulled the door shut.

"Sup?" Shae said to them with a nervous smile.

Regina ignored her, staring back up at the window of her office. Emma smiled weakly at her into the rearview mirror of her car. Emma sipped on her coffee, and Shae drummed her fingers on her knees as they all sat in uncomfortable silence. Remus glanced from Shae, to Regina, and to Emma, brow furrowed.

"This is uncomfortable." He announced after a few moments of awkward silence. "I am now uncomfortable."

"Thank you for saying that out loud, Remus." Regina muttered, her tone heavy with sarcasm.

"You're welcome." Remus replied chipperly.

"Dude, you've _got_ to learn what rhetorical means." Shae said, rolling her eyes at her friend. "Google it sometime."

"What?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, right, you don't know what Google is." Shae muttered. "Uh, well, it's a… Thing where you can ask it any question and it'll, you know, come up with an answer. Here, I'll show you."

Remus watched silently as Shae pulled out her smartphone. "Ok, so, I'll type in, 'what does rhetorical mean?' And… Bam!"

Shae grinned as she showed Remus the screen. "Brilliant!" Remus gasped, grinning back at her. "That is simply fascinating! What else does the tiny rectangle do?"

"Oh, dude, all sorts of stuff!" Shae replied excitedly. "Um… Oh, here, it can play music. Check it out."

Remus fell silent again as Shae tapped her phone screen. He jumped slightly when a song started blaring through the tiny speakers. Regina sighed, and Emma shook her head in amusement when they realized what song Shae had chosen to play for Remus.

"All the single ladies!  
(All the single ladies.)  
All the single ladies!  
(All the single ladies.)"

Emma bit back a laugh, and Regina pinched the bridge of her nose as Shae began mouthing the words and dancing to the song in her seat, mimicking the very ones from Beyonce's music video. Emma had seen her do the full dance once before. Shae had told her that she had learned the whole thing, but Emma hadn't believed her. Lo and behold, Shae actually did know it, and proudly preformed it for her and Henry in their tiny apartment in New York.

"Up in the club, just broke up,  
I'm doing my own little thing.  
You decided to dip and now you wanna trip,  
'Cause another brother noticed me  
I'm up on him, he up on me.  
Don't pay him any attention.  
'Cause I cried my tears for three good years,  
You can't be mad at me."

Shae stared intently at Remus as she danced and silently mouthed the words. Remus watched her closely, bobbing his head to the music, a smile slowly spreading across his face. Emma exchanged a glance with Regina, who only rolled her eyes.

"'Cause if you liked it, then you should have put a ring on it."  
If you liked it, then you should have put a ring on it.  
Don't be mad once you see that he want it.  
If you liked it, then you should have put a ring on it."

Shae held up her hand, pointing to her finger as she flipped it back and forth. Remus grinned broadly as he watched, and Shae smiled excitedly, nodding at her friend as he began doing the hand-flip move with her.

"Dear god, there's two of them." Emma breathed with a small chuckle.

"Yes, they're quite the pair, aren't they?" Regina replied, unable to help chuckling herself.

"Brilliant! That was brilliant." Remus cried as Shae turned off the music. "I love it. What was that?"

"That, my friend, was Beyonce." Shae replied with a grin. "I'll for sure make you a playlist, cuz she da queen."

"Hang on, I thought Regina was the Queen." Remus said, brow furrowed as he pointed to Regina.

"No, no, different world, different kind of Queen." Shae replied, waving her hand dismissively. "What else, what else… Oh! Youtube is cool. Wanna see a video of a monkey sniffing his own butt then passing out from the smell?"

"Yes!" Remus replied enthusiastically.

"No!" Emma cut in. "Come on, guys, we need to focus here."

"Yes, you can show Remus all the wonders of the internet later." Regina said with a grateful nod.

Shae and Remus both pouted slightly as Shae stowed her phone back in her pocket. "Party pooper." Remus muttered.

Emma and Regina both rolled their eyes this time as the two vampires snorted with laughter. Emma then gasped, urgently grabbing Regina's arm. A shadow of a person was moving around in the window of Regina's office.

"We got her!" Emma said excitedly. "Come on, let's go!"

They all hastily vacated the car, Shae and Remus both struggling momentarily to free themselves from the back seat. They rushed into the town hall and up the stairs, stopping for a moment just outside the door of the mayor's office.

"You're sure she can't get out of there?" Emma asked Regina as she drew her gun.

"I sealed it with a blood lock." Regina replied. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Emma nodded, placing her hand on the doorknob. She then looked to the two vampires, who both nodded as well. Emma then slowly pushed the door open, and they all carefully stepped inside Regina's office. The room was dark, but it was obvious that The Wicked Witch had ransacked the place. There were various objects, papers, and broken glass strewn about the floor. Suddenly, they heard a noise from behind them, and they all whirled around to find a hooded figure standing with their back to them.

"Don't move!" Emma shouted, pointing her gun at the figure's back.

"There's nowhere for you to go!" Regina said heatedly.

To their immense shock and surprise, the figure suddenly disappeared in a column of bright green smoke. They stood in bewildered silence for a moment, all staring at the spot where The Wicked Witch had just disappeared from. Emma lowered her gun, slowly turning around to stare at Regina, Remus, and Shae, who were all looking just as shocked and confused as she was.

"I thought you said she wouldn't be able to do that." Shae said to Regina, her eyes wide.

"S-She shouldn't have." Regina replied quietly, her eyes just as wide as Shae's. "I-I don't understand, I put a blood seal on the entire room. No one can break through a blood seal, no matter how powerful they are."

They all exchanged a silent, fearful glance for a moment. "Who exactly are we dealing with, then?" Remus asked. "Who the bloody hell is this witch?"

Regina turned her wide, fearful eyes onto Remus, and slowly shook her head. "I have no idea."

XX

The next night, Shae was sitting in her cabin, staring blankly at the screen of the old, dusty television set, not really seeing the program that was on. After The Wicked Witch had slipped through their fingers once again, Shae had attempted to talk to Regina, to apologize for what happened. Regina was having none of it though, and left before Shae could get a word in edgewise. Shae sat forward on the couch, burying her face in her hands, her heart heavy with misery. She continuously struggled with her conflicting feelings. She missed Regina, wanted so badly to see her, hold her, kiss her, see the smile that made her unbeating heart flutter. But, at the same time, she couldn't stop thinking about Emma. She missed her too, missed her laugh, _her_ smile, her stunning hazel green eyes.

Shae leapt to her feet, furiously kicking the couch as she did. She just wanted it all to go away. She wanted things to go back to they way they were, she wanted to be lying beside Regina, her true love, holding her in her arms as she slept. Or, did she want to return to her life with Emma and Henry in New York? She sighed again, rubbing her aching forehead. Somehow, she wanted both, and it was tearing her apart.

Shae jumped when there was a knock at the door. When she crossed the cabin and opened the door, she was surprised to find Emma standing on the other side. Shae could immediately tell that something was wrong. Emma's eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying.

"Hey." Shae said, eyeing her concernedly. "What's up? Everything ok?"

Emma opened her mouth to respond, but then shut it again. She bit her lip, more tears welling into her eyes, and she slowly shook her head. Shae hesitated for a moment, but then she gently took Emma by the arm and pulled her through the doorway.

"Emma… What's going on?" Shae asked once the door had swung shut behind her.

"It's just… All this, it's just… Hard, you know?" Emma replied slowly, her voice breaking with emotion. "The Wicked Witch of the West is on the loose, I keep lying to my son, and Neal is still just… Missing."

Shae watched with a heavy heart as Emma paused, tears leaking out of her eyes. "I just… I keep thinking about my life in New York, _our_ life." Emma went on, hastily wiping the tears from her face. "It was… Good, a-and simple, you know? No evil witches, no being the savior. It was just… Us, and Henry, just living our lives."

"Yeah, it was nice." Shae said with a sad smile. "But… Emma, none of it was real."

Emma laughed sourly as she shook her head. "No, see, that's the thing, Shae. It _was_ real, at least for us, right?" She said, more tears running down her cheeks. "It was real, and good, and… And all I was, all I had to be was a mother. A-And you… You were… My fiancee."

Shae bit her lip, staring down at the ground as she fought back her own tears. "Emma… I don't know what you want me to say."

Emma breathed out another bitter, sour laugh. "I don't want you to say anything, Shae." She whispered miserably. "Any time I ever had a problem you would just sit there and listen and… And be supportive. You always made me feel better, made me feel… Safe. A-And now…"

Emma trailed off into silence, squeezing her eyes shut as tears continued to stream down her face. Shae stood there in helpless and miserable silence, biting back her own tears, her heart aching.

"Now, all I want is for you to hold me and… A-And kiss me and tell me everything's gonna be ok." Emma whispered, her face twisting with sorrow. "I know I shouldn't… But… But… Dammit, Shae I don't know if I can do this."

"Do what?" Shae asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

"Stay away." Emma replied. "I can't stay away from you, Shae."

Emma crossed the room in three long strides, and threw herself into Shae's arms. She wrapped her arms around Shae's neck, gently squeezing two fistfuls of her hair as she kissed her with urgent and desperate passion. Shae held her tight, returning her embrace with the same amount of urgency.

"I don't know what the future holds." Emma whispered as they broke apart, gently holding Shae's face in her hands. "But right now, all I want is you. I want to forget about everything else and just… Just be with you."

Shae hesistated with her hands on Emma's hips, their noses brushing against each other, their lips almost touching. She thought about Regina, her beautiful, warm brown eyes swimming before her. She thought about the anger she had seen in those eyes just a day before, the sorrow, the pain. She felt the pain in her own heart, and in that moment, she knew she wanted to forget too.

Shae closed the miniscule distance that remained between their lips, and kissed Emma fiercely. They stumbled toward the bedroom, leaving a trail of their clothes in their wake. The fell onto the bed together, and Emma drew in a sharp breath as Shae slipped her fingers deep inside her. Emma moaned loudly, digging her nails roughly into Shae's back. She moaned into Shae's mouth, their tongues battling back and forth as Shae thrust her fingers harder and deeper inside her. Tears leaked down the sides of Emma's face as she came vigorously, and when she gazed up into Shae's eyes, she saw tears there as well. They lie there in silence for a moment, staring into each other's tearful eyes, Emma's ragged breathing the only sound to be heard. Emma gently cupped Shae's face in her hands, and they kissed again, both of them desperate to lose themselves in each other, desperate to forget about all their worries, if only just for a night.

XX

The moon was shining bright in the night sky, casting a pale light through the bedroom windows of the cabin in the woods. Shae and Emma were lying side by side, neither of them speaking, both of their hearts heavy with guilt and misery over what they had just done.

"What are we gonna do?" Emma whispered.

Shae breathed out a heavy, miserable sigh. "I don't know."

They fell silent again, both of their hearts aching, their minds filled with thoughts about the ones they loved. Shae squeezed her eyes shut, sighing again as she placed her hands over her face. She dropped her hands back to her sides again, and glanced over at Emma with wide eyes at the faint sound of someone knocking on the cabin's front door.

"Who the hell is that?" Emma asked, her eyes just as wide as Shae's.

"No idea." Shae replied as she sat forward. "I'll go find out. Stay here."

Emma nodded and Shae hastily got out of the bed. Their unwelcome visitor knocked again as Shae pulled on her t-shirt and boxers. She hurried over to the door, and when she pulled it open, her heart dropped deep into the pit of her stomach.

"Regina." She said, staring at the woman before her with wide, anxious eyes. "W-What… What are you doing here?"

Regina bit her lip, and she folded her arms across her chest, staring down at the ground. "Shae, listen, I… I don't like the way we left things the other day." She said slowly. "I understand how difficult the situation your in is, and the way I treated you just… Wasn't fair. I'm sorry."

Shae swallowed the hard lump that had suddenly formed in her throat, and she nodded hastily. "It's all good, you know? No worries."

Regina smiled weakly, and nodded back. "Can… Can I come in? I would like to sit down and talk, if that's alright."

Shae swallowed hard again, glancing quickly over her shoulder. "Er, well, uh n-now's not really a great time."

Regina opened her mouth to respond, but then suddenly spotted the clothes strewn across the cabin's floor. Shae attempted to pull the door shut, but Regina pushed her aside, stepping in to the cabin. Shae's hands began to shake as Regina silently stared at the pile of clothing.

"Is someone here with you?" Regina asked, slowly turning around to face Shae.

"What? N-No, of course not!" Shae said, trying her best to remain casual. "I'm just… Really messy and stuff, you know?"

Regina fell silent again, her mouth gaping open in shock as she stared at something behind Shae. Shae turned around, and was mortified when she realized what Regina was staring at. It was Emma's signature red leather jacket, hanging off the back of the couch where it had landed when Shae had tossed it across the room.

"No…" Regina breathed, her eyes wide with pure horror.

"Regina, listen." Shae began hastily, taking a step toward her. "I-It's complicated, ok? I-It's not-"

Regina wasn't listening. She turned away from Shae, and stomped down the dark hallway toward the bedroom. Shae rushed forward and grabbed on tightly to Regina's arms.

"Regina, don't!" Shae shouted as she attempted to pull her back. "Stop! Just listen, alright? I don't-"

The rest of Shae's words caught in her throat as Regina sent her hurtling backward with a blast of magical energy. Shae slammed against the wall, and crashed to the ground, groaning in pain. As Regina turned back around, Emma rushed out of the bedroom, dressed only in her underwear and shirt, her face panic stricken. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Regina.

"You…" Regina snarled, summoning a fireball into her hand.

"NO!"

Shae was on her feet again, and she rushed at Regina just as she was about to hurl the fireball at Emma. She grabbed Regina's wrist, and Emma stumbled back into the wall, watching as Shae and Regina struggled against each other. Shae managed to gain the upper hand, and she shoved Regina backward, placing herself between her and Emma.

"STOP!" Shae shouted at her. "Please, Regina, just listen!"

"LISTEN?" Regina shouted back, her eyes streaming with tears, her whole body shaking with rage. "Listen to what, Shae? About how sorry you are for fucking another woman? For lying to me? You said you were going to stay away from her!"

"I know! I know what I said!" Shae exclaimed. She paused for a moment, tears rushing down her face as she ran shaky hands through her hair. "Regina, I… I just… I-I don't…"

"Save it!" Regina spat at her. "You've betrayed me for the last time, Shae."

Shae's face twisted in sorrow, and she choked out a sob. "Regina, please…"

"You've heard the saying, 'three strikes and you're out,' yes?" Regina asked, pointing a quivering finger at Shae. "Well… You're out. You might as well go back to New York with your new fiancee, because I never want to see your face EVER. AGAIN."

Regina shot Emma a furious, menacing glare, and then turned on her heel, marching toward the door. Shae stumbled forward, desperately grabbing on to her arm.

"Regina, wait! Please!"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Regina whirled around, and a loud smack resonated around the cabin walls as she struck Shae hard across the face. Shae spun to the ground, landing hard on her hands and knees. Regina stared down at her in silence for a moment, watching as Shae's body shook with violent sobs. Shae then slowly pushed herself up on her knees, turning her miserable, tear stained face up at her true love. Regina knelt down in front of her, grabbing her by her chin and glaring viciously into her eyes.

"Don't you _dare_ touch me, ever again." She said in a dark and dangerous whisper. "You've lost that privilege. I won't let you hurt me anymore, Shae. I'm done with you."

Regina released Shae's chin and shoved her backward. Shae fell weakly to the ground and began sobbing bitterly. Regina shot Emma one last glare, then disappeared in a column of purple smoke. Emma remained rooted in her spot, her hands over her mouth, her eyes streaming with tears. She walked slowly forward as Shae curled up into a ball on the floor, and knelt down beside her.

"Shae…" Emma whispered, placing her quivering hand on Shae's arm. "Shae, I'm… I'm so sorry."

"DON'T!" Shae shouted at her, wrenching her arm out of Emma's grip. "Dammit, Emma… Just… Just go."

"Shae, I-I'm sorry, I-"

"GET OUT!" Shae roared.

Emma leapt to her feet, startled by Shae's outburst. She then hastily scooped up the rest of her clothes, pulling them on as Shae continued to sob on the floor. She paused in the cabin's doorway, turning to glance back at Shae, who had finally pushed herself shakily to her feet. When she realized that Emma was still standing in the doorway, she slowly turned her watery, bloodshot eyes onto her, her lips curling into a vicious snarl.

"GET THE FUCK OUT!" Shae screamed at her.

Emma bit back a sob, stepping out into the night and slamming the cabin door shut behind her. The sounds of glass shattering and general destruction rang in her ears as Shae raged inside the cabin. When Emma was alone in her yellow bug, she finally broke down. She rested her forehead against her steering wheel, gripping it tight as she sobbed. She had ruined everything. Any hope Shae had of restoring her true love with Regina had been dashed. Not only that, not only had she just ruined Shae's life, she had ruined Regina's. Again.

XX

Shae spent several miserable days locked up inside her cabin in the woods, suffering alone through the tumultuous storm within her mind and heart. She had ventured out only a few times and attempted to talk to Regina, to apologize, to beg for her forgiveness. But, once again, her words fell on deaf and furious ears. She sent Remus to try and talk to her once, but as soon as he uttered Shae's very name, she threw a lamp at his head, and he promptly dropped the subject. The last time Shae had tried to speak with Regina, she herself was threatened with a fireball. After that, she gave up. Regina would never forgive her for what she had done.

The only two people that Shae allowed into the cabin were Remus and Belle, who had quickly become fast friends. Remus had always been the more intellectual type out of the vampirical pair, and was quite the bookworm himself. Since arriving in Storybrooke, he had taken to spending most of his free time in the town library. When Remus told Belle about his unending quest to find a cure for his vampirism, Belle was more than delighted to show him all the books about magic and sorcery that she had found in her time as librarian. Shae found slight comfort in their visits, but on one particular visit to her cabin, they brought with them grave news. Emma had finally found Neal, only to lose him again, this time forever, when he was murdered by The Wicked Witch.

Shae stood at the back of the crowd gathered in the cemetery, watching with a heavy heart as Emma sprinkled a shovelful of dirt onto Neal's coffin. With everything that had happened with Regina, Shae was hesitant to attend Neal's funeral. She hadn't known him very well, but she did know that he was a good man, and she owed it to him to at least quietly pay her respects. Her heart ached as she watched Henry shovel some dirt onto his father's coffin. He had no memory of ever meeting his father, and now he was gone. Shae's heart went out to the poor boy, and to his mother. Despite the feelings Emma had for Shae due to their fake memories from the past year, Neal, the father of her son, was the one Emma truly loved, had always loved.

Shae clenched her fists, glowering at the back of Robin Hood's head as he stood beside Regina. She knew that it was only a matter of time before Regina ran into her other true love, but she hadn't thought it would be so soon. The vampire's clenched fists began to shake with rage as she watched Robin Hood place his hand gently on Regina's shoulder, and she fought back the powerful urge to punch the thief in the face when Regina smiled at him, the very smile that made Shae's undead heart flutter inside her ribcage. She desperately fought back the tears that were welling in her eyes. Her passionate evening with Emma had only made her realize how badly she wanted Regina, how much she loved her still. Now, due to her own selfish desires, she was dangerously close to losing the woman she loved to someone else, someone that so happened to be her second true love.

After Neal was laid to rest, his mourners gathered at Granny's Diner for food, drink, and good company. Shae hadn't planned on attending the wake at all, but after some gentle but persistent coaxing from Belle, she eventually relented. Regina completely ignored the vampire's presence, and, though her heart ached with bitter misery, Shae made no attempt to even glance in her general direction. She was sitting alone at the end of the counter, downing her fourth glass of whiskey when Tinkerbell sat down next to her.

"Hey, Shae!" Tink said with a nervous smile. "Um… So… Listen, T-There's something I need to tell you."

"I already know, Tink." Shae muttered miserably.

Tink raised her eyebrows in shock. "Oh! S-So you know that Robin Hood is-"

"He's the man with the lion tattoo." Shae finished for her. "Yeah. I saw it the night I first met him. Seems like him and Regina are already getting along. Good for fucking them."

Tink bit her lip as Shae glared down into her empty glass. "Look, I-I heard about… About everything that happened with you and Emma, a-and Regina too. I'm… Sorry, Shae. Do you want to talk about it?"

Shae shoved her empty glass away from her and got up from her stool. "No." She growled.

She left a sullen looking Tinkerbell at the counter, and pushed through the crowd of people and toward the back door of the diner. When she was finally alone in the back hallway, she breathed out a shaky sigh, leaning back against the wall and slowly sinking down onto the floor. She rested her elbows on her knees, burying her face in her arms as tears leaked out of her eyes. She sat in silence for a moment, her heart aching, her head spinning. She was contemplating getting up and leaving, retreating back to isolation in her cabin when the diner's back door swung open, and Ruby stepped out into the hallway.

"Ruby, hey." Shae said, hastily wiping the tears from her face. "W-What are you doing out here?"

Ruby smiled sadly down at her, nervously fiddling with her fingers. "Tink told me you were out here, and I uh… I thought maybe you'd wanna, you know… Talk."

Shae sighed heavily, leaning her head back against the wall. "I don't wanna talk about it."

Ruby nodded slowly, then sighed herself, sinking down onto the floor and sitting cross legged next to Shae. "Look, I understand what you're going through and-"

"Ruby, you can't possibly understand." Shae said quietly, cutting her off.

Ruby bit her lip, nodding slowly again. "Right, well, I guess I don't, not totally." She admitted. "But… I do know what it's like to lose someone you love to someone else."

Shae's heart sunk, and her mouth gaped open, her eyes shining with tears once again. "Oh, Ruby… Ruby, I'm sorry, I-I didn't-"

"No! No… Shit, I'm sorry, Shae." Ruby cut in hastily, cringing slightly. "I-I didn't… I didn't mean it like that. I didn't mean to make you feel worse than you already do. I just… I wanted you to know that you're not alone. That's all."

Shae gave her a weak smile, and nodded. She then breathed out a heavy sigh, leaning her head back against the wall again, more tears leaking out of her eyes. Ruby watched silently, and slowly reached out, gently and soothingly rubbing Shae's arm.

"I screwed up, Ruby." Shae said in a quiet and miserable tone. "I screwed up big time, and I don't know how to fix it, _if_ I can fix it. A-And with Robin Hood here I… I'm scared… Scared that I might lose her. Again."

"I know, I'm sorry." Ruby whispered sadly. "But it's like Snow and Charming always say… You've just gotta hold on to hope, right?"

Shae laughed sourly. "I don't think hope is going to help this time."

"Well, honestly, I think it's all you've got right now, you know?" Ruby replied with a small shrug. "Besides, if there's anything I've learned from those two, it's that true love always finds a way."

"Last time I checked, Regina's got an abundance of true loves."

Ruby sighed sadly. "Yeah… I know. But still I-"

"Shh! Wait." Shae cut in suddenly, sitting forward, her blood red eyes wide. "Do you hear that?"

Ruby listened for a moment, then furrowed her brow at the vampire. "I don't hear anything."

"Exactly, it's too quiet." Shae muttered. "Come on, something's up."

Shae and Ruby both got hastily to their feet, and hurried back into the diner. The mourners gathered inside the diner were all dead silent, staring with wide, fearful eyes at a woman by the door, a woman that Shae didn't recognize. She had shoulder length red hair, and was dressed all in black, a large green gem glistening from around her neck. What was most shocking, though, was the dagger that she was brandishing in her hand, a dagger that Shae recognized as belonging to The Dark One.

"Ah, Shae, there you are!" The woman called out merrily as she spotted the vampire. "Lovely to see you again!"

Shae eyed this strange woman warily, the way everyone else was looking at her making her anxious. "Who the hell are you?"

"Oh, yes, that's right, you don't remember meeting me, do you?" The woman replied, sneering in a way that Shae did not like one bit. "I'm Zelena."

Shae chuckled darkly, slowly nodding her head. "Oh, I see. So you're The Wicked Witch?"

"Guilty as charged." Zelena replied with a devilish grin.

"Good. I've been looking for someone to murder lately."

Shae shoved her way through the crowd, rushing at Zelena, her eyes flashing with rage. She was quickly stopped by Emma, who grabbed on tightly to the vampire's arms.

"Shae, don't!" Emma exclaimed, pulling Shae back. "There's too many people in here."

"Yes, do listen to your friend, The Savior." Zelena said tauntingly. "Sorry, I suppose she's a bit more than a friend, isn't she? I've heard the most scandalous rumors about you two."

"What the hell do you want, witch?" Shae snarled furiously, yanking her arms out of Emma's grip.

Zelena chuckled deviously, slowly sauntering over to Shae. The crowd hastily parted for her, and Emma drew back a step as Shae stood her ground. Zelena stopped just in front of the vampire, and Shae glared into her ice blue eyes.

"Oh, I've already got everything I want from you, my dear." Zelena whispered in reply, gently stroking her finger down the side of Shae's face. "Just make sure you're on Main Street with the rest of the town come sundown."

"Why?" Shae growled, firmly standing her ground, not even flinching at the witch's touch.

"Because, darling, Regina and I are going to have a little showdown." Zelena replied with another grin. "And I want you to be there to watch your Queen lose."

Regina took an angry step toward the witch. "I don't lose." She snarled.

"Neither do I." Zelena said, turning to Regina, still grinning wickedly. "I suppose one of us is about to make history. See you tonight, little sis."

Zelena let out a loud, devilish cackle, and disappeared in a cloud of bright green smoke. A stunned and fearful silence fell over the diner momentarily, then the crowd gathered inside burst into anxious muttering. Shae turned slowly to Regina, her blood red eyes wide.

"Did… Did she just call you 'little sis?'" She asked, brow furrowed in confusion. "What the hell is going on here?"

Regina sighed, rubbing her forehead as she turned to face Shae. "Apparently, The Wicked Witch of the West is… My half sister."

Shae's jaw dropped open in shock. "Say what now?"

"Regina, are you sure Cora never mentioned her?" Mary Margaret asked, her eyes wide and fearful.

"I'm pretty sure I would remember my mother telling me she had a love child with a scarecrow." Regina replied with an eyeroll. She then suddenly turned her eyes onto Shae again. "Speaking of… What was she talking about when she said you don't remember meeting her?"

"Yeah…" Emma breathed, her eyes wide with shock. "And what did she mean when she said she has everything she wants from you?"

Shae glanced around at everyone's wary and suspicious eyes. "Hey, I have no idea, alright?" She insisted irritably. "This was the first time I've ever seen her!"

"Not according to her." Regina snapped.

"Then she's a fucking liar!" Shae snapped back.

Regina rolled her eyes at Shae, breathing out an irritated huff. "Whatever, it doesn't matter. This is my fight."

"Where the hell are you going?" Shae demanded as Regina stomped toward the door.

"None of your damn business!" Regina spat over her shoulder.

"Regina! Wait!" Shae called out in vain as the door slammed shut behind Regina. "Son of a BITCH!"

She kicked out a nearby chair, causing it to topple over. "Hey!" Granny shouted angrily from behind the counter. "Destroying my diner isn't going to help anything!"

"It's just a chair, Granny, calm your wrinkly old tits!" Shae shouted back.

"That's enough!" David cut in before Granny could retort. "Look, we all just need to calm down. We need to start locking down Main Street before dark. Come on."

Emma and Mary Margaret hurried off after Regina, and Shae, a bit begrudgingly, went with David, Belle, and Tinkerbell to begin securing Main Street for the upcoming battle. Remus, who had not known Neal at all, had skipped the funeral to go hunting in the woods. He joined them a short while later, and they all brought him up to speed on the situation. The sun was hanging low in the sky by the time they had finished, and they all took one last sweep along the street.

"Right, if we position people there, there, and there, we'll have the whole street covered." David told the group as he indicated the different spots with his finger.

"I'll talk to Blue, see if we can get any reinforcements." Tinkerbell said with a nod.

Just then, Emma and Mary Margaret returned, and they both hastily rushed up to them. "No way!" Emma cried as she heard Tinkerbell's plan. "You heard Zelena, she said no interference."

"Emma's right, she'll make Rumple level the entire block if she doesn't get a crack at Regina." Belle said in a dark tone.

"So, is it true, are they really sisters?" Remus asked of Emma and Mary Margaret.

The both nodded gravely. "Regina found a letter in her vault that confirmed it." Mary Margaret replied.

"Bloody hell…" Remus muttered, glancing at Shae, his blood red eyes wide. "That is shocking news, indeed."

"Where is Regina now?" Asked David.

"She disappeared." Emma answered with a sad shake of her head. "Something in that letter upset her."

"Shouldn't we try and look for her?" Tink asked, looking worried.

"Well, she was pretty clear that she didn't want any help on this one." Mary Margaret replied with a small shrug.

"What? No, we can't just let her do this alone!" Remus exclaimed heatedly. "I know full well just how powerful she is, but apparently so is this witch."

"No, she's getting help whether she wants it or not." Emma said determinedly.

"But we don't even know where she is!" Cried Belle.

"I think I do." Shae said, finally breaking her silence. "I'll find her."

They all stared silently at Shae, then exchanged an anxious glance with each other. "Er, no offense, my friend, but I'm not so sure she wants to talk to you at the moment." Remus said slowly. "Just the other day, she threw a lamp at my face at the very mention of your name."

"Yeah, I fucking know that, Remus!" Shae spat angrily.

"Alright, alright, no need to be rude." Remus muttered, rolling his eyes at her.

Shae sighed heavily as she rubbed her forehead. "Look, I just… I need to do this, alright?"

Without waiting for a response, Shae promptly turned on her heel, and set off toward the woods. She was certain she knew exactly where to find Regina. She knew she wouldn't be able to talk her out of the fight with her sister, but she at least had to talk to her. She had to tell the woman she loved how sorry she was, and beg for her forgiveness.

XX

Regina sat alone on a fallen long deep in the Storybrooke woods. She stared down at the letter in her hands, her tears slowly dripping onto the parchment. It was a letter from Rumplestiltskin to her mother, a letter that Regina had read countless times. She always turned to it any time she needed comfort, needed strength. In the letter, Rumplestiltskin talked about how powerful Cora's first born daughter was. _Stunning in every way_ , the last line of the letter read. She now knew that Rumplestiltskin wasn't talking about her, he was talking about Zelena. That meant that the man who taught her everything she knew about magic thought Zelena was stronger than she was. There was no way she could win this fight.

Regina crumpled the letter in her hands, choking out a sob as she did. As she faced what she was certain was about to be her death, her heart was consumed with fear, but most of all, confliction. The pain of Shae's betrayal was still fresh in her mind. She was so angry with her for what she had done, and yet, she couldn't help but wish she was at her side now. She knew that Shae would have something helpful to say, and even if she didn't, Regina felt that her very presence would make her feel stronger. Even though Shae had betrayed her in the most horrible of ways, she couldn't help the ache she felt inside for her true love.

There was something else, however, that made the confliction in Regina's heart all the more worse. She had found the man with the lion tattoo, or rather, he had found her. She had run in to Robin Hood the very next day after she had caught Shae with Emma. Though she was still in an immeasurable amount of pain over Shae's betrayal, she couldn't help but feel an intense attraction to the noble thief. She felt a certain pull toward him, a kind she had felt only once before, when she had found Shae in the clutches of Van Helsing, about to be executed. When Shae fell from the post and into her arms, she felt the pull in her heart immediately. She remembered the way her heart had fluttered wildly as Shae smiled up at her, how she was left breathless as she stared into her blood red eyes.

Was what she was feeling toward Robin a sign? Had Shae's actions set her on a new path toward love? Regina bit her lip, burying her face in her hands as more tears streamed out of her eyes. Shae had caused her so much pain, but she knew, she felt it inside that, even after all the heartache, she still loved her. Regina sighed, straightening up again, finding no answers, only more questions, questions that would likely never get answered, not if her newfound sister had anything to say about it.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Regina turned around on the log, and found Shae herself walking toward her. Regina smiled, and, for a moment, all she wanted to do was run to her and throw herself into her arms. She desperately wanted to kiss her, to tell her how much she missed her. But then, she remembered what she had done, the pain she had caused her, and her smile fell into a bitter snarl.

"What are you doing here?" Regina demanded, hastily wiping her tears away. "How the hell did you find me?"

"I just… Know you, Regina." Shae replied as she came to stand in front of her.

"What are you talking about?" Regina snapped.

Shae laughed, and smiled knowingly at her for a moment before she explained. "Back home, there was a certain spot deep in the woods outside your castle that you would go to any time you were upset." She said. "A certain spot in a clearing, just like this one, and you would sit on a log to be alone with your thoughts, a log just like that one."

Regina eyed her suspiciously as she pointed to the log she was sitting on. "How do you know that?" She demanded, glaring furiously at the vampire. "You used to follow me there, didn't you?"

"'Course I did." Shae replied with another smile. "What kind of Royal Protector would I be if I let you go out into the woods all by yourself?"

Regina breathed out a bitter, surprised laughed, shaking her head slowly in disbelief. "Why… W-Why didn't you-"

"Say anything?" Shae finished for her. "Well, I knew you didn't want to talk, that you just wanted to be alone. So I chose to… Respect those wishes."

Regina folded her arms across her chest, raising an irritated eyebrow at her. "And yet you seem to be perfectly fine with bothering me now."

Shae sighed, the smile slowly fading from her face. "Yeah, well, this time I have something important to say." She said quietly. "Regina… You can't do this. You can't go fight Zelena, it's a suicide mission."

"Yes, well, I'm afraid I have no choice." Regina replied bitterly. "She said that if I don't show up she'll start killing people. I… I can't let that happen."

"You do have a choice." Shae said, slowly shaking her head. "Let me fight her for you."

"Shae, she'll kill you."

"Maybe, maybe not." Shae replied with a shrug. "If not, then, hooray! Dead witch. And if she does kill me… Well, I was prepared to die for you once before, this time isn't really any different."

Regina sighed, rubbing her aching forehead. "Shae, do you really think dying will make up for what you've done?"

"It's a start."

Regina opened her mouth to retort, but then shut it again, staring at the vampire with wide, baffled eyes. "Wait, you think dying for me is… Is only a start?"

Shae nodded, her eyes suddenly immensely sad. "Yeah. What I did, it was… Awful. I… I hurt the person that I love most in one of the worst ways possible. I'm not sure even death could make up for something like that."

Regina bit her lip, glancing away from Shae and down at the ground as more tears welled into her eyes. Shae then stepped forward and knelt down in front of Regina, gently taking both her hands in her. Shae had remove her colored contacts when Henry left with Hook after Neal's funeral, and her now blood red eyes glistened with tears as she stared deep into Regina's eyes.

"Regina, I love you." She whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "I've been in love with you since the day you saved me from Van Helsing, and I-"

"If you love me so much, then why did you sleep with another woman?" Regina demanded furiously, cutting off Shae's gentle, quiet words. "Hm? Why did you sleep with Emma when you said you were going to stay away from her?"

"I don't know, Regina." Shae admitted miserably, tears now leaking out of her eyes. "I just… Don't know. I wish I had a good answer, a good excuse. But I just don't. There's no excuse for what I did, and trying to come up with one would just be stupid."

Tears flowed freely down Regina's face as she stared down at Shae, her heart aching with misery. "Look, I knew I wouldn't be able to talk you out of this fight, but I had to try." Shae went on, gently squeezing Regina's hands. "You know, back when you were about to sacrifice yourself to stop the trigger, I meant what I said. I meant it when I said that I had nothing to go back to without you. And I still mean it."

Shae paused for a moment, her face twisting in misery as more tears rushed down her cheeks. "Regina, I… I know that if I face Zelena and I die, you'll be able to move on. You've got-" She paused again when she thought about Robin Hood, but then shook her head. "You've got Henry, so you'll be able to have a life without me, a happy life. But… But if _you_ die…"

Shae's voice broke with emotion, and she choked out a strangled sob, her hands starting to shake as she held Regina's tightly. "Regina, I have nothing without you." Shae went on in a desperate whisper. "If you lose this fight, I… I couldn't bare it. I can barely handle being without you now, knowing… Knowing how much I've hurt you."

Regina gasped as Shae suddenly reached out, cupping her face in her hands and staring desperately into her eyes. "I hope, and I wish, and I pray every moment of every day for your forgiveness." She whispered, her voice quavering. She then paused again, dropping her hands back to her sides, sighing heavily as she hung her head. "But… But I know I don't deserve it."

Regina watched as Shae rose to her feet, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "Just… Do what you need to do, Regina." Shae told her with a weak smile. "I'll be on Main Street with everyone else, no matter what."

As Shae turned to leave, Regina suddenly leapt to her feet. She rushed forward, and Shae stopped, turning slowly around as Regina grabbed her hand. Regina didn't speak right away, she only stared up into the eyes of the woman she loved. She then gripped the front of Shae's leather jacket, and pulled her in close, kissing her deeply. Shae stood rigid in shock for a moment, but then she placed her quivering hands on Regina's hips. Regina held their kiss for a moment, and then pulled back, placing her hand gently on Shae's cheek, smiling into her eyes.

"I forgive you." She whispered.

Shae's jaw dropped open in shock, and her lips trembled as she stared down at Regina, her blood red eyes wide. "What?" She breathed.

"I forgive you, Shae." Regina repeated, smiling as she gently caressed Shae's cheek with her thumb. "You're right, I might not survive this fight. And I'm not going to take all this rage, all this pain to my grave. Not… Not when I'm still so deeply in love with you."

Shae breathed out a bewildered laugh, her eyes shining with tears. "You… You are?"

Regina nodded, placing her other hand on Shae's face. "Of course." She whispered, smiling as tears rushed down her cheeks. "What you did hurt me to my core, but… But I've done a lot of things to hurt you too. I mean, I ripped out your heart and held it hostage for twenty eight years. And I sent you away from me, gave you new memories, a new life, with a new woman to love you and care for you."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, and Regina leaned forward, pressing her lips to Shae's cheek, kissing her tears away. "But, in the end, we always end up finding each other again, forgiving each other." She went on, gently brushing back Shae's messy black hair. "What is it that Mary Margaret said? We've always had a vicious sort of love."

Shae laughed, slowly nodding her head. "Yeah, still pretty damn accurate too."

Regina laughed too, gently wrapping her arms around Shae's neck, placing her hand on the back of her head as she kissed her again. Shae sighed, her tears mingling with Regina's as they kissed slowly, passionately, and gratefully. Somehow, against all odds, their true, vicious love remained as strong as ever.

"Oh, Regina…" Shae whispered when they broke apart. "Regina, I'm so sorry."

"I know." Regina whispered back, smiling up into her eyes. "And I forgive you."

Shae smiled back, gently caressing her lover's cheek. "Thank you."

Regina smiled too, placing another kiss on her true's loves lips. After a few moments, Regina pulled away and glanced up at the sky, where the evening sun was hanging low over the treetops.

"There's still some time left before sundown." She said, glancing back at Shae and gently stroking her cheek. "And there's something that I want before then."

Shae raised an eyebrow at her. "What's that?"

Regina smiled into her lover's eyes. "You." She whispered. "If these are truly to be my final moments, I want to spend them with you, and only you, Shae."

Shae smiled back, and she wrapped her arms around Regina, holding her tight as they both disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. They reappeared in Regina's bedroom, and they found each other's lips again as Regina pulled Shae's black leather jacket off of her shoulders, tossing it lightly to the ground. They quickly and urgently tore at each other's clothes, breaking away from each other's lips for only a few short seconds at a time. As soon as they were both naked, they fell into bed together, and made passionate love to each other for what might be the last time before Regina faced her sister, and possibly her death.

The evening sun was slowly disappearing beneath the horizon, and it cast a burnt orange glow across the two lover's bodies as they lie in bed together, tangled in each other's arms as they kissed slowly, passionately, desperately. Regina reluctantly pulled away, and tried to stop her heart from hammering as she gazed out of her bedroom window at the setting sun.

"We should go, it's almost sundown." She whispered, gently caressing her lover's face.

"Wait, before you go off to face impending doom for the billionth time…" Shae began with a small chuckle. She smiled as she removed her ring from her own finger, and held it out to Regina. "I want you to take this."

"Now, before you saying anything, it's not… That." Shae went on quickly before Regina could retort. "It's just… It's always brought me luck, you know? Maybe it will for you too. Maybe… Maybe it'll help keep you safe, because I… I might not be able to."

Regina smiled into her true love's eyes, taking the ring out of her hand and slipping it onto her finger. "Then I'll take this ring with a promise." Regina said, gently taking Shae's hand in her's. "If I do somehow survive my, as you put it, 'impending doom,' then I promise, as soon as my sister is taken care of, I… I will marry you."

A wide, joyous smile slowly spread across Shae's face, and her eyes shone with tears once again. "R-Really?"

Regina nodded, smiling back. "Yes. As soon as Zelena is out of the picture, we'll get married. As quickly as possible, preferably. Before anyone or anything else splits us apart again."

Shae laughed, nodding in agreement. "Alright, I think I can agree to that."

Regina laughed too, all the pain and the heartache from the last several days melting away as she lie in her true love's arms. For a moment, the power of love and forgiveness allowed her to forget all about the impending battle with her sister, and even Robin Hood, her supposed other true love. She no longer thought about him. All she thought about, all she felt, deep in her heart and soul, was Shae's love, and her own love for Shae.

"I love you." Regina whispered, smiling as grateful tears welled into her eyes.

Shae smiled back, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "I love you too." She whispered in reply. She then placed her hand on Regina's cheek, and stared very seriously into her eyes. "You can do this, Regina. You will survive this."

Regina bit her lip, lightly running a finger across the many scars on Shae's chest. "How can you be so sure?"

Shae laughed lightly. "Because you're… You." She said with one of her quirky grin's that Regina loved so very much. "You're the most badass bitch I know. And… And I'll be right there with you. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

Regina sighed, slowly shaking her head. "Shae, you can't interfere. Zelena said she'll kill anyone who tries."

"Then let her try." Shae whispered, staring determinedly into Regina's eyes. "If this is the end for you, then it's the end for us both. We're in this together, Regina. Till the end, remember?"

Regina smiled, a single tear leaking down her face, and she nodded. "Till the end."

The two lovers kissed again, and they spent another few desperate moments wrapped in each other's arms. As the sun finally sank below the horizon of the town of Storybrooke, they reluctantly vacated Regina's bed, and hastily got dressed once again. Shae took Regina's hand in her's, and placed one last kiss on her lips, before they both disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.

XX

"Well, well, well, looks like my little sister is a sniveling coward after all." Zelena sneered, glaring around at the faces of the people gathered on the dark main street of Storybrooke. "What say you, Rumple? Who do you want to kill first?"

Zelena grinned wickedly at Mr. Gold as she brandished the dagger that controlled him and his dark, dangerous powers. Gold didn't respond. He only clenched his fists, staring silently down at the ground.

"He's not killing anyone." Emma said, pushing through the crowd and stepping determinedly forward. "If you want to fight someone, Zelena, fight me."

Zelena barked out a mocking laugh. "Sorry, dear, I don't dance with amateurs."

"Then why don't you dance with someone your own size?"

Zelena whirled around, and the crowd drew in a collective gasp as they spotted Regina, with Shae following closely behind her.

"There you are!" Zelena exclaimed, sporting another devilish grin. "And you've brought your pet vampire. I see the two have you have made nice."

"That's right." Shae said, grinning back at The Wicked Witch as she and Regina stood before her. "And I'm not going to let you hurt her."

"Neither of us are." Snarled Remus, hastily shoving through the crowd.

Zelena laughed again in a mocking way as the two vampires stood protectively between her and Regina. She then raised The Dark One dagger in the air, and Mr. Gold threw out his hand. The crowd cried out in alarm as he sent Remus flying backward through the air.

"REMUS!" Shae shouted as her friend hit the ground hard, rolling across the pavement before coming to a stop.

"Not another step!" Zelena snarled, brandishing the dagger dangerously as Remus sprang immediately to his feet, rushing toward her, his blood red eyes flashing with rage.

Remus stopped in his tracks, his fists clenched, glancing between Shae and Regina anxiously. Regina then took an angry step toward the witch, glaring furiously into her eyes.

"Enough!" She shouted irritably. "Why are you doing this, Zelena? What the hell did I ever do to you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Zelena replied, glaring back at her sister. "You were born."

Shae snorted with laughter from beside Regina. "That's all? You're just jealous?"

Zelena continued to glare at Regina for a moment, then turned her malicious gaze onto Shae. "She got everything." She said quietly, her voice shaky with emotion. "Including you."

Shae glanced curiously at Regina, then raised an eyebrow at the witch. "Me? Why the hell do you care about me?"

"Because, despite all the evil my sister has done, she got the one thing I never had!" Zelena shouted furiously. "Unconditional love! Despite all the horrors she has committed, she was given true love. Tell me, how exactly is that fair?"

Shae chuckled again, shaking her head slowly in amusement. "Well, I can tell you one thing… It's not that simple. It never really has been"

"Of course it is!" Zelena spat bitterly.

"Enough of this!" Regina snarled, taking another step forward, bringing her face dangerously close to Zelena's. "So that's it? You're going to kill me just because you've never been loved?"

Zelena barked out another loud, mocking laugh. "Kill you? I never said _I_ was going to kill you." She replied, wagging a finger at Regina. "See, I might have told a teensie, weensie lie earlier. It's not me you're going to be fighting after all."

Regina glanced silently over at Mr. Gold, then raised an eyebrow at her sister. "I see. So you're going to make Rumpelstiltskin do your dirty work, is that it?"

"Oh no, my dear sister, he's just here to keep the rabble at bay." Zelena replied after laughing at Regina once again. "No, I've got someone else under my thumb that's going to bring about your destruction."

Zelena grinned at her sister as she held out her hand. There was a puff of bright green smoke, and the crowd gathered on the street gasped loudly as a glowing red heart appeared in The Wicked Witch's open palm. Regina drew back a step, staring wide eyed at the pulsing heart.

"You see, you're not going to be fighting me." Zelena went on, sporting another dark and evil grin. "You're going to be fighting… Her."

Zelena clamped down on the heart in her hand. Regina gasped, slowly turning her head as she heard a strangled cry from beside her. Shae had suddenly collapsed onto her knees, her face twisted in pain, her hand clutching at her chest. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and the sudden ringing in Regina's ears drowned out the gasps and cries of shock uttered by the crowd gathered around them. She stared down in silent horror as the woman she loved cried out in pain, her heart clutched firmly in The Wicked Witch's grasp. After a few moments of delighting in the vampire's anguished cries, Zelena finally released her grip on Shae's heart, and Shae stared up at her in complete and utter shock.

"W-What?" She breathed, rising shakily to her feet. "How?"

"Oh, it was ever so simple, darling." Zelena sneered wickedly. "You see, all I had to do was pretend to be a damsel in distress, and you were putty in my hands."

Zelena barked out another loud, evil laugh, then raised her voice into a high, mocking tone. "'Please, help, I'm terribly lost in the woods!'" She cried, sneering at the crowd around her. "'Oh, please, can I trouble you for a glass of water?'"

"The broken glass… I-It was you!" Shae whispered, her blood red eyes wide. "But… But why? Why don't I remember?"

Zelena laughed again. "Because, I told you to forget. Because now that I hold your heart in my hands, you are nothing but my puppet, forced to do my bidding."

"You're insane if you think I'm going to hurt Regina." Shae snarled at the witch.

"I'm afraid you'll have no choice." Zelena replied with a grin.

"I can fight it."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Damn sure!"

"We'll see." Zelena said in a dark and dangerous tone. She then brought Shae's heart up close to her face, and whispered into it. "Kill Regina."

The crowd gathered on Main Street cried out in alarm once again as Shae's arm instantly shot out, and she grabbed Regina by her throat. Regina let out a strangled cry, clawing at Shae's hand as she slowly lifted her into the air. Shae clenched her fingers around Regina's windpipe, and Regina gasped in vain for air. She saw Remus rush at Zelena, who raised the dagger in her hand once again, and Remus was blasted away by Mr. Gold. Regina shifted her gaze back onto Shae, staring into her blood red eyes, eyes that were full of malice. As the corners of her vision started to grow black, she reached out, gently brushing her fingers down Shae's cheek.

"Shae… Please…" She choked out, tears leaking down her face.

Shae continued to snarl at her, clenching her hand around Regina's throat even tighter. Then, all of a sudden, her gaze softened, and her hand suddenly began to shake. She then released her grip on Regina's throat, and staggered backwards. Regina crashed to the ground, landing on her hands and knees, drawing in a great, shuddering gasp, coughing and sputtering as she gulped down lungfuls of air. Shae stared down at her own two hands in horrified shock, then rushed to Regina's side, kneeling down beside her.

"Regina! Oh my god, Regina, I'm so sorry." She whispered, grabbing onto Regina's arms as she got shakily to her feet. "A-Are you ok?"

Regina nodded silently, rubbing her aching neck, her chest heaving. Shae then grinned triumphantly at Zelena, who was standing with the vampires's heart still in her hand, her mouth gaping open in utter disbelief.

"Told you I could fight it." Shae snarled tauntingly.

"Well, well, it seems like your love for my sister is stronger than I thought." Zelena muttered quietly, glaring at both Shae and Regina.

Regina smiled at the woman she loved, gently caressing her cheek. Shae smiled back, placing her hand on top of Regina's. Emma glanced back at her parents, who were both smiling hopefully. She then glanced over at Remus, who was once again back on his feet, and grinning triumphantly. For a moment, despite all odds, it seemed that Shae and Regina's true love was strong enough to fight off The Wicked Witch.

"No matter." Zelena went on, waving her dismissively. "I suppose you just need a little push."

Zelena then waved her hand over Shae's heart sitting in her open palm. Regina and Shae both watched, their eyes growing wide with horror as Shae's heart turned from glowing red, to bright green. Time seemed to stop again as Regina slowly turned her head to the side. She gasped as Shae's eyes began to glow with the same bright green light as her heart. For a moment, Shae simply stood there, her now glowing green eyes wide. She then turned her gaze onto Regina, and her lips curled into a fearsome snarl.

The townsfolk cried out in shock as Shae threw out her arm, blasting Regina backward off her feet. Regina hurtled through the air, crying out in pain as she crashed down onto a car parked along the street. She slid off the car and down onto the ground, pushing herself shakily back to her feet. Shae was standing rigid in her spot, and Zelena stood next to her, grinning deviously at her sister, Shae's glowing green heart pulsing in her hand.

"Now then, one of two things is going to happen." Zelena called out to her in a taunting tone. "Either you kill your true love, or your true love kills you. Either way, I win."

"Stop this, Zelena!" Regina shouted back. "This is about you and me, not her!"

Zelena laughed loudly, slowly shaking her head. "See, that's where you're wrong, little sis. It has everything to do with her. I'm going to destroy everything you hold dear, starting with your true love."

Zelena thrust out her hand that was holding Shae's heart, and all Regina and the others saw was a black blur of motion as Shae rushed forward. Regina only had time to let out a startled gasp as Shae seized her by the front of her jacket. She then spun her around, and sent her flying through the air once again. Remus reacted quickly, his own body a black blur as he placed himself right in Regina's landing path. He grunted painfully as Regina's back crashed into his chest, and the two of them spun, rolled, and bounced across the pavement. When they finally came to a stop, they both lie there groaning in pain for a moment. Remus then staggered to his feet, and he held his hand out to Regina.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he helped Regina up.

"Fine, I'm fine." Regina muttered, brushing herself off.

They stood side by side, watching warily as Shae advanced slowly toward them, her fists clenched, her glowing green eyes fixated on Regina. Remus then turned to Regina, and placed a hand on her shoulder, staring determinedly into her eyes.

"Right, you hold Shae off, and I'll get her heart back from this damn witch." He said quietly.

"Remus, no!" Regina cried, pulling him back a step as Shae drew ever closer. "You heard Zelena, you can't interfere!"

"Like hell I can't!" Remus snarled back.

Remus took a furious step toward Zelena, but Regina quickly stepped in front of him. "Remus, don't! Please, you need to keep everyone else safe." Regina pleaded with him. "There's no telling what she plans to do. Trust me, I can handle this."

Remus hesitated for a moment, glancing from Regina, to Shae, then to Zelena. He then breathed out a relenting sigh, and nodded. Regina nodded back, and Remus stepped aside, backing away toward the crowd of onlookers. Regina then drew in a shaky, steadying breath, and turned back to face her true love, who was now under The Wicked Witch's evil spell.

"Regina!" Mary Margaret suddenly shouted. "Regina, you need to kiss her! It's the only way to break Zelena's spell!"

"I'm afraid that's going to be rather difficult." Zelena said before Regina could reply. "Seeing as she's going to be trying to kill her and all."

Zelena thrust Shae's heart out once again, and the vampire rushed at Regina. Shae leapt through the air, fist raised, but, this time, Regina reacted shockingly quick. She brought up her arm just in time to block Shae's blow, Shae's fist bouncing harmlessly off of Regina's forearm. The townsfolk watched, their eyes wide, mouths gaping open in shock as Shae and Regina exchanged vicious blows. Even though Shae moved with superhuman speed, Regina's reflexes were just as lightning quick. Somehow, she seemed to anticipate Shae's every move.

The vampire and The Queen soon became a combined blur of motion, and the onlookers watched their hazy figures with bated breath. Finally, Regina gained the upper hand, and she sent Shae careening backward with a blast of magical energy. As Shae crashed to the ground, Regina turned toward her sister, grinning triumphantly, her chest heaving with exertion.

"How?" Zelena demanded, looking just as shocked as the rest. "How is this possible?"

Regina was the one that laughed mockingly this time. "Did you forget?" She asked her sister with another grin. "Shae and I spent years together. She was the one who taught me how to fight with fists and sword. I know exactly how fast she is, how strong she is. I know her every single move."

Regina paused, her grin broadening as she took a determined step forward. "Shae can never win against me." She snarled dangerously. "Pretty soon, all her magic, all her power will be drained, and she'll be completely useless to you. Face it, Zelena. You've lost."

Zelena glared silently at her sister for a moment, then glanced over at Shae, who was back on her feet, standing rigidly in her spot, her glowing green eyes once again fixated intently on Regina. Zelena then turned back to her sister, sporting her own wicked grin.

"I don't lose." She snarled.

Zelena outstretched her hand up toward the traffic lights hanging above Regina's head. As they came crashing down toward her, Regina threw up her hands, stopping them in their tracks. As Regina sent the traffic lights shooting harmlessly to her side, Zelena thrust out Shae's heart, and Shae disappeared in another black blur as she sprinted at Regina.

"NO!" Remus suddenly shouted.

Remus rushed forward, tackling his dear friend bodily to the ground just before she reached Regina. In the instant that Regina was momentarily distracted, Zelena threw out her hand that was free of Shae's heart. Shae and Remus were lost from Regina's sight as she was sent flying through the air, crashing straight through the glass window of the clocktower. She landed hard on the top of the metal staircase inside the clocktower, her entire body screaming in pain. As she shakily pushed herself up onto her knees, Zelena appeared before her in a whirl of green smoke.

"You don't realize what you had, do you?" Zelena snarled, glaring down at her. "You never did. You got everything I ever wanted and you didn't even deserve it."

Regina glared silently back at her sister, her chest heaving, her heart hammering inside her ribcage. Zelena then knelt down in front of her, a dark and devious grin stretching across her face.

"But that's all going to change now, little sis." Zelena went on in a dangerous whisper. "I'm going to take it all away from you."

"Then why don't you get it over with?" Regina snarled back at her. "Go ahead and kill me."

Zelena laughed in another mocking tone as she straightened up again. "Did you already forget? I'm not going to be the one to kill you."

The Wicked Witch waved her hand over Shae's pulsing green heart still clutched in her fist, and Shae herself appeared beside Zelena in a whirl of bright green smoke. Regina pushed herself up onto her feet, and stared helplessly at the woman she loved, whose eyes were still green and glowing. Zelena grinned wickedly at her sister, and once again held Shae's heart up close to her lips.

"Finish her."

Regina let out a strangled cry of pain as Shae's arms shot forward, and she wrapped both of her cold, pale hands around Regina's throat. Regina tried to cry out again, but no sound was able to escape her lips as Shae's fingers squeezed tightly around her windpipe. She sunk slowly and shakily back down onto her knees, and Shae went down with her, tightening her grip around Regina's throat, snarling viciously into her eyes. Regina dug her nails weakly into Shae's hands, blackness slowly creeping toward the center of her vision. Zelena watched with an evil grin on her face as her sister choked and gasped for air.

"Shae… P-Please…" Regina managed to choked out, tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes.

Regina's head began to spin, the blackness threatening to take over her vision. This was it, it was all over. Regina was about to die at the hands of the woman she loved. She was certain that, with her heart still firmly in Zelena's clutches, Shae herself would soon follow her in death. Regina took solace in the hope that they would be reunited once again. Perhaps, in death, she could finally be with her true love.

"Shae, I… Love you." Regina whispered desperately.

She squeezed her eyes shut, her body growing weaker and weaker by the second. Suddenly, she felt Shae's hands begin to shake from around her throat. She opened her eyes again, and found that her true love's eyes were still glowing green, but her brow was now furrowed, as if in confusion. Shae's face then twisted in pain, her whole body quaking violently. She then let out a strangled groan, and released her vice like grip on Regina's throat.

Regina slumped backward onto the hard, metal landing, her chest heaving as she gasped desperately for air. She coughed and sputtered violently, her neck aching from where Shae's fingers had been. The inside of the clocktower spun around her, and she heard Zelena's furious shouting, but her exact words were drowned out by the ringing in Regina's ears. Suddenly, she remembered what Mary Margaret had said, and she shakily pushed herself back up onto her knees. She reached out her arms, peering through hazy eyes at Shae, who was still kneeling in front of her, her hands clamped on either side of her head. Regina's hands made contact with Shae's leather jacket, and she gripped it tight, jerking her forward and pressing her lips firmly to her true love's.

"NO!" Zelena shouted.

A pulsewave of magic shout out from between their lips as Regina kissed Shae. As soon a she felt it, Regina leaned back, staring into Shae's now blood red eyes. Shae blinked several times, her eyes wide and unfocused. She then turned her gaze onto Regina, and a smile slowly crept across her face.

"You did it!" Shae exclaimed.

Regina laughed, grateful tears leaking out of her eyes. She threw her arms around the woman she loved, kissing her again. For a brief moment, they both forgot all about The Wicked Witch, who still held Shae's heart in her hand. For a moment, all they cared about was the fact that their true love had conquered all odds once again.

"Oh, Shae…" Regina whispered, gently caressing her lover's face. "Shae, I love you."

Shae smiled into her eyes, placing her hand tenderly on Regina's cheek. "Regina… I-"

Shae suddenly gasped, and her body gave a violent lurch. Regina stared into Shae's blood red eyes as they widened, her pupils shrinking down to pin points. Regina then slowly looked up at her sister, and watched in horror as sparkling gray dust slipped between the fingers of her clenched fist. She turned her eyes back onto Shae, who was now falling forward. Regina caught her by her shoulders, and Shae slumped limply into her arms. Regina's ears began to ring again, and her body began to shake as she stared down into the gaping blood red eyes of her true love.

"No…" She breathed in horror, turning her gaze up at her sister. "What have you done?"

Zelena laughed in a wickedly triumphant sort of way. "Isn't it obvious? I've crushed the heart of the thing you love most."

Zelena squatted down in front of her sister, grinning into her eyes. "Don't worry, you'll be seeing your true love soon enough." She whispered dangerously. "I'll be coming for your heart next."

The Wicked Witch barked out a devious cackle as she straightened back up. She then held out her hand, and a broomstick appeared in a puff of green smoke. Regina watched as her sister mounted the broom, cackling evilly as she soared through the shattered window of the clocktower, disappearing into the night.

A deafening silence fell over the clocktower as Regina stared down at Shae lying lifeless in her arms, her blood red eyes gaping up at the ceiling. She leaned her head down, and placed her trembling lips to Shae's. She hoped against hope that true love's kiss would once again wake her, save her. But nothing happened. There was no magical pulsewave, no sudden gasp. Shae remained still and lifeless in her arms.

Regina's mouth gaped open, the sound of her own screaming drowned out by the deafening ringing in her ears. Her body shook with violent sobs as she hugged Shae's limp body desperately against her own. She threw her head back, screaming into the air again, screaming furiously at whatever god or gods that were. Suddenly, faces swam before her. Emma, Charming, Snow White, Captain Hook. She heard their own cries, saw their lips moving, but none of their words reached her. She saw Emma kneeling in front of her, saw the tears streaming from her eyes. She watched as Emma rested her head on Shae's shoulder, her body shaking with violent sobs. Emma then slowly reached out, using her thumb and forefinger to gently push Shae's eyelids down over her wide, lifeless eyes.

Emma was suddenly gone, and Regina felt hands on her arms. She screamed at whoever was pulling at her, whoever was trying to take Shae from her arms. She clung desperately to the woman she loved, refusing to let her go. She then suddenly found herself on her feet, watching as David and Hook carefully lifted Shae's body into the air. Regina was gently supported by Emma and Mary Margaret, and the three of them followed after David and Hook as they carried Shae from the clocktower.

The crowd that had gathered to watch the witch fight was still milling about on the street, and Regina saw shock and horror in all their eyes as they watched Hook and David carefully lay Shae's body down onto the ground. Remus quickly pushed his way to the front of the crowd, and when he saw his best friend lying motionless on the ground, he cried out in horror. Regina watched as he ran to Shae's side, falling to his knees next to her, screaming as he shook her by her shoulders, screaming at her to wake up. When Shae showed no signs of movement, Remus turned his panic stricken gaze onto Regina. He rushed over to her, grabbing her roughly by the arms, shaking her violently.

"DON'T JUST FUCKING STAND THERE!" Remus screamed at her. "DO SOMETHING!"

Regina opened her mouth to speak, but her words caught in her throat. She shook her head, and Emma and Mary Margaret both squeezed her arms gently as she choked out a sob. Remus then turned to the crowd gathered along the street, all of them staring silently down at Shae's lifeless body.

"DO SOMETHING!" He screamed at them all. "SOMEONE HELP HER!"

"Remus…" Regina whispered shakily, finally finding her voice. "Remus, please…"

"YOU!" Remus exclaimed, pointing a shaky finger at Mother Superior. "You! You're a fairy, aren't you? Fucking do something, will you?"

Mother Superior opened her mouth to reply, glancing at Tinkerbell, who was standing beside her, her eyes streaming with tears. Mother Superior seemed unable to reply, and she placed her hands over her mouth, slowly shaking her head, tears spilling out of her eyes.

"FUCKING USELESS! ALL OF YOU!" Remus screamed at the crowd.

"REMUS, STOP!" Regina cried, wrenching her arms out of Emma and Mary Margaret's grasp. She staggered over to Remus, choking out another miserable sob as she gripped the front of his jacket. "Remus, there's… There's nothing we can do…"

"NO!" Remus shouted back, his blood red eyes wide and wild with panic. "No, there has to be a way! We can save her! Regina, we… We have to save her!"

"We can't." Regina whispered, her voice quavering with emotion. "Remus, she's… She's gone."

Remus shook his head vigorously, tears spilling down his cold, pale face. "No…" He whispered desperately, his hands shaking as he gripped Regina's arms. "No, I can't… Regina, I can't… Not again…"

Regina sobbed again, her face twisting with misery. "I'm sorry… I-I couldn't… I couldn't stop her…"

Remus released Regina's arms, and he staggered back over to Shae. The crowd watched with heavy hearts as he dropped to his knees beside his old, dear friend. For a moment, he simply stared silently down at her, placing a quivering hand on her forehead. He then choked out a sob of his own, and fell forward onto Shae's chest, digging his fingers into her black leather jacket as he began to sob violently. Regina shakily stepped up next to him, and slowly sank down onto her knees, resting her head on his shoulder as she cried with him.

Regina had no idea exactly how long she sat there in the street, kneeling beside Remus. Her knees were screaming in pain, her body shaking from the cold night air, but she didn't move, she didn't leave Shae's side. Her tears had finally subsided, and she watched as Remus slowly and gently brushed back Shae's messy black hair, a horrible, gaping void of numbness consuming her mind and body. Shae, the woman she loved, the one she had always loved, was gone. She was really and truly gone. There was no saving her this time.

"Regina, Remus…" Mary Margaret whispered from behind them. "I-I'm sorry, but… We have to get her out of the street."

Remus glanced at Regina, his eyes miserable and bloodshot from all the tears. Regina nodded at him, and Remus nodded back, slowly rising to his feet. Regina remained in her spot for a moment, staring down at the woman she loved more than anything in the world. She then leaned forward, her tears dripping down onto Shae's cheeks as she placed on last kiss on her true love's lips.

Regina stood beside Remus, gently gripping his arm as they watched David and Captain Hook carrying Shae's body away. Mary Margaret and Emma followed slowly after them, but Emma suddenly stopped, turning to Regina, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

"Regina, I know we've had our differences lately." Emma began quietly. "But… I promise you, I will do whatever I can to help you with Zelena. She needs to pay for what she's done."

Regina stared silently into Emma's bloodshot, hazel green eyes. Mere hours earlier, Regina had felt nothing but resentment and loathing for The Savior. But now, all she felt was the pain of Shae's loss. As she stared into Emma's eyes, she knew that she was feeling the same exact pain.

"She will." Regina whispered quietly, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "I swear it. My sister will pay for taking my true love away from me."

XX

The people of Storybrooke once again gathered in the cemetery for a funeral. As Shae's casket was lowered into the ground, her mourners stepped forward, taking up a shovel and sprinkling dirt down onto her coffin. Belle was the first to go, then Ruby, followed by her grandmother, Tinkerbell, Mother Superior, and The Seven Dwarves. Emma went after her parents, and, once she was finished, she handed the shovel to Henry, watching miserably as her son took it into his shaking hands. Even though he had no memory of Neal, his father, Henry had still been sad about hearing of his death. When Emma broke the news of Shae's death to her son, his reaction had been much different. Due to the fake memories Regina had given him, Shae had been a part of Henry's life for nearly five years. He had loved her dearly, just as he did his own mother, and had been hysterical over her loss. Emma had stayed up through most of the night with him, holding him as he cried, her own heart aching with misery.

After Henry had weakly tossed a shovelful of dirt onto Shae's casket, he handed the shovel over to Remus, who in turn, handed it lastly to Regina. Remus stepped aside, and Regina stood silently over Shae's grave with the shovel in her hand. She had spent the entire morning in daze of shock, but, as she stared down at Shae's coffin, half covered in dirt, the realization of what was happening suddenly bared down upon her. She was overcome with emotion, tears streaming out of her eyes, her hands shaking as she gripped the shovel tight. Suddenly, the shovel fell from her hands, and her knees buckled. Remus quickly knelt down in front of her, pulling her into his arms as she began to sob bitterly.

"Why is the mayor so upset?" Henry whispered to his mother, gazing up at Emma with red and puffy eyes.

Emma sniffled quietly, clearing her throat as she wiped tears from her face. "Um… Well, her and Shae were… Really close." She replied quietly. "She just… Misses her a lot."

Henry nodded slowly, his eyes welling with tears once again. "Yeah… Me too."

Emma sighed, gently brushing back his brown hair. "I miss her too, kid."

"You're gonna find whoever killed her, right?" Henry suddenly asked. "They killed Shae, and my dad. You're… You're gonna make them pay, right?"

Emma's mouth gaped open in shock as she saw the sudden bitter rage in her son's eyes. For a moment, she wasn't quite sure how to respond. Her first instinct was that of a mother, which made her want to chastise him, tell him that revenge was never the answer. But, she saw the pain behind the anger in Henry's eyes, the same pain that ached deep in her own heart.

"Absolutely." Emma replied in a determined whisper. "They're going to pay, Henry. I promise."

XX

In the days following Shae's death, Regina barely saw or spoke to anyone. Emma and her parents were all worried, but they respectfully kept their distance. They knew that there was nothing they could say to quell the immeasurable pain that Regina felt deep in her heart and soul. The only other people that felt Shae's loss as heavily as Regina did were Emma, Henry, and Shae's oldest and dearest friend, Remus. No one in town had seen hide nor hair of Remus since Shae's funeral, and Robin Hood and his Merry Men continued to patrol the woods, searching for the vampire. But, it seemed that Remus, in his grief, had completely disappeared.

On the third day after her true love's murder, Regina woke to the morning sun casting a beam of sunlight upon the empty side of her bed. It was the very spot that, just days ago, Shae had been lying, holding her in her arms, kissing her lips, telling her how much she loved her. Regina lie still for a while, silent tears streaming down her face, her heart aching with misery. Then, suddenly, something seemed to rouse her from her mournful daze. She quickly vacated her bed and donned her robe, stepping out of her bedroom and into the hallway.

"Mom!"

Regina jumped, whirling around, startled to find Henry also stepping out of his room. He smiled joyfully at her, and her mouth gaped open in shock as he threw his arms around her.

"Henry?" Regina breathed, staring down at her son with wide, confused eyes. "W-What are you doing here?"

"Um… I live here, duh." Henry replied slowly, raising an eyebrow curiously at his mother.

"W-What?" Regina asked, shaking her head bewilderedly. "Wait a minute… You… You remember me?"

"Of course I remember you, you're my mom!" Henry replied matter-of-factly. He then took Regina by the hand, leading her toward the stairs. "Come on, Shae's making chocolate chip pancakes!"

Regina stopped in her tracks, her heart lurching inside her ribcage. "S-Shae? She's… She's here?"

"Well, yeah!" Henry cried obviously. "It's Sunday. She always makes pancakes on Sunday. Now, come on!"

Henry took his mother by the hand again, and Regina followed her son down the steps. Her head was spinning, her heart hammering wildly. When she stepped into the kitchen, she tugged her hand out of Henry's grip, clapping her hands over her mouth, gasping in complete and utter shock. Standing at the stove, clad only in her boxers and a black t-shirt, was Shae.

"Good morning, beautiful!" Shae exclaimed as Regina entered the kitchen.

Regina stood rooted in her spot, staring at the woman she loved as she smiled at her. She then slowly walked forward, stopping just in front of Shae, reaching out a shaky hand. She gasped again when her hand made contact with Shae's chest. She placed her other hand on her chest, then on her neck, her cheeks, running her fingers through her soft, messy hair. She stared into Shae's blood red eyes, her own welling with tears. She threw her arms around her, choking back a sob as she felt the coldness of Shae's lips against her own.

Regina felt Shae's strong, loving arms holding her as she kissed her. Regina held her tight, kissing her slowly, gratefully, desperately. When she finally pulled away, she placed her quivering hands on either side of Shae's cold, pale face, smiling into her eyes.

"Oh, Shae…" She whispered, tears leaking out of her eyes as she gently caressed her face. "It's really you, you're… You're really here!"

"Of course I am!" Shae replied, smiling back at her. "Were you expecting someone else to be cooking you breakfast in their underwear?"

Regina sobbed joyfully as Shae gave her one of her quirky grins that she loved so very much. She threw her arms around her, gently feeling her body as she kissed her again, unable to believe that she was actually real.

"Wait… Wait a minute, I don't understand." Regina muttered as she suddenly pulled away, staring confusedly up into Shae's blood red eyes. "I… I saw Zelena crush your heart, watched you being buried. Shae, you're… You're… Gone."

Shae slowly shook her head, smiling as she gently tucked a stray lock of Regina's hair behind her ear. "No, not gone." She whispered. "Just… Lost."

Regina furrowed her brow, shaking her head in confusion. "W-What? Lost?"

"That's right." Shae replied with another smile. "But you can find me again. You just have to use this."

Regina glanced down as Shae gently placed her hand on the left side of her chest. "My heart?" Regina asked, shaking her head once again as Shae nodded. "I… I don't understand. Shae, what are you talking about?"

Shae slowly and sadly shook her head. "I'm sorry, but… That's all I can tell you."

"What? Why?" Regina asked.

Shae smiled again, gently cupping Regina's face in her hands. She leaned forward, and Regina's eyes fluttered closed as she placed a gentle, tender kiss on her lips. Regina's heart fluttered in her chest, the feeling of Shae's lips on her's causing more tears to leak out of her eyes. She opened her eyes again as Shae pulled away, and her brow furrowed when she saw that Shae's own eyes were suddenly filled with sorrow.

"Because, Regina… You're about to wake up."

XX


	12. Chapter 12, Found

CHAPTER 12

Regina's eyes snapped open, and she gasped as she sat bolt upright in her bed. She stared around her dark and empty bedroom, her heart hammering, the silence of the night broken by her cell phone that was ringing loudly from the end table next to her bed. She immediately leapt out of bed, not even bothering to check who was calling. She raced down the stairs, her head spinning wildly. She hesitated for a moment, her quivering hand resting on the lightswitch on the kitchen wall. Deep down inside, she already knew what she was going to find when she flicked on the light. Nothing. Shae was not standing at the stove, she was not there to call out, 'Good morning, beautiful!' Regina did not get to see her smile, she never would again. Shae was gone, murdered by her own sister. It had all just been a dream.

Regina sank down onto her knees, sobbing bitterly as tears flowed down her face. Her dream had felt so tantalizingly real. She could still see Shae's face so clearly in her mind, she could still hear her voice, feel her lips against her own. She curled herself into a ball on the cold tile floor, sobbing violently, her heart aching with the loss of the woman she loved. Her mother was dead, so was her lover, and her own son didn't remember who she was. She was now truly and utterly alone.

The quiet of the night was once again broken by the sound of someone pounding on Regina's front door, but the former Queen was too weak, too miserable to get up from her kitchen floor. Suddenly, there was a loud bang, and the sounds of footsteps drawing closer. Regina didn't move, didn't care that there was an intruder in her home. She simply laid there on the floor, silently hoping that Zelena had finally come for her heart, just as she had promised, and that she would crush it as she had Shae's. Then, she would finally be able to see her true love again.

Regina heard quiet, murmured voices, but she had no idea what they were saying. She then felt hands on her arms, and she was suddenly pulled into a tight but gentle embrace. She kept her eyes shut tight, her body shaking with sobs. Regina had no idea whose arms were holding her, she didn't have the willpower to care. She sat there for a long while, her head resting against the intruder's shoulder. When her tears finally subsided, she opened her eyes, and was startled to find Mary Margaret kneeling in front of her, her husband standing close behind her. She pushed away from the person holding her, and was even more startled when she realized that it was Emma.

"Regina, I'm sorry to barge in like this. I know you're in a lot of pain." Emma said quietly, placing her hands on Regina's shoulders, her own eyes shining with tears. "I'm sorry, but I need you to be strong right now. We need your help."

Regina opened and closed her mouth several times, staring bewilderedly from Emma, to Mary Margaret, and to David. "W-What?" She breathed, hastily wiping the tears from her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Robin Hood and his men were patrolling the town, and they saw someone in the cemetery." Mary Margaret answered quickly. "They think it's Zelena. A-And they… They saw her… Digging."

"What?" Regina asked again, her bloodshot eyes growing wide with shock.

Emma exchanged a grave and anxious glance with her mother. "We… We think she's digging up… Shae's body."

Suddenly, all the embarrassment that Regina had been feeling over being found sobbing on her kitchen floor melted away, replaced by a pure and unyielding rage. She slowly rose to her feet, the shaking in her limbs suddenly gone, the burning, white hot fury bubbling inside her giving her strength. Emma and Mary Margaret both stood up as well, eyeing Regina apprehensively as she balled her hands into fists, her lips curling into a fearsome snarl.

"No…" Regina whispered, her voice quavering with rage. "I won't let her. I will _not_ let her take Shae away from me again."

XX

Regina hastily got dressed, and was soon getting out of Emma's car as they pulled up to the Storybrooke cemetery. She slammed the passenger door of Emma's tiny yellow bug shut, her fists still clenched tight as she marched toward Robin Hood and his Merry Men, who were huddled together just outside the cemetery gates. Emma walked in step beside her, Mary Margaret and David hurrying along behind them. Emma pulled out her gun, and it clicked dangerously as she cocked it.

"Emma, don't you think you're going into this a little too hot?" David said anxiously.

"Hell no." Emma growled in reply. "Zelena has murdered two people I cared about, I _will not_ let her get away."

"For once, I agree with you, Swan." Regina said with a determined nod. "Let's get this bitch, and lets make her pay."

David exchanged a nervous glance with his wife, but fell silent as Robin Hood and his men led them through the cemetery gates. They krept carefully and quietly between the headstones, slowing to a stop as they approached Shae's grave. It seemed they had arrived just in time, as there was already a large pile of dirt lying next to the headstone. They watched as the end of a shovel poked out of the hole in the ground several times, Zelena herself hidden from view as she dug deeper and deeper toward Shae's casket.

Robin Hood and his Merry Men all formed a circle around the grave, bows and arrows at the ready. Mary Margaret had armed herself with her own bow, and David drew his sword while Emma pointed her gun down toward the grave. Regina had nothing but her fists and her magic, along with a deep, unadulterated fury. She glanced over at Emma, who nodded at her. Regina nodded back, and summoned a fireball into her hand as the two of them stepped slowly forward.

"We know you're down there, Zelena!" Emma called out. "We've got you surrounded!"

"Come out and face me, you wicked green BITCH!" Regina spat furiously, readying her fireball.

"No wicked green bitches down here, I'm afraid." A very familiar male voice replied from inside the grave. "Sorry to disappoint."

Emma slowly lowered her gun, and exchanged a baffled glance with Regina. "Remus?"

Remus's brown haired head poked out from the hole in the ground. "Hello!" He said, smiling chipperly at all of them.

They all watched in silent befuddlement as the vampire hastily clambered out of the freshly dug grave. Regina extinguished her fireball, and the others all lowered their weapons as well.

"Remus, thank god!" Robin Hood exclaimed, throwing his arms around the vampire and embracing him tightly. "We've been searching for you for days!"

Robin paused for a moment, leaning over Shae's grave and peering down at the unearthed casket. "What, um… What exactly are you doing?"

Remus stared around at the perplexity on all their faces for a moment, then cleared his throat awkwardly. "Right… Yes, er… This isn't what it looks like."

"What exactly is it supposed to look like?" Asked Mary Margaret, her eyes wide.

Remus opened and closed his mouth several times, glancing from both Emma and Regina's confused and furious faces, to his friend Robin Hood, then back down at Shae's grave.

"Alright, I suppose it's exactly what it looks like." He finally admitted. "But I assure you, I have good reason."

"What reason could that possibly be?" Regina demanded heatedly.

"I don't believe Shae is actually dead."

A stunned silence fell over the group gathered around Shae's grave. They all exchanged sad and skeptical glances, and Regina breathed out a heavy sigh.

"Oh, Remus…" She muttered, slowly shaking her head.

"Wait a moment, just hear me out, alright?" Remus interjected before Regina could say anything more. "Now, there are technically only two definitive ways to kill a vampire. Do you know what those are?"

"A wooden stake to the heart is one, I believe, yes?" Asked Robin Hood.

"What? Wood? No, that's absurd!" Remus cried, looking as if he was offended. "No, it's a silver stake to the heart. Or a sword or dagger, or a silver arrow."

"Right, yeah, we know that." Emma said quickly. "What's the second way?"

"Fire." Answered Regina. "Years and years ago I found Shae about to be burned alive by Van Helsing. She told me that she would have been killed if I hadn't saved her."

"Precisely." Remus replied with a nod. "Set a vampire on fire, and eventually the flames will reach the heart, and be burnt to ash, effectively killing said vampire."

"So either way, the heart is the key." Robin Hood muttered. When Remus nodded, Robin slowly shook his head. "But… Remus, Shae's heart was destroyed. Zelena crushed it."

"Precisely!" Remus said again in an excited tone. "Her heart was crushed, not pierced with silver, and not set aflame. Therefore, she can't be dead, not really."

They all fell silent again, staring down at the ground as they pondered Remus's words. Emma exchanged another glance with Regina, who bit her lip, her eyes suddenly shining with tears.

"Remus, I want to believe that, we all do." Emma said gently. "But… But you saw her yourself. She's definitely not alive."

"No, but she's also not dead." Remus insisted. "I know, I've seen something similar to this before. I just… Forgot about it, till a few hours ago."

"What?" Emma exclaimed, her hazel green eyes growing wide with shock.

"You've seen what, exactly?" Regina asked, her own eyes just as wide as Emma's.

Remus sighed heavily, running his hand through his chestnut brown hair. "I'm hoping that Shae told you all about a man named Dracula."

"Yeah, he was the one that turned you guys." David replied with a nod.

"Excellent, then this story won't take nearly as long to tell." Remus went on, nodding back. "Right, so, Dracula had a wife, she was the very first person he ever turned, actually. She fancied herself the Queen of all vampires, and Dracula her king. Even called herself, 'The Queen of the Damned.'"

"'Queen of the Damned…'" Emma muttered quietly. "Wait a minute, was her name Akasha?"

Remus raised his eyebrows at Emma in shock. "Well… Well, yes. How did you know that?"

Emma breathed out a surprised laugh, slowly shaking her head. "Um, well, I've read the book." She replied. "Well, technically it's a movie too, but it was a book first. She wasn't Dracula's wife in it, so Anne Rice got that part wrong. It was pretty good, though."

Remus glanced over at Regina, who shrugged at him. He then quickly shook his head, and went on. "Right, moving on." He said, clearing his throat. "One day, Dracula caught Akasha in bed with… With someone else. And, as you can imagine, he was not particularly pleased about that. So, in his rage, he tore out his wife's heart. Not magically, as Zelena did with Shae's, but much more literally, and gruesomely. Then… He crushed it with his own bare hands. Thinking about it still makes my stomach churn."

"How exactly did you forget about something like that?" Regina demanded irritably.

"Well, you'll forgive me if things get a bit muddled after two centuries." Remus snapped in reply, narrowing his eyes at Regina.

"So, what happened to Akasha?" Asked Emma, cutting in as Regina opened her mouth to retort.

"Well, she died. Or so Dracula thought." Remus replied with a shrug, turning his gaze onto Emma. "After he crushed her heart, Dracula displayed her body in the center of his throne room. He said he wanted everyone in his castle to see her rotting corpse, to remind them of what happens to those who would betray him."

Remus paused, an excited grin slowly spreading across his pale face. "But, apparently, her body never decayed." He went on. "She remained in a preserved state, as if she were only sleeping, apart from the gaping hole in her chest."

"Do vampire's bodies usually decay after death?" Robin Hood asked, raising an eyebrow at his vampire friend.

"Yes, actually, they do." Remus answered with a nod. "As soon as we're killed, all the magic that keeps us immortal is drained away, and our bodies revert back to that of a mortal's. Therefore, our flesh and bones waste away into dust just like a normal human's."

"But Akasha's never did?" Asked Mary Margaret.

Remus shook his head, his excited grin returning. "No, it didn't." He replied. "I heard tell that once Dracula realized his wife's body was not wasting away, he summoned a sorceress to his castle. Apparently, she told him that, though Akasha wasn't technically alive, she wasn't technically dead either."

"Wait a minute, 'you heard?'" Regina asked, also raising a skeptical eyebrow at Remus. "So you never saw her body for yourself?"

"Well… No, not exactly." Remus admitted with a frown. "Shae and I fled Dracula's castle right after he found his wife in bed with her, um… Her lover."

"Who exactly was her lover?" Emma asked, eyeing Remus curiously.

"That's not important." Remus replied, waving his hand dismissively. "What is important is that, just like Akasha's, Shae's heart was merely crushed, not pierced with silver, and not burned to a crisp. Therefore, she's not actually dead, and, therefore, there might just be a way to save her."

"What if you're wrong?" Asked Robin Hood.

Remus barked out an amused laugh. "Oh, I'm rarely ever wrong."

"That's not conceded at all." David muttered sarcastically.

"No, it's simply a fact." Remus replied irritably, folding his arms across his chest.

"Remus, I'm sorry, but there _is_ a chance that you're wrong." Robin cut in before David could retort, placing his hand gently on Remus's shoulder. "If you are, then you've disturbed Shae's final resting place for no reason at all. And if you open that coffin, you'll only be met with the sight of your best friend's rotting corpse."

Remus stared into Robin Hood's eyes for a moment, then turned away, staring silently down at the ground, his blood red eyes suddenly immensely sad.

"I know." He whispered. "But I have to be sure."

Robin breathed out a relenting sigh, then nodded, gently patting Remus's shoulder. Remus then turned to Regina, who had been silently fighting back tears. He quickly stepped up to her, gently taking her hands in both of his.

"Regina, I have to do this." He whispered determinedly. "If she really is still alive, then I have to find a way to save her."

Regina hesitated for a moment, gazing into Remus's blood red eyes, the same shade that Shae's had been. She then nodded slowly, biting her lip as tears leaked down her face. Remus gave her a weak smile, and nodded back. As Remus re-entered the hole he had dug over Shae's grave, Regina turned away, walking a few steps forward, away from her true love's resting place. She jumped suddenly, startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Robin Hood asked her, his eyes full of concern.

Regina nodded, biting her lip again as she fought back more tears. "I-I just… If Remus really is wrong…" She stammered quietly, her voice quavering with emotion. "I can't… I can't see her like that."

Robin nodded solemnly. "I understand." He replied softly. "I truly am sorry, Regina. True love is such a rare thing to come across in this life, and to lose it… Well, needless to say I wouldn't wish it even upon my worst enemy."

Robin gently took Regina's hand, smiling sadly into her eyes. "I truly hope that Remus is right, and that you can have your true love again."

As Regina stared into Robin Hood's bright blue eyes, her heart suddenly lurched, and she felt the same pull toward him that she had felt before. For a moment, the heartache she felt over Shae's loss was suddenly lifted. For the first time in days, she felt herself smile as she stared into the eyes of the man with the lion tattoo, the man that could have saved her from becoming The Evil Queen all those years ago.

"Regina!" Emma suddenly called out. "You're gonna want to see this!"

Regina and Robin both turned around, and found the others all huddled around Shae's open grave, all their eyes as wide as saucers. They rushed over to join them, and when Regina stared down into Shae's now open coffin, she gasped audibly, clapping her hands over her mouth. Remus had been right after all. Even though she had been dead for several days now, Shae's body showed no signs of decay whatsoever. She looked as if she were only sleeping in her casket.

"My god…" Robin breathed, his eyes growing wide with shock as well. "Remus, you were right."

"Of course I was!" Remus announced proudly.

"W-What do we do now?" Asked Mary Margaret.

"Mother Superior." David answered quickly, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. "She'll know what to do."

Remus nodded hastily, and seized both of Shae's arms, grunting slightly as he hoisted his friend's lifeless body out of her casket, slinging her over his shoulder. Robin Hood left his Merry Men as they returned to their camp, and joined Emma, Regina, and Remus in Emma's car. Regina sat in the back seat with Remus, Shae's lifeless body sitting between them, slumped sideways into her lap. She slowly and gently ran her quivering fingers through Shae's messy black hair, her heart racing, her eyes streaming with tears. She hoped against hope that The Blue Fairy would have some answers, that she would find some way to return her true love to her.

Mother Superior was slightly agitated to be awoken in the middle of the night, but once they all explained to her why they had come, she quickly changed her tone, and allowed them inside the convent. She led them to a small, empty room, and Remus laid Shae carefully down onto the bed. They all watched anxiously as Mother Superior slowly waved her wand back and forth over Shae's body. When she was finished, she continued to stare silently down at her, brow furrowed in apparent confusion.

"Well?" Regina asked anxiously. "Is she still alive?"

Mother Superior slowly turned her gaze onto Regina, brow still furrowed in confusion. "I'm afraid the question isn't that simple." She replied quietly. "The answer even less so."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Regina snapped irritably.

"Indeed, now is hardly the time for riddles." Said Remus, his tone just as agitated as Regina's.

Mother Superior sighed heavily. "Well, it is as you suspected." She replied, nodding at Remus. "Shae's spirit has left this world, but it is still somehow… Tethered here, to her body."

"What exactly does that mean?" Emma asked, looking confused.

"I… I'm not quite sure." Mother Superior replied, slowly shaking her head. "It seems that she is not quite dead, but not quite alive either. She is somehow… In between."

Silence fell over the room for a few moments, and they all stared around at each other in silent shock and confusion. "So… What do we do?" Remus asked, breaking the silence. "How do we save her?"

Mother Superior slowly shook her head once again. "I don't know, I'm sorry." She replied sadly. "I've never seen anything quite like this before."

"Well, I don't know much about magic…" Robin Hood began slowly. "But, as I said before, it seems that the heart is the key for you vampires, yes?"

"Yes, yes, what exactly are you getting at?" Remus replied hastily.

"Right, then, I would assume that somehow restoring Shae's heart would… Restore her life… Right?" Robin went on, looking to Mother Superior.

Mother Superior bit her lip, giving them all a small shrug. "I… I can't be certain, but… Yes, I would assume that would work."

"How the hell do we do that?" Asked Emma.

They all suddenly looked to Regina, staring at her expectantly. "Well, I certainly have no idea." Regina said with a small snort. "My magic specializes in tearing out hearts, not restoring them."

"There has to be a way." Remus muttered, staring helplessly down at Shae's lifeless body.

"Regina, what about all those spellbooks you have in your vault?" Mary Margaret asked. "Couldn't there be something in one of them that could help?"

"I… I'm not sure, I suppose so." Regina replied uncertainly.

"Yes, that's an idea." Remus said, glancing up from his friend's body, his blood red eyes shining with hope. "Belle has shown me dozens of books on magic at the library. There could even be something in one of those."

"I have a few books here as well." Mother Superior offered. "I'll have my fellow fairies gather them and bring them here right away."

"Really? You're going to help her?" Regina asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow at Mother Superior.

"Yes, of course." Mother Superior replied with a determined nod. "We may have had our differences in the past, but Shae nearly sacrificed her life to save this town, twice now. I will do everything in my power to restore her to life, I promise."

Mother Superior then promptly turned on her heel, and marched from the room. The others then all turned to Remus, who was slowly stroking the thin layer of stubble on his chin as he thought.

"Right, we'll start with the books here." He muttered, then turned to Regina. "Then we'll move on to the books from your vault. I'll have Belle gather the ones from the library first thing in the morning. I'd rather not wake her now, the poor girl's been through enough already."

"Remus, I'm sorry but… We still need to find Zelena." David said slowly. "We can't just drop everything to look through a bunch of dusty old books."

"Fine, fine, you all go witch hunting." Remus replied, waving his hand unconcernedly. "The Blue Fairy said she'll help, and I'm certain Belle will as well. Perhaps I'll ask Tinkerbell, and that wolf girl too. Perhaps even that rude little man and his brothers will be willing to help as well."

"You mean the dwarves?" Regina asked, breathing out a small laugh. "Yes, they have taken a liking to Shae ever since they fought Van Helsing's wife together."

"Then it's settled." Remus announced with a nod. "You lot go find Zelena, and bring that damned witch to justice."

Remus then turned to Regina, placing both his hands firmly on her shoulders. "I _will_ find a way to save her, Regina." He told her determinedly. "I failed to save my sister, and I have lived with that failure every day of my life since. I _will not_ fail again."

Regina bit her lip, fighting back tears as she stared down at the woman she loved, lying still and lifeless on the bed. She then turned her gaze back onto Remus, and nodded. Remus nodded back, and Emma, her parents, and Robin Hood all exited the room, giving Remus and Regina a moment alone with the woman they both loved so very dearly. Regina sat on the edge of the bed, tears leaking out of her eyes as she pressed a kiss on Shae's cold, pale forehead. Remus knelt down on the other side of the bed, and took Shae's hand in both of his.

"I will find a way to save you, my friend." He whispered to her. "I promise."

XX

The days went by in a chaotic blur as, just as they had all planned, Emma, her parents, and Regina continued their hunt for The Wicked Witch of the West. Zelena was quite crafty, and continued to slip through their fingers again and again, all the while gathering very specific ingredients for a very specific spell. Eventually, they all deduced exactly what sort of spell Zelena was planning on casting, a spell that went against the very nature of magic itself. Zelena was going to go back in time, supposedly to change her own fate. She had already managed to gather two of the ingredients she needed for her spell; Prince Charming's courage, and Rumplestiltskin's brain. They weren't sure what else she would need to collect, but they did know that Zelena had been after one thing since arriving in Storybrooke; David and Mary Margaret's baby.

While the others attempted to stop Zelena, Remus kept to his own plan, and spent his days and sleepless nights at the convent with Mother Superior and the other fairies, carefully searching through the dozens of books on magic and sorcery that Belle, Regina, and Mother Superior were able to find. Just as Remus had suspected, Belle immediately offered to help, as did Ruby, Tinkerbell, The Seven Dwarves, and even Granny. They all spent countless hours pouring over book after book, tome after tome, trying every spell, incantation, and potion that they could. After they continued to fail time and again, they enlisted Dr. Whale's help, but even the brilliant scientific mind of the famous Dr. Frankenstein was of no use. They had exhausted every resource they had to try and bring Shae back from the brink of death, there was nothing left to try. It seemed that Shae was doomed to remain in her undead state.

After another long and tiring day of attempting to hunt down her sister, Regina stopped by the convent to check up on Remus's progress, just as she had every night since they had removed Shae's body from her grave. When she entered the room where Shae was being kept, she was startled to find that it was filled with people, all looking somber. Mother Superior was inside, along with Belle, Ruby, Tink, and also Emma. There was one person that seemed to be missing from the group; Remus.

"What's going on here?" Regina asked of the women gathered around Shae's bed. "Where's Remus?"

Nobody spoke right away, and Regina stared around at all their sorrowful faces. Emma then got up from the edge of Shae's bed where she had been sitting, and slowly walked up to Regina.

"Regina, I'm sorry." She said quietly. "Remus, he's… He's gone."

"Gone?" Regina asked, brow furrowed in confusion. "Gone where?"

"He… He left Storybrooke." Emma replied. "He gave me this to give to you."

Regina took the scrap of paper that Emma held out to her, and slowly unfolded it with shaky hands. Scrawled across the page in Remus's handwriting was a short and simple message, a message that caused Regina's heart to sink deep into her stomach:

 _Regina,_

 _I'm sorry. I've failed. Again._

"W-What?" She breathed, slowly shaking her head. "Failed? I-I don't… I don't understand."

"We've tried everything." Belle said as she also shook her head.

"We've cast every spell, brewed every potion we could." Said Mother Superior.

"Even Dr. Whale couldn't help." Ruby muttered miserably.

"I don't understand." Regina repeated herself. "What exactly are you saying? A-And Remus, where has he gone?"

"Well, when I ran into him at the edge of town, I told him to go to New York." Emma answered, her hazel green eyes full of sorrow. "I'm sorry, Regina, I tried to convince him to stay, I really did. But he said he just… Couldn't. He couldn't face Shae, face you, knowing that he'd… He'd failed to save her."

"New York?" Regina exclaimed angrily. "Why the hell would you send him there? Emma, he's not from this world, he has no idea how-"

"It's alright, he's gonna be fine." Emma gently interjected. "I gave him the names and address of some friends that Shae and I made in the year that we were there. They're good people, they'll take care of him."

Regina opened her mouth to retort, but shut it again as a hard lump suddenly formed in her throat, her mind finally processing what exactly they were telling her. She bit her lip, fighting back tears as she glanced over at the lifeless body of the woman she loved. She slowly glanced back at Emma, who was silently watching her, her own eyes shining with tears.

"So… So there's no hope?" Regina asked quietly, her voice quavering with emotion. "Shae, she's… She's just… Stuck like this?"

"We're going to keep looking, Regina, we promise." Tinkerbelle told her gently.

"Of course." Belle agreed with a nod. "We'll go through all the books again, but… But I… I don't…"

Belle stammered into silence, and Tink gently wrapped an arm around her friend's shoulders as tears began to leak down her cheeks. Regina slowly walked over to Shae's bed, her whole body beginning to tremble. She sank down onto her knees, staring at the peaceful, lifeless face of the woman she loved, the woman she had been prepared to marry, to spend the rest of her life with. She took Shae's cold, pale hand in both of her own, placing a gentle kiss on her knuckles.

"Oh, Shae… Please…" Regina whispered, tears streaming out of her eyes. "Please… Come back to me."

The other five women all watched with miserable, heavy hearts as Regina buried her face in the crook of Shae's arm, her body shaking with bitter sobs. Mother Superior, Belle, Tink, and Ruby all slowly filed from the room, but Emma remained behind with Regina. She sank down onto the floor beside her, slowly and hesitantly reaching out, gently rubbing her back. Regina didn't react to Emma's touch, and continued to sob into Shae's arm, her tears soaking into Shae's favorite black leather jacket that she had been buried in. Emma sat by Regina's side, crying with her for a long while. Finally, Regina's tears subsided, and she slowly rose to her feet, her clenched fists trembling as she stared down at Shae's still and lifeless body.

"Regina…" Emma said carefully as she got up from the floor. "Are you alright?"

"No." Regina whispered, slowly turning her tear stained face onto Emma. "But I can't just sit here, I will not rest until I find my sister."

Emma drew back a step as Regina's lips curled into a fearsome snarl, her brown eyes flashing with such immense fury that it gave Emma instant chills.

"Zelena is going to pay for what she's done to Shae." Regina went on in an even but dangerous tone. "I will _destroy_ her."

XX

The hunt for The Wicked Witch of the West went on for weeks and weeks, but Zelena remained quietly out of sight, patiently waiting for Mary Margaret to deliver her baby, the baby that was one more ingredient she needed to cast her time spell. Regina and the others attempted to confront her at her farm house several times, but were thwarted by Rumplestiltskin, who was still under The Wicked Witch's control. While Zelna remained ever elusive, the cure to Shae's undead state was even more so. Belle and the others continued to scan through the books that they had already read countless times, but to no avail. Shae remained in her lifeless state, lost to them all, possibly forever.

Within the chaos of attempting to stop Zelena, something completely unexpected occured for both Emma and Regina, the two people who had both loved and cared for Shae the most. As much as she tried to deny it, Emma couldn't help the feelings that she was developing for Killian Jones, aka Captain Hook. Meanwhile, Regina herself began to fall head over heels in love all over again, this time with Robin Hood, her other true love.

Regina tried to resist her feelings for the man with the lion tattoo, tried to stay as far away from him as she could. But it seemed that, with Shae utterly lost to her, fate was determined to draw them together. After sharing a kiss one night in Robin Hood's camp, Regina fell helplessly and irrevocably into his strong but gentle arms. Her heart still ached terribly over Shae's loss, ached with guilt over her feelings for Robin Hood, but Robin's gentle and uncommon kindness helped her through it all. Regina was continually astonished by the thief's kindness and patience, and by his love for her. When Shae had first fallen in love with her, her and Regina had been kindred souls, their hearts consumed by darkness and revenge. Shae had fallen in love with The Evil Queen, but Robin had fallen in love with _her_.

Robin was patient and understanding about the feelings she still had for Shae, even more so when he learned that he was Regina's other true love. She enjoyed spending time with Roland as well, Robin Hood's son. Though he was just a small boy, he had the same gentle kindness that his father did. With her own son unable to remember who she was, she was comforted by her time with Roland. Slowly, with Robin by her side, and Roland too, she was starting to heal. She was even beginning to repair her relationship with Snow White, the step-daughter that she had loathed and despised for years. Robin's love gave her a certain strength that she had never felt before, and she was finally starting to feel something that she hadn't felt since Shae's murder; Happiness.

As Mary Margaret's due date loomed ever closer, Regina and the others knew that breaking the curse that Zelena had cast could possibly hold the key to defeating her. They deduced that they key to breaking the curse was none other than Henry. He had the heart of the truest believer, and they thought that if they restored his memories, if he believed again, they could finally be free of The Wicked Witch's curse.

Regina, Robin, Emma, and her parents hunted down Henry's storybook, the book that had caused him to believe in fairytales in the first place, the book that had started it all. They found Henry at the boathouse down by the harbor, along with Captain Hook. A soon as the book touched Henry's hands, a pulsewave of magic emmenated out of it. It had worked, they had successfully restored the boy's memories to him. Henry finally remembered Regina, he finally remembered that she was his mother.

"I will never let you go again." Regina whispered to her son, her eyes shining with grateful tears. "I love you, Henry."

Regina took Henry's face in her hands, and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. She immediately leapt back, gasping in shock as another magical pulsewave shot out from around her lips. Suddenly, memories of the past year flashed before her eyes. Arriving in The Enchanted Forest, finding Zelena in her castle, finding out she was her sister, meeting Robin Hood, and finding Remus amongst his Merry Men. Her heart ached with sorrow as she remembered the past year she had spent with Remus. He had been by her side the whole time, helping her through her sorrow over losing Shae and Henry. She remembered that after she had successfully broken into her castle, she had been prepared to put herself under a sleeping curse in attempt to quell the aching misery in her heart. Remus had convinced her not to do it, convinced her to carry on, insisted that she would one day find her way back to Shae. Remus had been right after all, but at a horrible cost.

"It wasn't me." Emma breathed, her eyes wide as saucers. "It was you."

Emma then turned to her parents, who were both smiling joyfully at each other. "D-Did it work?" She asked them. "Do you guys remember the missing year?"

"Yes." Mary Margaret answered, her eyes shining with joyful tears as she looked upon her daughter. "Everything, all of it."

"So, how did The Wicked Witch cast her curse, then?" Captain Hook asked.

Mary Margaret and David both exchanged a silent, knowing glance with Regina, who still had her arms wrapped around Henry, grateful tears spilling down her face.

"She didn't." David finally replied. "We did."

Emma and Hook's jaws both dropped open in shock. "What?" Asked Hook.

"You… Cursed yourselves?" Asked Emma, looking just as baffled as Hook.

"Zelena's weakness is light magic." Mary Margaret said, still smiling warmly at her daughter. "And you have the strongest light magic of all. You're the only one who can defeat her."

"That's why we paid the price of Regina's curse." David said, smiling as well as he wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders. "To get back to you."

"W-Wait… Wait a minute." Emma stammered, slowly shaking her head. "The price is the heart of the thing you love most, right? Then how are both of you still alive?"

"True love always finds a way." Mary Margaret replied, gently squeezing her husband's hand.

Regina suddenly cleared her throat, turning to her son, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Henry, there's someone I'd like you to meet." She said, gesturing to Robin. "This is Robin. Robin Hood."

"Pleasure to meet you, Henry." Robin said with a smile, holding out his hand to Henry.

Henry smiled back, shaking Robin Hood's outstretched hand. He suddenly gasped when he saw the tattoo on Robin's arm, and he stared up at the thief with wide, bewildered eyes.

"It's you!" He exclaimed, smiling excitedly. "Y-You're… You're the man with the lion tattoo!"

"Yes, apparently so." Robin said with a laugh, wrapping his arm around Regina's shoulders. "Although, I have to say, things between us during the missing year were a bit… Rocky, don't you think?"

Regina laughed too. "Yes, well, you're just much more likeable here in Storybrooke."

Suddenly, the excited smile faded from Henry's face. "W-Wait… What about Shae?" He asked, his eyes growing wide with horror. "Was… Was that all real? Her funeral, a-and my dad's? They're… They're really dead?"

Their hearts all sunk as Henry's panic stricken eyes welled with tears. "Yeah, kid." Emma replied quietly. "I'm afraid so."

"Wait a minute!" Mary Margaret exclaimed, her eyes with with a sudden realization. "We might not be able to do anything for Neal, but I think we can save Shae."

"Save her?" Henry asked. "Save her from what?"

"Well, from death. Sort of." Mary Margaret replied, and when Henry continued to look utterly perplexed, she went on. "Shae's heart was crushed by Zelena, but we found out that it didn't actually kill her, at least not fully. Her spirit is still tethered to her body, and she's been… Stuck, somewhere between life and death."

"Really?" Henry breathed, his horrified eyes suddenly turning hopeful. "Then… Then we have to save her! H-How do we save her?"

"I used David's heart to cast the curse." Mary Margaret explained, placing a hand on her husband's arm. "But after he, well… Died, I had Regina split my heart in half, and it saved him. Regina, I think… I think that if you do the same thing with your own heart, it can save Shae."

A stunned silence fell over the group gathered inside the boat house. They all turned their eyes onto Regina, whose mouth was gaping open in shock.

"Oh my god…" Regina breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I… I think… I think you're right."

"Really?" Asked Emma.

"Yes, I think so." Regina replied, gazing around at them all, eyes wide. "The night we found Remus digging up Shae's body, I… I had a dream, a dream about Shae. She told me that she wasn't really gone, just… Lost. And I could find her again, by… By using my heart."

"Well, that confirms it then." David said, breathing out a surprised laugh. "Regina, you can bring her back. You can save her."

Regina nodded, an excited smile slowly spreading across her face. But, as soon as it came, it faded. She turned to Robin, opening and closing her mouth several times, but was unable to find any words to say to him. Mary Margaret sensed her confliction, and she rushed forward, gripping Regina's hands tightly.

"Regina, I know you're with Robin now, and that makes it all complicated." Mary Margaret said in a rush. "But you heard what Blue said, you saw her for yourself. She's… Stuck. She's still your true love, well… One of them, anyway. I think your true love can save her, just like mine and David's saved him."

Regina simply stared at Mary Margaret in silence, then back at Robin, her heart hammering in her chest. She then turned her gaze onto her son as Henry grabbed her arm, his eyes shining with tears.

"Mom, please, you have to try!" Henry pleaded with her. "Shae's my… My friend, you can't just leave her… Stuck!"

Robin then placed his hand gently on her shoulder, nodding at her in agreement. "Your boy's right, Regina." He said quietly, smiling sadly. "You have to try."

Regina stared into Robin Hood's bright blue eyes as he continued to smile at her. She then swallowed the hard lump that had suddenly formed in her throat, biting back the tears that were welling into her eyes. She then turned back to her son, and nodded.

"Of course, Henry." She whispered, gently placing her hand on his cheek. "Of course, I'll try."

XX

A short while later, they had all gathered around Shae's bedside at the convent, along with Belle, Ruby, Tink, and Mother Superior, who had been busy pouring over all the books on magic in attempt to restore Shae to life. When the others arrived and told them of their plan, they were all filled with hope, and were waiting patiently as Regina quietly conversed with Robin Hood just outside the room.

"Robin, if this actually does work, well, I… I don't know." She stammered, slowly shaking her head. "I don't know what's going to happen, what I'll do, I… I just-"

"It's alright." Robin cut in, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. "Having two true loves is uncommonly… Complicated."

Regina nodded, biting her lip as she fought back more tears. Robin then cupped his hand under her chin, tilting her head up so that she was gazing into his bright blue eyes.

"Regina, you know how I feel about you." He whispered, smiling into her eyes. "And I know how you feel about Shae. You still love her, and she loves you, quite fiercely, from what I've seen. Just know that whatever you choose to do, I will stand by you, no matter what."

Regina breathed out a surprised laugh, slowly shaking her head bewilderedly. She was continually surprised time and again by Robin's uncommon kindness and patience.

"Oh, Robin." She whispered, placing her hands gently on either side of his face. "You truly are a remarkable man."

Robin smiled again, leaning forward, pressing a light kiss on her lips. He then nodded at her, and she nodded back, turning around and entering the room where the others were waiting.

"You ready?" Emma asked her.

Regina nodded, and they all parted for her as she stepped up next to Shae's bed. For a moment she simply stared down at Shae's still and lifeless face, suddenly overcome with emotion. This was the first time she had seen Shae since she had kissed Robin Hood, and fell hopelessly and helplessly in love with him. Even though Shae was unconscious, trapped between life and death, she still couldn't bare to face her. Now that she was possibly about to wake her by placing half of her own heart inside her chest, the guilt she felt over Robin weighed immeasurably upon her.

"Mom?" Henry said quietly, eyeing her expectantly.

Regina wiped away the tears that had suddenly leaked onto her face, nodding again. "Yes… Yes, I'm ready."

They all watched as Regina took a deep, steadying breath, then grunted, her face twisting in pain as she reached into her own chest, tearing out her heart. She grunted again, wincing in pain as she twisted it, ripping it apart into two halves. Her hands trembled as she stared down at Shae, holding the now two halves of her heart. She then took another steadying breath, and leaned forward, placing one half of her heart back in her own chest, the other into Shae's.

Regina drew back a few steps, and they all held their breath, waiting and watching for any sign of movement from Shae. They stood in silence for a few impossibly long moments, but nothing was happening. Shae didn't move, her eyes didn't open. It seemed that it hadn't worked.

"No…" Henry muttered, his eyes welling with tears.

"Oh, Henry…" Regina whispered to her son. "Henry, I'm so sorry."

Henry slowly turned to his mother, his face panic stricken. "W-What do we do now?"

"I… I don't know, Henry." Regina replied, her tone soft and miserable. "I don't think-"

"Woah!" David suddenly shouted.

Henry whirled around, and drew in a startled gasp, as did everyone else in the room. Shae was now sitting up in her bed, her blood red eyes wide open. They all watched in silence as she continued to stare straight ahead, her gaping eyes hazy and unfocused. They all held their breath, watching, waiting for her to move, to speak.

"Shae?" Henry breathed, taking a small step toward her.

At the utterance of her name, Shae blinked several times, her eyes finally focusing as she was roused from her momentary trance. Her eyes then grew wide with shock, and her brow furrowed in confusion as she finally noticed the boy standing before her.

"Henry?" She asked.

"Shae!" Henry cried out. "You're alive!"

"Oh, thank god!" Emma exclaimed.

Henry leapt upon the bed, throwing his arms around the startled and confused vampire. Emma wrapped her arms around both Shae and her son, choking out a grateful and joyous sob as her eyes streamed with tears. After a few moments, Emma and Henry vacated the bed, and Shae stared around at all of them, remaining in baffled silence as they all took turns embracing her. Even Mother Superior gave her a tight hug, which seemed to confuse Shae even more.

"W-What? What is happening right now?" She asked, finally finding her voice. "A-Are you hugging me?"

Mother Superior suddenly released Shae, taking a step back and clearing her throat awkwardly. "Yes, well, I-I'm just happy to see you alive and well."

"We all are." Mary Margaret said, pulling Shae into a gentle but tight embrace, placing a kiss on the side of her head.

"My mom, she broke the curse!" Henry told Shae excitedly, bouncing up and down as he shook her arm. "I remember! I remember everything!"

"Y-You do?" Shae asked, then glanced around at everyone's smiling, misty eyed faces. "Cool… Cool, cool… That's cool… Yeah, uh… I feel like I'm missing something here."

"I think _that's_ the understatement of the century." Ruby said with a laugh.

Shae's brow furrowed again in confusion as everyone else laughed as well. "So… W-What exactly is going on here?" She asked slowly. "I-I feel… Weird. Why do I feel weird? What's happening?"

"Shae, it's alright, you're alright." Emma said gently, sitting down next to her on the bed.

"What exactly is the last thing you remember?" Belle asked concernedly.

They all watched expectantly as Shae stared down at the ground, rubbing her forehead as she thought. "Uh… I-I remember… Zelena, she had my heart." She finally replied. "A-And she was trying to… To make me kill Regina."

Shae suddenly gasped, her eyes full of panic. "Oh god! I-I remember everything, I-I could see what I was doing but I… I couldn't stop myself! Oh Jesus…"

"Shae, it's alright." Emma said gently, soothingly rubbing her arm. "Just stay calm, ok? What else do you remember?"

Shae nodded, squeezing her eyes shut as she pondered once again. "Right, uh… Oh! Regina, she… She kissed me, and broke Zelena's spell!" She said, smiling excitedly. Her smile then faded, and she placed a shaky hand over her heart. "A-And then… Pain… I-In… My chest…"

Shae trailed off into silence, her blood red eyes growing wide with horror. "Oh shit… Zelena… She crushed my heart, didn't she?" She whispered, staring around at everyone. "I… I died, I-I was dead, wasn't I?"

"Um… Well, yes, kind of." Mary Margaret said slowly. "Since your heart wasn't pierced with silver or set on fire, you didn't _actually_ die, not fully."

"You've sort of been… Stuck, somewhere between life and death." Emma told her gently. "Remus figured it all out, and he, well… Dug you up, and brought you here."

"Remus…" Shae whispered, hastily scanning the room with her eyes. "Where is he? Is he ok?"

"Yeah, he's fine." Emma answered. "He's um… He's in New York."

Shae's brow furrowed in confusion once again. "Say what now?"

"When he couldn't figure out how to save you, he… He left." Emma went on. "Don't worry, he's fine. I sent him to Terry and Rosa. I had to tell them that he's from some weird country in Europe, but they bought it. They're taking good care of him, I promise."

Shae nodded slowly, her eyes still wide as she processed everything they were telling her. "Right, ok… So… H-How exactly did you guys save me?"

"We didn't, Regina did." Mary Margaret said with a smile. "She, um… Oh…"

Mary Margaret glanced over her shoulder, and then around the rest of the room. The others all followed suit, and the smiles faded from their faces. In all the excitement, none of them had noticed that Regina was now gone, along with Robin Hood. Mary Margaret exchanged an anxious glance with Emma, who bit her lip, staring down at the floor.

"What? She what?" Shae asked of them.

"She… Used her own heart." David answered slowly. "She split it in half, and put part of it into you. Just like Mary Margaret did with her heart, after we cast the curse."

"Wait… What?" Shae breathed, her blood red eyes as wide as saucers. "You guys cast the curse? A-And… Regina's heart is… I-It's…"

"Inside you, yeah." Emma said with a nod.

Shae swallowed hard, placing a hand on her own chest. She then scanned the crowd of people gathered in the room, frowning when she didn't see Regina.

"Where is Regina?" She asked, looking concerned. "I-Is she alright?"

"Yeah, she's… She's fine." Mary Margaret said slowly. "She's just, um… Well…"

Mary Margaret bit her lip, exchanging an anxious glance with her husband. She then sighed, and sat down on Shae's other side, gently placing her hand on her arm.

"Shae, there's something we need to tell you." Mary Margaret went on quietly. "And I just… I need you to stay calm, ok?"

Shae nodded hastily. "Right, calm, I'm calm."

Mary Margaret sighed again, nodding as well. "Right, ok, so… You… You know Robin Hood, right?" When Shae nodded again, she went on. "Good, ok, so… A long time ago, back in The Enchanted Forest, Tinkerbell cast a spell on Regina-"

"Mary Margaret, she knows." Tink interjected, her tone heavy with sadness. "I… I told her everything."

Mary Margaret raised her eyebrows at the fairy in shock. "Oh! Oh, I see."

"Snow, what… What are you saying?" Shae asked, her eyes wider than ever. "What about Robin Hood?"

Mary Margaret exchanged another glance with her husband, then Emma, trying to come up with a way to tell Shae that the woman she loved was now in love with someone else. When she came up short, Belle stepped in.

"Shae, you have to understand, you were… Gone. Dead, technically, sort of." Belle stammered anxiously. "We tried everything, but we truly didn't think we'd ever find a way to save you."

"Mary Margaret didn't even get the idea to use Regina's heart until after the curse was broken." David threw in.

The shocked and confused expression on Shae's face suddenly turned to anger. She shakily clambered out of the bed and onto her feet, whirling around to face all of them.

"What the hell are you guys trying to say?" She demanded fiercely.

"Shae, Regina's with Robin Hood now." Emma said quickly, finally and bluntly breaking the news to Shae.

A deafening silence fell over the room as they all watched Shae warily. The vampire simply stared at Emma for a few moments, her bottom lip trembling as her mouth gaped open. She then turned her gaze onto everyone else in the room, and when they all refused to meet her eye, her blood red eyes began to well with tears.

"What?" She breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"They've just started seeing each other." Ruby said, her voice heavy with sadness. "But it's, you know… Pretty serious, I guess."

"No…" Shae whispered, vigorously shaking her head. "No, no, no…"

"Shae, just listen, ok?" Emma said gently, getting up from the bed.

"No, no, no…" Shae muttered, tears now spilling down her face.

"Shae, just stay calm." David said, placing his hand on Shae's shoulder.

Shae jerked out of David's grip, her head spinning wildly. She saw Emma and the others drawing closer to her, saw their lips moving, but the deafening ringing in her ears drowned out their words. She backed out of the room, her whole body shaking, and, suddenly, she was running. She raced out of the convent, disappearing in a black blur of motion as she sprinted off down the street. The others all gave chase after her, slowing to a stop in the middle of the street when they realized that she was gone.

"Where the bloody hell is she going?" Asked Captain Hook, glancing at Emma fearfully.

"I'm guessing to go find Regina." Emma replied. "She's probably at her house. Come on, we gotta hurry."

XX

Shae's legs shook beneath her as she raced through the streets of Storybrooke. She didn't stop running until she reached Regina's house, and she pounded her fist into the front door. She waited in silence, her head spinning wildly, her whole body trembling. When the door finally opened, a hard lump suddenly formed in her throat as she saw Regina standing on the other side. Neither of them spoke for a moment, and Regina simply stared up into Shae's blood red eyes, her own instantly welling with tears. She slowly reached out, placing a quivering hand on Shae's cold, pale cheek.

"Shae…" Regina whispered, tears spilling from her eyes. "It… It's you… You're alive."

Shae nodded slowly, placing own shaky hand on top of Regina's, tears streaming down her face. Regina opened and closed her mouth several times, unable to speak, unable to find any words to say to her true love that had just been dead, her true love that she had betrayed. Shae suddenly reached out, grabbing Regina by her hips and pulling her into her arms. Regina choked out a sob, wrapping her arms tightly around Shae's neck as she kissed her. For a moment, just a moment, she forgot all about Robin Hood, her other true love. She was so grateful to have Shae back, to be in her loving arms once again. She then remembered what it felt like to be in Robin's strong but gentle embrace. She remembered his piercing blue eyes, the way her heart fluttered when he smiled. She suddenly broke away from Shae's lips, her heart heavy with guilt and shame.

"Oh, Shae…" She whispered, gently removing herself from Shae's arms, her heart aching with sorrow. "Shae, there's… There's something I need to tell you."

Shae took a small step back, staring at Regina with wide, miserable eyes. "So it's true." She breathed, her voice shaking with emotion. "You and… And Robin Hood."

Regina bit her lip, fighting back more tears as she stared up into Shae's heartbroken, blood red eyes. "Shae, listen it's… It's complicated." She said quietly. "A long time ago, Tinkerbell cast a spell on me to-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I fucking know." Shae spat angrily, wiping the tears away from her face. "Tink told me all about it. He's… He's your other true love."

For a moment, Regina simply gaped at Shae in surprise. Her lips then curled into a fierce snarl, and she silently seethed over the fact that Tinkerbell had told Shae her secret. She then shook her head, putting the fairy from her mind and turning her attention back onto Shae.

"So… So then you understand." She stammered, taking both of Shae's hands in her own and gripping them tight. "You have to understand just how complicated this all is."

"I don't understand anything, Regina." Shae snarled, ripping her hands out of Regina's grip. "I don't understand how you could FUCKING DO THIS TO ME!"

Regina gasped, drawing back a step at Shae's sudden outburst. She placed her hands over her mouth, biting back another sob as tears began to stream down her face. Shae's blood red eyes were now filled with pure fury, her clenched fists trembling with rage.

"Shae… Shae, you were gone." Regina whispered, her voice quavering with emotion. "Y-You… You were dead."

"NO! No, I fucking wasn't!" Shae shouted, pointing an accusing finger at her. "Emma and Snow told me all about how I've been stuck somewhere between life and death this whole time. But you thought it was ok to go fuck somebody else anyway!"

"It's not like that!" Regina shouted back through another sob. "Shae, he's my true love too! He… H-He's-"

"I DON'T CARE!" Shae roared, bearing down upon Regina, her blood red eyes flashing with rage. "I was the one that stood by you for years! I was by your side through everything, NOT HIM!"

"Shae, please… You don't understand…"

"He's nothing but a stupid ass thief with a bow, no powers, no way to even begin to protect you!"

"He's a good man, Shae!" Regina cried desperately, reaching out and gripping the front of Shae's jacket with quivering hands. "H-He's kind and he's patient, he's never even seen The Evil Queen that I was. All he sees is… Is me!"

Shae placed her hands on top of Regina's, squeezing them both tight. Her hands shook, and her face twisted in sorrow as she stared into Regina's eyes.

"I only see you, Regina." She whispered shakily, more tears leaking out of her eyes. "I've only ever seen you. I didn't fall in love with The Evil Queen, I fell in love with you."

Regina's bottom lip trembled as her mouth gaped open. She stared silently into the blood red eyes of her true love, and watched miserably as Shae's face twisted in sorrow again as she choked out a sob. Shae then leaned forward, gently pressing her forehead to Regina's.

"I fell in love with _you_ , Regina." She whispered, slowly reaching out and caressing Regina's cheek with a trembling hand. "I… I fell in love with _you_."

Shae kissed her again, her whole body shaking as she held Regina close. Regina tried desperately to enjoy Shae's embrace, but Robin Hood's bright blue eyes kept flashing before her. She sobbed against Shae's lips, and pushed her away, leaning into the doorway as her knees trembled. Shae gaped silently at her, and Regina's heart ached with misery at the heartbroken look in her true love's eyes.

"Oh, Shae… Shae, I'm so sorry…" She whispered desperately.

Shae breathed out a bitter, sour laugh, slowly shaking her head. "Right, yeah, of course you are." She spat scathingly, wiping more tears from her face. "As if that makes everything better."

Regina sobbed again as Shae turned away from her, stepping down off her porch and out into the morning sunlight. She fell to her knees in her own doorway, her whole body trembling with bitter, miserable sobs. Just as Shae was stomping down the sidewalk in front of Regina's house, Emma came rushing up to her, followed closely by David, Mary Margaret, and Captain Hook.

"Shae! Hey, are you alright?" Emma asked her breathlessly.

"No, no I'm not fucking alright." Shae snarled, not even looking at her as she continued walking.

"Shae, wait! Where are you going?" Emma said pleadingly, grabbing Shae's arm.

"DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME!" Shae roared at her.

Emma gasped in fright, stumbling backward into her parents as she stared into Shae's pained and furious eyes. Shae yanked her arm out of Emma's grip, and Hook hastily leapt out of her way as she continued on down the sidewalk. Suddenly, her body disappeared in a black blur of motion as she sped off down the street, and was gone.

"Where the hell is she going now?" Hook asked, breathing out a frustrated sigh.

"Oh shit… Regina!" Emma suddenly shouted.

Once they finally noticed Regina sobbing on her knees in her doorway, they all gasped in alarm. They sprinted toward the house, and Emma was the first to reach her.

"Regina!" Emma cried, kneeling down in front of Regina and grabbing her by her shoulders. "Regina, are you ok? Did she hurt you?"

Regina shook her head, gripping Emma's arms with trembling hands, staring at her with wide, fearful eyes. "Robin." She whispered shakily. "W-We… We have to go to Robin, have to find him before… B-Before Shae does."

"What?" David breathed, his eyes growing wide with shock. "You don't really think she'd hurt him… Would she?"

"Well, if I had suddenly returned from death's door to find the woman I loved in the arms of another…" Hook began, eyeing them all darkly. "Aye, I'd certainly want to tear the blaggard limb from limb."

"Where is Robin now?" Mary Margaret asked in a panicked rush.

"I sent him back to his camp after Shae woke up." Regina answered, shakily getting back to her feet with Emma's help. "I… I didn't know how she'd react when she found out, what she'd do."

"Honestly, right now, I wouldn't put anything past her." Emma said, staring around at all of them gravely. "Come on, let's go."

XX

Shae stomped through the woods, leaves and twigs snapping under her feet, a deep, seething rage boiling inside her chest. When she approached Robin Hood's camp, she found his Merry Men already armed and ready for her. Shae kept walking as they drew their bows, her menacing, blood red eyes fixated on one single man; Robin Hood himself.

"Stop right there!" Friar Tuck shouted at her.

Shae's eyes began to glow neon red, and she threw out both of her arms, blasting the Merry Men off of their feet. Robin Hood was the only one left standing, the only one she cared about. Robin eyed her fearfully, putting out his trembling hands in careful surrender.

"Shae, please, let's just talk about this." He said pleadingly. "There's no need for violence."

"I'm not interested in talking to you, asshole." Shae snarled at him.

Robin swiftly drew his own bow, training his arrow right at Shae's head as the vampire continued walking toward him. "You know well that this arrow never misses its mark!"

When Shae didn't respond, only drawing ever closer, Robin let loose his arrow. Shae reached out, effortlessly catching it by the shaft just before it struck her forehead. She snapped the arrow in half with just one hand, never taking her blood red eyes off of the man that had stolen away the woman she loved.

As Robin Hood notched another arrow, Shae sped toward him in a rushing black blur. The bow fell from Robin's hands as Shae grabbed him by his throat, slamming him against the tree behind him. He let out a strangled cry of pain, desperately clawing at Shae's hand as she squeezed around his windpipe. An evil and wicked grin spread across her face as she stared into his bright blue eyes, eyes that were filled with pure terror.

"I haven't had the pleasure of killing someone in such a long time." Shae whispered, her own eyes wide and wild with rage. "And I'm _really_ going to enjoy killing you."

"SHAE, STOP!"

Shae's hands were ripped away from Robin Hood's throat as she was magically sent hurtling to the side. Regina rushed up to Robin as he collapsed to his knees, coughing and sputtering violently as he gasped for air. Emma, her parents, and Hook planted themselves firmly between Shae and Robin as the vampire rose to her feet. Shae balled her hands into fists, slowly advancing toward them, glaring at them all with pure malice.

"Shae, enough!" Regina shouted, pushing passed Emma and the others. "I won't let you hurt him!"

"You'll have to kill me to stop me." Shae snarled viciously. "Just make sure you do the job right this time."

Shae's eyes glowed bright once more, and she threw out her arm, intending to throw them all backward. Regina, however, reacted quickly, and threw up her hands, shielding them all from the blast with her own magic. Shae howled with rage, bringing up her other arm, pushing back against Regina with all her might. The others all retreated back to a safe distance as the air between Shae and Regina trembled with their power. Regina's arms shook as she attempted to push Shae back, but the vampire's rage was giving her a strength that Regina had never seen before. Shae continued to slowly advance forward, now matter how hard Regina tried to stop her.

Just as Shae was upon Regina, their magical force suddenly broke, and both women were knocked off their feet. They both fell sideways, falling on their faces into the dirt. Regina immediately leapt back to her feet, raising her hands, ready for another fight. But it never came. They all watched in silent misery as Shae continued to lie face down in the dirt, her body shaking with bitter, wailing sobs. Regina placed her hands over her mouth, tears spilling down her face as she looked upon the broken vampire sobbing on the forest floor. She sank down onto her knees next to Shae, choking out her own sob as she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her, her tears soaking into the back of Shae's leather jacket as she cried with her.

Robin Hood's Merry Men joined the others, and they all watched with heavy hearts, the quiet of the forest only broken by the sounds of Shae and Regina's sobbing. Suddenly, Shae pushed herself up onto her knees, and turned to face Regina. Robin and his men all took an angry step forward, drawing their weapons as Shae reached out, roughly taking Regina's face in both her hands.

"Wait!" Emma called out to The Merry Men, grabbing Robin Hood's arm. "Stop, it's alright! She won't hurt Regina."

The Merry Men all looked to their leader, who was eyeing Shae and Regina warily. He hesitated for a moment, but then gave them a swift nod, and they all lowered their bows.

"Take it back…" Shae sobbed, grabbing Regina's wrist and placing her hand over her heart. "I don't want it… Not like this."

"Shae, please…" Regina whispered, her face twisting in sorrow.

"TAKE IT BACK!" Shae screamed at her.

"Fine!" Regina shouted back. "Fine, alright…"

"What?" Emma exclaimed. "Regina, no, you can't-"

Emma stopped mid sentence, and they all drew in horrified gasps as Regina shoved her hand into Shae's chest. Shae grunted, her face contorting in pain as Regina tore out her half heart. What Regina did next, however, was completely unexpected. She waved her hand over the half heart sitting in her open palm, and it momentarily glowed with a soft, purple light. Then, before Shae could do or say anything, she shoved it right back into her chest.

"What?" Shae breathed, staring with wide, confused eyes down at her own chest. "W-What the hell did you do?"

"I… Cast a protection spell." Regina answered quietly. "Now no one can remove your heart, no one can control you with it except… Except me."

"You… Tricked me." Shae whispered, her lips curling into a furious snarl.

"Shae, I had to!" Regina replied in a miserable, desperate sob. "We share a heart now! That means, whatever happens to yours, happens to mine as well. I-I just… I can't-"

Regina gasped as Shae suddenly reached out, taking her face in her hands once again. "Do you still love me?" Shae asked her, tears leaking onto her cheeks as she stared deeply into her true love's eyes. "Does… Does any part of you still love me?"

Regina choked out another sob, tightly gripping the front of Shae's jacket. "Shae… Oh, Shae…" She whispered back, her voice quavering with emotion. "Yes, of course I do. I-I meant it… When I said I'd never stop loving you. But… But, I-"

"You love him too." Shae finished for her, dropping her hands back down to her sides.

"Yes." Regina whispered miserably. "That's what makes this so… So hard."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, more tears spilling down her face. Regina leaned forward, pressing her forehead to Shae's. She slowly reached out, caressing Shae's face with quivering hands.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "Shae, I'm so sorry."

Shae choked out another bitter sob. She then wrapped her arms tightly around the woman she loved, and kissed her deeply, desperately. Regina held her kiss for a moment, but then pushed her back, sobbing as she vigorously shook her head.

"Shae, stop…" Regina begged her, tears streaming down her face.

"Regina, please." Shae sobbed desperately. "I love you."

"Oh, Shae…" Regina whispered, her voice cracking with misery. "Shae, I-"

"AAH!"

Mary Margaret suddenly cried out in pain, doubling over with her hands on her swollen stomach. Shae and Regina both leapt to their feet, their sorrow momentarily forgotten as they watched Mary Margaret's face twisting in pain. Emma and David both rushed forward, grabbing on to both her arms.

"Hey! Woah, are you ok?" Emma asked her mother concernedly.

"Oh no, oh god…" Mary Margaret muttered, her eyes filled with fear. "The baby… It's coming!"

"Come on, we gotta get her to the hospital!" David said in a panicked rush.

David and Emma both supported Mary Margaret as they hurried back toward Emma's car. Regina made to follow after them, but stopped suddenly, turning around to find Shae walking away from her, her hands shoved deep into the pockets of her leather jacket.

"Shae! Shae, wait!" Regina called out, rushing after her. "Where are you going?"

"To find Remus." Shae muttered in reply, not even looking at Regina as she kept walking.

Regina grabbed Shae's arm, jerking her to a stop. "Wait, you can't just leave!" She exclaimed. "Zelena, she's going to come for the baby!"

"Fine." Shae replied with an unconcerned shrug. "She can have it. I don't fucking care."

"What the hell do you mean, 'you don't care?'" Regina demanded, her eyes wide with shock.

"I don't. Fucking. Care." Shae snarled through gritted teeth, glaring furiously at her. "I'm making this easy for you, Regina. Go save the baby, go play hero with your damn thief if you want, I don't care anymore. I'm out."

Regina stood in shocked and horrified silence as she watched Shae walk away from her once again. She then took a few steps forward, making to follow after her, to stop her, stopping herself when Hook called out to her.

"Regina, let's go!" He shouted. "We're going to need your help with your damn sister!"

Regina hesitated for a moment, biting her lip as Hook eyed her expectantly. She then turned back toward Shae, and gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth. Her eyes welled with tears again, her heart aching with sorrow. Shae was gone.

XX

It was well past closing time when Shae parked her old V.W. Bus across the street from the bar called Eclipse. She knew Terry and Rosa would likely still be inside, cleaning and closing up for the night. She hoped that she would find Remus with them, just as Emma had said. With everything that had happened, she needed her best friend more than ever. She needed someone to be on her side, and Remus always had been, no matter what.

Shae waved her hand over the knob of the bar's front door, and she heard a soft click as the door was magically unlocked. She hesitated for a moment, trying to come up with some way to explain to her old friends and bosses why she suddenly looked so different. When she came up empty, she finally pushed through the door, deciding to improvise. Terry was behind the bar, wiping it down with a rag, and his head snapped up as soon as Shae stepped through the door.

"Hey! We're closed, just what in the hell do you-" He started to shout, but then stopped short when he realized who exactly had just broken in to his bar.

"Hey, Terry." Shae said with a small smile.

Terry's jaw dropped open, his eyes wide as saucers. For a few moments, he simply stared bewilderedly at Shae, unable to move, unable to even speak. He then blinked several times, and shrieked over his shoulder toward the back of the bar.

"ROSAAA!"

"Jesus Christ, dude!" Shae exclaimed, clapping her hands over her ears.

Terry rushed forward, throwing his arms around Shae and pulling her into a tight hug. "Oh god, oh lord, oh dear, sweet, baby Jesus!" He cried, hugging Shae's head into his chest. "It's you, you're here, you're ok!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Shae muttered, pushing out of Terry's smothering embrace.

"HOLY SHIT!"

Shae gave a start, and glanced up to find Rosa standing in front of the door that lead to the back of the bar. Just as her friend had, Rosa stood frozen in her spot for a moment, gaping at Shae in complete and utter shock. She then smiled, and her eyes welled with joyous tears.

"Holy shit!" She exclaimed again as she also hugged Shae. "You're alive! Remus told us that… That you were dead!"

"So Remus really is here?" Shae asked, smiling excitedly at her former bosses.

"Yeah, Emma sent him to us a few weeks ago." Rosa replied with a nod. "Weird dude, but he's-"

"Oi, what the bloody hell is going on out here? I heard shouting and-"

Remus himself was backing through the door of the bar's back room, carrying a gray plastic tub filled with washed glasses. He immediately froze when he saw Terry and Rosa standing next to Shae. His blood red eyes grew wide, and the plastic tub fell from his hands, several of the clean glasses shattering as it hit the floor.

"Shae?" He breathed, his voice barely above a whisper. "My god… I-Is it… Is it really you?"

Shae grinned at him, nodding slowly. "Yeah, buddy. It's me."

"Oh god!" Remus exclaimed, clapping his hand over his mouth, his eyes welling with tears. "Oh my god! Shae!"

Remus practically sprinted to her, and Shae laughed as he pulled her into a tight and grateful embrace. He sobbed loudly as he hugged her, tears of pure joy spilling from his eyes. Shae's eyes streamed with tears as well, her heartache over losing her true love momentarily lifted as she embraced her best friend, her brother.

"Oh god, oh Shae." Remus whispered, his hands shaking as he held Shae out at arms length, looking her up and down. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Nah, not this time." Shae replied with a laugh, wiping the tears from her face.

"What in the hell happened to you, Shae?" Terry asked, still staring at her with wide, baffled eyes. "Remus told us that you were dead, that The Wicked Witch crushed your damn heart!"

"Well, it's kind of a long story, but-" Shae started to stay, but stopped, her own eyes growing wide as she realized what Terry had just said. "Wait… He… He told you what, now?"

There was a brief moment of silence as Remus exchanged an anxious glance with both Terry and Rosa. He then cleared his throat, releasing Shae's shoulders and shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Right, yes, erm… Shae, they know." Remus replied slowly. "I… I told them everything."

"Everything?" Shae asked, glancing at Terry and Rosa, eyes still wide as saucers. "As in… _Everything_ , everything?"

" _Everything_ , everything." Terry echoed with a nod.

Shae opened and closed her mouth several times, staring bewilderedly between Remus, Rosa, and Terry, who were all watching her silently. She then slowly turned her gaze back onto Remus, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Why?" She asked him slowly.

"Well, it was shortly after your lovely friends here hired me as their inkeep." Remus began to explain.

"Bartender." Terry corrected with a sigh, dramatically rolling his eyes. "It's called a 'bartender' here, remember?"

"Right, right, sorry. 'Bartender.'" Remus said quickly. "Anyway, one night I was… Well, I… It… Y-You see, what… What had happened was-"

"Remus got lazy, and we saw him using his powers to stock the beer fridge." Rosa bluntly explained, cutting off Remus's embarrassed stammering.

"Oh." Shae replied. She then breathed out a surprised laugh, shaking her head slowly in bewilderment. "Ok, so… So you guys are just cool with vampires and… And magic, and fairy tales being, you know… Real?"

"Well, it was definitely a shock at first, that's for damn sure." Terry replied with a small shrug. "But I think we handled it pretty well."

"Terry passed out." Rosa said with a snort.

"Bitch, what the hell?" Terry demanded heatedly. "You ain't never gonna let me live that down!"

"Nope." Rosa snickered.

"Wait a minute…" Shae muttered, her face suddenly panic stricken. "You… You guys haven't told anyone else, have you?"

"Hell no!" Terry exclaimed. "If we started spouting off shit about vampires and witches being real, they'd cart us off straight to the damn loony bin!"

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with us, we promise." Rosa said, nodding earnestly.

Shae nodded back slowly, her eyes still wide as she processed everything they had just told her. "Shae, you must tell us, how exactly are you back from the dead, or rather the… Almost dead?" Remus asked, looking concerned. "I tried everything I could to bring you back, I swear I did. But… But nothing worked."

"Well, like I was saying before, it's uh… A long story." Shae replied hesitantly.

"Is everything alright?" Remus asked, growing even more concerned at the somber tone in his friend's voice. "You seem troubled."

Shae opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again, a hard lump suddenly forming in her throat as she thought about Regina. The other three all exchanged a worried glance as her eyes began to well with tears.

"Oh hell, girl, you look like you need a drink." Terry said, gently wrapping an arm around Shae's shoulders. "Come on, now."

They all sat down at a nearby table, and Terry retrieved a bottle of Jack Daniel's from behind the bar. Once they all had a drink in hand, Shae slowly began to recount the events of her sudden return to the world of the living. Remus had told Terry and Rosa all about Shae and Regina, and their tale of true love. They all looked positively heartbroken when Shae told them about she had woken from the nearly dead to find Regina with Robin Hood.

"Oh, Shae…" Remus whispered, his blood red eyes shining with tears. "Oh, I'm so sorry, my friend. I… I never should have left. If I had been there, I could have stopped it all, kept Robin away from her."

"Remus, it's not your fault." Shae said quietly, her voice heavy with sorrow.

"Yeah, man, don't go blaming yourself." Rosa said, gently placing her hand on Remus's arm. "That kind of shit ain't never helped anyone."

Remus nodded, sighing heavily. "Yes, I know." He replied sadly. "Oh, Shae… What… What will you do now?"

"I don't know." Shae muttered in reply. "That's why I came here, to find Remus and, you know… Clear my head. I don't even know if I want to go back and face Regina again."

"I say, fuck her." Terry threw in with a snort. "She's a damn fool if she chose a man over you."

"Terry, you love men!" Rosa exclaimed.

"Bitch, I know!" Terry replied irritably. "Which means I also know they dumb as hell."

"Yes, sadly true." Remus said, heaving another sad sigh. "Men are bloody idiots."

"Damn straight." Terry agreed, clinking glasses with Remus.

"I don't know, man." Rosa said, shrugging at Shae. "I've seen the movie, and The Evil Queen doesn't really seem like your type."

"Oh, no, Regina doesn't actually look anything like that." Shae replied hastily. "Here, I'll show you."

Shae pulled out her smartphone, scrolling through her picture gallery and finding one of her and Regina together. Emma had taken it for her when they were at Granny's, the day that Regina and the others had returned from Neverland, the day that Shae had proposed to the woman she loved. She bit her lip, fighting back tears as she handed the phone to Rosa.

"Oh damn!" Rosa exclaimed, staring down at Shae's phone with wide eyes.

Rosa handed the phone over to Terry, whose eyes also grew wide. "Oh damn!" He echoed. "Shit, even I might hit that."

"Indeed." Remus agreed with a nod.

"Great, thanks you guys." Shae grumbled, stowing her phone back in her pocket.

"Well, I don't care how hot the bitch is." Terry said, waving his hand flippantly. "Fuck her."

"Now hold on a minute." Rosa said, turning in her chair to better face Shae. "You still love her, right?"

"Yeah, of course I do." Shae replied with a nod.

"Then what the hell are you still doing here?" Rosa demanded, throwing up her arms in despair. "You've gotta go back to Storybrooke! You've gotta go get her!"

"Oh, _hell_ , no!" Terry shouted angrily. "Don't listen to this dumb bitch."

"Hey!" Rosa chided him.

Terry ignored her and leaned forward in his chair, gripping Shae's hand tight. "Shae, if you go back there, you're only gonna make yourself miserable." He told her, staring very seriously into her eyes. "Trust me, ain't no bitch worth all that bullshit."

"Some bitch might be, if she's her true love!" Rosa countered.

"Well, her true love's got another true love!" Terry countered back. "That's just a hot damn mess. I'm telling you, Shae, it ain't worth it."

Terry and Rosa both stopped their arguing and fell silent, watching Shae as she pondered what they were saying. Shae thought quietly for a moment, anxiously chewing on her lip ring as she did. She then turned to Remus, raising an eyebrow at him expectantly.

"Well, I rather think I agree with Terry." Remus said with a tone of sadness. "I'm sorry, Shae, but… He's right. Going back to Storybrooke will bring you nothing but more heartache."

"HA!" Terry exclaimed, pointing a finger at Rosa. "Two against one, bitch!"

"It's not a competition!" Rosa cried exasperatedly.

"Look, you guys, you're all making sense, ok?" Shae cut in as Terry opened his mouth to retort. "But, I just… I-I don't think I can just… Give up, you know? I asked Regina if she still loves me, and she said she does, I know she does. I saw it in her eyes, it's…. It's still there."

"Then you've _gotta_ go back." Rosa insisted determinedly. "You've gotta fight for her."

"Uh uh!" Terry exclaimed, shaking his head in disagreement. "No way! Love ain't something you gotta fight for."

"Indeed, love is just love." Agreed Remus. "It's simple, it just… _Is_."

"No, it's not!" Rosa cried stubbornly. "Sometimes you _have_ to fight for love! It's the only damn thing even worth fighting for!"

"Girl, you are all kinds of wrong right now." Terry muttered, rolling his eyes at her.

"Guys, come on, this isn't helping." Shae pleaded with them.

Rosa and Terry both glared silently at each other, and Shae breathed out a heavy sigh. "Look, I think I just need to be alone for a bit, get my head on straight." She said quietly. "I'm just gonna… Go for a walk, or something. I'll meet up with you guys in the morning."

Before anyone could say or do anything, Shae got up from the table, and walked out the bar's door. Remus, Terry, and Rosa stared silently down into their glasses of whiskey, hearts heavy with sadness. They only hoped that their friend would find the answers she was searching for somewhere along the streets of New York.

XX

Shae slowly pushed open the door of the dark and empty apartment where, only a few short weeks ago, she had been living with Emma and Henry. She flicked on the light next to the door, and stared around the empty kitchen. She slowly wandered into the living room, and smiled when she saw Henry's Xbox controllers lying the coffee table in front of the couch, where he and Shae had left them after a round of Call of Duty. She next wandered into the bedroom that she and Emma had once shared. They had left in such a rush that most of her and Emma's clothes and other belongings were still scattered across the room. She slowly sank down onto the bed, and picked up the framed picture sitting on the end table. It was of her, Emma, and Henry at the fair, and Henry was holding the giant stuffed bear that Shae had won for him. She smiled as she stared down at the picture in her hands, her eyes once again welling with tears.

Shae laid back onto the bed, closing her eyes and breathing out a heavy sigh. She found it hard to believe that, just a few weeks ago, she had been living a completely different life, with a completely different woman that she had loved. She had gone a whole year without any memory of her true love whose heart was also linked to another. That year had been the happiest and most peaceful that Shae could ever remember. She knew that Terry and Remus were right, that going back to Storybrooke, to Regina, would only bring her more misery. Despite that, Rosa's words also rang in her ears.

"You have to fight for her."

Shae's eyes snapped open, and she sat bolt upright. She suddenly remembered a conversation she had with Regina back in The Enchanted Forest, a conversation that suddenly made her realize exactly what she needed to do.

XXXXX

Shae was lying on her back on the cold, stone floor of her dungeon cell, staring blankly up at the ceiling, listening to the rats as they scurried about, searching for scraps of food. She had been locked away in Prince Charming and Snow White's dungeon for weeks now, after failing to save her Queen from their clutches. There were no windows in the dungeon, but Shae was able to keep track of the passing of time through The Blue Fairy. Once a day, The Blue Fairy would flutter into her cell and sprinkle her with fairy dust, draining away her magic. The fairy's visits were the only way Shae knew just how long she had been away from the woman she loved.

After learning that Snow White and The Prince had not actually executed Regina, Shae had been filled with hope, hope that one day soon she would be reunited with her Queen. As the days went by, the very hope that she had been clinging so desperately to had begun to fade away. The darkness and emptiness of Snow White's dungeon was slowly chipping away at her resolve, the terrible ache she felt in her heart for the woman she loved threatening to consume her.

"I'm disappointed in you, Shae."

Shae sat bolt upright, startled by the sudden voice. She scrambled to her feet, whirling around, her blood red eyes growing wide as she saw exactly who was now standing before her inside her cell.

"Regina?" Shae breathed, looking her Queen up and down, completely baffled by her presence. "W-What… What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm not really here." Regina replied, waving her hand dismissively. "I'm simply a figmentation of the madness that you have slipped into while down here."

Shae's face fell into a disappointed frown. "Oh." She muttered. "Well, I suppose that makes sense. I have been locked up in here an awful long time."

"Indeed you have." Regina said with a nod. She then carefully brushed off the cot sitting against the wall of Shae's cell, and sat herself down upon it. "Which is why I'm so utterly disappointed in you."

Shae chuckled lightly, folding her arms across her chest. "You are, are you?" She asked the phantom Queen. "And why exactly is that? You know I'm powerless, don't you? Not to mention completely surrounded by an army of Snow White's guards."

"Oh, making excuses now, are we?" Regina asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Excuses?" Shae cried indignantly. "Bloody hell, you're even more irritating than the real Regina. Begone, will you?"

"Well, I'm afraid I can't." Regina replied with a small shrug. "As I said, I'm merely a figment of your imagination."

Shae laughed again, shaking her head slowly. "I see, so you're here just to bother me then, is that it? To annoy me even further into madness?"

"No, my love, I'm here to help you." Regina said quietly. She smiled at Shae as she got up from the cot, and slowly stepped up to her. "I'm here to remind you of what it is you have to fight for."

Regina reached out, and placed her hand gently on her lover's cheek. Shae gasped as she felt her warm hand against her cold, pale face. Her hands shook as she felt Regina's arms, her shoulders, her face. She then pulled her into her arms, sobbing gratefully against her lips as she kissed her. Her eyes streamed with tears as she felt her Queen's lips against her own, felt her tongue brush lightly against her own. She kissed her slowly, desperately, gratefully, unable to believe that she was actually real.

"Oh, Regina, I… I don't understand." Shae whispered, gently cupping Regina's face in both her hands. "How can I touch you, feel you? This… This is madness!"

"Yes, it is." Regina replied with a laugh. "I'm afraid you're completely and utterly mad."

Shae laughed too, wrapping her arms around her and kissing her again. She was confused and disoriented, but she didn't care. She enjoyed the taste of her lover's lips, breathed in her comforting and familiar scent.

"Oh, I don't care." Shae breathed, gently pressing her forehead against her Queen's. "I can stay mad for all I care. You're… You're here, you're actually here!"

The smile suddenly faded from The Queen's face, and she removed herself from Shae's arms, drawing back a step. "No, I'm not. Haven't you been listening?" She said irritably. "I'm _not_ here! I'm not real!"

Shae's mouth gaped open in shock, her heart aching with pained sorrow. "B-But… How… W-We just…"

"The only reason you can feel my touch is because you remember the real me." Regina went on in the same irritated tone, cutting off Shae's confused stammering. "You remember what it's like to kiss the real me, to hold me in your arms. And I'm out there, waiting for you, wanting for you, while you rot away down here like some common criminal!"

"There's nothing I can do! I'm trapped!" Shae cried, more tears streaming from her eyes. "Regina, please… W-What… What do I do? Tell me what to do!"

The Queen breathed out a frustrated sigh, rubbing her forehead. "Clearly, you were _not_ listening." She muttered, a bit angrily. "I've already told you, Shae. You have to fight. You have to stop wallowing in your own self pity, pick yourself up, and fight for me!"

"Fight for you?" Shae asked, shaking her head in confusion. "How? Regina, please, I don't understand, I just-"

Suddenly, the door to the dungeon burst open with a resonating bang. Shae jumped, snapping her head to the side. Snow White and Prince Charming were stomping toward her cell, both of them looking furious. She then turned back to Regina, and gasped, her heart aching with misery when she realized that she was gone. She breathed out a frustrated sigh. Regina had been nothing but a ghost created by her madness after all.

"You! We need to talk!" Snow White shouted angrily as her and The Prince approached her cell.

Shae slowly turned to face them, and raised her eyebrows in shock when she realized how they were dressed. "Oh! Did I miss the wedding?" She asked them. "So sorry, I've been a bit uh… Tied up, down here."

Snow White and The Prince glared silently at her as Shae laughed loudly at her own joke. "Quiet, you!" The Prince snarled.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you said we needed to talk." Shae said, grinning at them as she folded her arms across her chest. "I'm afraid I'm quite confused. Do you want me to talk, or be quiet?"

"What do you know about The Evil Queen's curse?" Snow demanded angrily, ignoring the vampire's sarcastic rambling.

"Curse, curse, let me think." Shae muttered, tapping a finger against her chin as she pondered. "Well, she appears to be cursed with an unnatural beauty. Also, an unnatural flexibility. But I find that to be more of a blessing than a curse, really-"

"She means the curse she plans to cast." Charming cut in, looking thoroughly disgusted. "She just interrupted our wedding, said she's going to cast a curse on the entire realm and take away everyone's happiness."

"Oh, I see." Shae replied quietly. "Well, terribly sorry, but I haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about. Now, if you'll excuse me, I was having a rather lovely conversation with Regina before you two rudely interrupted us."

Snow and The Prince's brows both furrowed as they exchanged a confused glance. "What the hell are you talking about?" Snow asked irritably. "Regina isn't here."

"No, of course she's not!" Shae replied in an obvious tone.

"This is pointless, Snow, she's obviously fallen into madness down here." Charming said, eyeing Shae warily as the vampire grinned at them. "Come on, let's leave this place."

"Wait!" Shae called out as Snow and Charming turned to leave. "Wait, I do know something!"

Snow White and The Prince exchanged another skeptical glance, but then turned back around to face Shae, stepping up closer to her cell. They waited, watching the vampire expectantly as Shae curled her fingers around the bars of her cell, grinning deviously as she pressed her face against them.

"I know…" She whispered, pausing for dramatic effect. "That I _will_ see my Queen again, the real one. We will be reunited, and when we are, we'll destroy your happiness, just as she promised. We'll do it together."

Shae started giggling maniacally at the angry and frustrated looks on both Snow White and The Prince's faces. "I already told you, you'll never see Regina again." Snow snapped irritably.

"Oh, see, that's where you're wrong, Snow White." Shae said, giggling again, her blood red eyes wide and wild. "You may have left me to rot down here, but I assure you, my resolve has never been stronger. I will fight for her. I will fight tooth and nail, till my last FUCKING BREATH!"

Snow and The Prince both leapt back, startled by the vampire's sudden outburst. Shae began to cackle loudly, and Charming wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders, ushering her away from the deranged vampire.

"You hear me, Snow White?" Shae shouted after them, her hands shaking as she gripped the bars tight. "I _will_ get back to her, I will fight, even without my magic."

Shae's delirious and psychotic laughter rang in their ears as Snow and The Prince left the dungeon. The door swung shut with another bang, and Shae screamed into the darkness one last time, her hoarse and strangled voice echoing off the stone walls.

"I WILL FIGHT!"

XXXXX

The streets of New York were bustling with morning commuters as Shae made her way back to Eclipse. Even though the bar was still closed, Shae found the door unlocked this time. Terry, Rosa, and Remus were all waiting for her inside, seated around the same table they had been at the night before. Terry and Rosa were both looking sleepy, and were clinging to their cups of Starbucks coffee.

"Here you go, got you your favorite." Rosa said with smile, handing Shae a cup.

"Oh, uh, thanks but now that I'm a vampire again, I've kinda lost my taste for coffee." Shae told her sadly.

Rosa shrugged, seemingly too tired to care. "So, have you decided what you're going to do?" Remus asked of his friend.

Shae took a seat at the table with them, heaving a heavy sigh. "Uh, yeah, I have." She replied quietly. "Sorry guys, but… Rosa's right. I've gotta go back."

"HA!" Rosa exclaimed, throwing her fists in the air triumphantly.

"Oh lord…" Terry muttered, rolling his eyes at Shae.

"Dammit, Shae, I'm begging you, don't do this." Remus pleaded with her.

"Remus, I have to!" Shae insisted. "I have to fight for her! I can't just give up now, not after everything we've been through."

"Exactly!" Cried Remus, throwing up his hands in despair. "Look at everything you've been through, everything that Regina has put you through."

"Yeah, well, look at everything _I've_ put _her_ through." Shae retorted heatedly. "All the shit we've gone through, there's been fault on both of our sides."

"Shae, I love you girl, but you're being a damn fool." Terry said with a huff.

"Yeah, maybe I am." Shae replied with a shrug. "But I just… I know it's what I have to do. I've fought for her once, and I'll do it again. I… I always will."

"Hey, man, I think you're doing the right thing." Rosa said with another smile. "It ain't gonna be easy, though. You know that, right?"

Shae heaved another heavy sigh. "Yeah… Yeah, I know." She then got up from the table, and patted Remus on the shoulder. "Come on, if we leave now we can make it back to Storybrooke before-"

"Hold on, what's this 'we' you're talking about?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

Shae's brow furrowed in confusion, and she blinked at him several times. "Uh… I mean, you're coming with me, right?"

"Absolutely not!" Remus replied with a scoff.

"What?" Shae cried. "Why?"

"Why? Well, because you're being a damn twat, that's why!"

"Hey!"

Remus sighed exasperatedly, getting up from his seat and placing his hands firmly on Shae's shoulders. "Shae, you know I love you like you're my own blood." He said, staring very seriously into her eyes. "But what you're doing is a damn mistake! I won't stand by and watch while you torture yourself, alright?"

Remus sighed again, dropping his hands back to his sides as Shae continued to look hurt. "Besides, I… I happen to like it here in New York." He went on quietly. "There are so many fascinating things and places and… A-And people. And I've gotten quite good at bartending."

"Oh yeah, he's right." Rosa agreed with a nod.

"And you should _see_ the hunks he brings up in here." Terry said excitedly. "He's basically man candy!"

"I'm what?" Remus asked, looking offended.

"It's cool, it's a compliment." Shae told him, waving her hand dismissively. "So… So you'd rather stay here, in a world without magic, than go back to Storybrooke with me."

"Shae, it's not about you, alright?" Remus told her reassuringly. "It's just… Well, I've suddenly found myself in a whole new world, one that's vastly different than any I've ever seen. I want to explore more of it, but Rosa and Terry tell me I need lots more of that strange paper money you all use in this world."

"Yeah, travelling the world ain't cheap." Terry muttered sadly.

"I wish you'd stay and explore this world with me, Shae." Remus went on, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "But you seem determined in your choice."

"Yeah, I am." Shae said with a nod.

Remus nodded back, smiling sadly. "I understand. Regina is… A remarkable woman. I truly do hope the two of you find your way back to each other."

"Hey, you know what?" Rosa suddenly said, grinning excitedly. "Maybe we can shut down the bar for a few days and come visit you sometime!"

"Oh, girl, yes!" Terry exclaimed. "Oh, that would be so much fun, getting to see all the fairy tale folks! Are any of them dwarves cute? I kinda got a thing for short men."

"No. No! Absolutely not!" Shae cried, shaking her head vigorously. "No way, Storybrooke is _way_ too dangerous! There's always some kind of threat or… Or crisis! Right now, there's a witch running around that literally ripped out my heart and crushed it."

"Right, right, and this is the place you wanna go back to?" Terry asked, shaking his head bemusedly when Shae shrugged at him. "Bitch, you cray!"

Shae burst out laughing, and Rosa and Remus laughed with her. After exchanging a quick, misty eyed embrace with all three of them, Shae got back into her old V.W. Bus. She glanced into her rear view mirror as she drove away, staring at their teary eyed faces as they waved at her from the sidewalk. Her heart ached with sadness as she turned the corner, and her friends were lost from sight. She gripped her steering wheel tight, nodding determinedly as she pulled onto the highway, following the road sign that read, 'Maine, 447 miles.'

XX

Night had fallen by the time Shae reached Storybrooke. She watched the air shimmering around her as she slowly drove her bus across the town line. She drummed her fingers anxiously against her steering wheel as she drove toward Main Street. She was nervous to see Regina again, knowing full well that she would likely find her in the company of Robin Hood. Remus had told her just before she left to give him a swift punch in the teeth from him, and Shae knew it would be extremely difficult to resist the temptation. She knew that taking her rage and pain out on Regina's other true love, again, was not a good start at winning Regina back. She would do everything she could to have Regina back in her arms again. She was determined to win her back, to show Regina that it was really her that was her one true love, not some damn thief.

As Shae pulled up to the stoplight on Main Street, she noticed that there was some sort of commotion going on inside Granny's Diner. The diner was full to bursting with people, and a number of them were spilling out onto the sidewalk, pointing up at the sky. Shae leaned forward into her steering wheel, peering out her windshield as she followed their pointed fingers. What she saw caused her heart to drop right out into her stomach. Shooting up into the sky from the distance, was a bright, swirling, orange pillar of light, a pillar of light that was obviously made by some sort of magic.

"What the what?" Shae breathed, staring at the ominous looking light with wide, baffled eyes. "Oh, that can't be good."

She ignored the red stoplight, and punched on the gas. She carefully followed the orange pillar of light, and it seemed to be leading her out of the main part of town. Her heart sunk even deeper as she realized that the pillar was coming from the barn that was next to the farmhouse on the outskirts of town, the farmhouse where Zelena had been living.

"Always a fucking crisis…" Shae muttered as she slammed her car door shut.

Wind whirled all around her as she approached the barn, the strange pillar of magic emitting a loud humming noise that reverberated through the air. As she drew closer, she was shocked to find Emma and Captain Hook standing just in front of the barn, staring at the closed doors warily as they shook violently.

"Shae!" Emma exclaimed when she noticed the vampire. "Hey! I… I thought you left!"

"Yeah, well, now I'm back." Shae replied with a shrug, glancing at the rattling barn doors apprehensively. "What the hell's going on here?"

"It's Zelena's damn time portal." Hook answered grimly. "Somehow she triggered it when she died."

"Wait, Zelena's dead?" Shae asked, breathing out a shocked laugh when Emma and Hook both nodded. "Well, that's good news. This, though? Not so much."

"We've got to find a way to close it." Emma said, reaching for the doors.

"Woah, hold on there, Swan!" Hook exclaimed, grabbing her arm with his good hand. "You don't even have your magic back!"

"Wait a minute, you lost your magic?" Shae asked of Emma. "Jesus Christ, you people are like toddlers! Leave you alone for five minutes and you break everything! I mean, how the hell did you even become Sheriff?"

"Not now, dammit!" Hook exclaimed exasperatedly, attempting to pull both Emma and Shae back, away from the barn. "We need to leave this place, before-"

Suddenly, the doors to the barn burst open, revealing the gaping, swirling portal in the center of the dirt floor. Shae, Emma, and Hook were all knocked off their feet by the sheer force of the portal's magical energy, and were being pulled toward it at an alarming rate. The pirate managed to sink his hook into the ground at the last second, jerking violently to a stop. He reached out and managed to catch Shae's hand, and Shae grabbed on to Emma's. Their faces all twisted in exertion as they clung to each other desperately, the magic of Zelena's time portal threatening to suck them into the gaping abyss.

"HOLD ON!" Shae screamed as she felt Emma's hand slipping out of her own.

"I-I can't!" Emma shouted back, her eyes full of sheer panic. "Shae, help, I can't- AAH!"

Shae gasped as Emma's hand slipped out of her's. She and Hook both watched in complete and utter horror as Emma was sucked in to the center of the portal, and disappeared from sight.

"EMMA!" They both screamed in unison.

"Dammit, one of these days I'll stop chasing this woman." Hook grumbled to himself.

"NO! HOOK, WAIT-"

The rest of Shae's sentence caught in her throat as the Captain wrenched his hook from the ground. Neither of them even had time to scream as they shot forward, and were swallowed by the swirling, orange portal. Wind rushed through their ears as they fell, and fell, and fell some more. Shae tried to open her eyes, to see what exactly was happening to them, but found that she couldn't. Suddenly the rushing wind stopped, and she heard Hook grunt loudly from beside her, the wind knocked completely out of him as the vampire and the pirate finally hit solid ground.

"Swan?" Hook groaned from somewhere near Shae. "SWAN!"

"Here, I'm here." Came Emma's muttered reply.

Shae finally managed to open her eyes, her whole body trembling. She furrowed her brow when she realized that she was now staring at grass and dirt. She rolled onto her back, shielding her eyes with her hand against the bright sunlight.

"Swan… Swan, are you alright?" Hook asked Emma in a panicked rush as he helped her to her feet.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Emma replied breathlessly.

"I'm fine too, thanks for fucking asking." Shae grumbled as she pushed herself shakily to her feet as well.

"Bloody hell, mate, I've watched you die and come back, what, twice now?" Hook said exasperatedly. "You'll forgive me if I didn't think that a simple fall through a portal would do you any harm."

"Guys… Where the hell are we?" Emma asked, her face panic stricken.

Shae turned in her spot, glancing curiously all around her. Her blood red eyes grew wide, and she chuckled bemusedly when she realized that they were surrounded by tall, towering trees, trees that looked all too familiar to her, and to Captain Hook.

"Well, either we're on the forest moon of Endor from Star Wars: Episode Six, Return of the Jedi." Shae began to say with a shrug. "Or, you know…"

The vampire paused, breathing out a sigh and running a shaky hand through her hair. She then turned back to Emma, who, from the look plastered on her face, already seemed to know what she was about to say next.

"We're in the goddamn Enchanted Forest…"

XX


	13. Chapter 13, Back to the Future

CHAPTER 13

"No…"

"Yep."

"No… No, no, no…"

"Swan, it's alright, just stay calm."

"No, it's not alright!" Emma exclaimed, staring around at the forest surrounding her, her eyes full of panic. "M-Maybe… Maybe you're wrong, you know? M-Maybe we're on the… Forest Moon of Endor!"

"No, we're not, that was just a joke." Shae said with heavy sigh. "Besides, the trees on the moon of Endor were redwoods, not oaks. They filmed that scene in California, actually, and it's a really interesting story how George Lucas picked it-"

"That does sound fascinating, mate…" Hook began slowly, stopping Shae from spouting off more Star Wars trivia. "But I think we need to focus on the matter at hand."

"Right, you mean the fact that we're trapped in the damn past." Emma spat, breathing out a sour laugh and slowly shaking her head. "Dammit, I knew I should have left Storybrooke the minute we defeated Zelena. This is exactly the kind of thing that doesn't happen in New York!"

"Woah, wait a minute." Shae said, her brow furrowing in confusion. "You were gonna go back to New York?"

"Aye, that she was." Answered Hook, eyeing Emma bitterly. "She was going to take her boy and leave the rest of her family behind, and find you."

"Seriously?" Shae asked, raising an eyebrow at Emma. When she nodded, Shae heaved another heavy sigh, slowly rubbing her forehead. "Oh, Emma…"

"Look, it's like that alright?" Emma replied in an exasperated tone. "I know things with you and Regina and… And Robin Hood are complicated. But when you left, I thought that maybe… Me and Henry would go find you and Remus, and we could all give New York another try."

Shae chuckled, shaking her head bemusedly. "Yeah, well, I didn't exactly stay very long, did I?"

"Yeah, why exactly did you come back?" Emma asked. When Shae didn't respond right away, and only stared silently down at the ground, Emma's eyes shone with understanding. "You were going back for Regina, weren't you? You were gonna try and get her back."

"Yeah, well, that obviously went super well." Shae replied sarcastically, gesturing around at the forest. "You know, I'm starting to think that there's something out there that doesn't want us together. I dunno… Maybe I should just give it up already."

"Shae, you can't just give up." Emma said sadly. "You have to-"

"Listen, as fascinating as the vampire's complicated love life is, I must insist, again, that we focus on our current predicament." Hook cut in hastily. "Now, we've deduced where we are. But I think the better question is… When?"

"Well, judging by that…" Shae began, pointing at the wanted poster plastered with Snow White's face, which was nailed to a nearby tree. "We're somewhere around after Snow became a bandit, but before Regina cast her curse."

"Well, that's not exactly helpful, is it?" Hook muttered, breathing out a frustrated sigh. "That's an awful bloody large stretch of time."

"Wait a minute." Emma breathed, her eyes growing wide with a sudden realization. "I think I know exactly when we are."

Emma rushed over to Hook, and started fumbling around inside the black leather satchel slung over his shoulder. She pulled out Henry's storybook that was tucked inside, and began hastily flipping through the pages.

"When I fell through the portal, I was thinking about Henry and the story we were reading at Granny's." Emma explained as she scanned through the book. "The story about how Snow White and Prince Charming first met."

"So you think that time portals work like any other sort?" Hook asked her. "They take you back to where you're thinking of?"

"Makes sense, I guess." Shae said with a shrug.

"Now all we have to do is find a way back." Emma said with a determined nod, snapping the book shut.

Shae barked out an amused laugh, and Emma and Hook both eyed her curiously. "Oh, come on, Emma!" She exclaimed, throwing up her arms in despair. "Travelling to the past is hard enough as it is! And going back to the future? Well, it's not like we've got a DeLorean on our hands. I don't think there even _is_ a way back."

"No! No way, there has to be!" Emma insisted heatedly. "Why the hell aren't you freaking out right now, anyway? You left New York for Regina. Don't you want to get back to her?"

"See, that's the thing, Regina's _here_." Shae replied with an excited grin, pointing down at the forest floor beneath her feet. "And the best part? It's the Regina that isn't fucking stupid ass Robin Hood. She's probably at her castle right now."

Emma opened her mouth to argue, but closed it again as a strange sound suddenly began to resonate around the forest. As the sound drew nearer, they all whirled around, and realized that the sound was that of hoofbeats, pounding down the cobblestone road a few yards ahead of them. They watched as a score of soldiers rode past on horseback, dressed head to toe in black armor. Following closely behind the soldiers was a horse drawn carriage, made of black metal, and very ornately but sinisterly decorated.

"Or, you know…" Shae began with a casual shrug. "She's um… There."

"No way!" Emma whispered, mouth gaping open in shock. "Oh, I've _got_ to see this!"

Emma ran off in the direction of the black knights, and Shae exchanged a worried glance with Hook before she and the pirate hurried after her. They followed the sound of pounding hoofbeats until they reached a small, desolate village. They crouched behind a cluster of bushes, carefully peering out at the small group of peasants that were standing in a line, surrounded by the black knights. The townsfolk stood silently, some of them holding small children, attempting to calm them as they cried and whimpered. Men and women alike quaked and quivered where they stood, all of them eyeing the black carriage fearfully. Suddenly, the door to the carriage bust open, and The Evil Queen descended down before them.

"Well, well, well… What have we here?" The Queen sneered, grinning in a dark and evil way that gave even Shae chills.

"Holy shit…" Emma breathed, her hazel green eyes wide as saucers. "It _is_ Regina."

"Not Regina, love." Hook muttered darkly. "The Evil Queen."

As Shae gazed out at The Evil Queen sauntering before the peasants, time seemed to slow to a crawl, and the unbeating heart inside her ribcage, that was now half Regina's, seemed to stop all over again. Though the Regina of the past had always preferred to dress in black, on this particular day she was garbed in a flowing red dress, one that had always been a favorite of Shae's. It was quite strikingly low cut, and accentuated her slender body in a way that made the vampire's undead heart flutter. Shae suddenly felt the powerful urge to run to her, to take her in her arms, and tell her how much she loved her. But she knew that, at that point in their history, her and Regina hadn't even so much as kissed yet, let alone declared their love for each other. She also knew that the woman she was gazing upon was not the same woman that she loved, not anymore. This version of Regina was the vengeful, merciless, terrifying Evil Queen.

"Pull yourself together, mate." Hook whispered urgently, shaking Shae out of her stupor by her shoulder. "You know as well as I do that where there's The Evil Queen, not far behind is-"

"Ah, Your Majesty! Nice of you to join our little party!"

Emma gasped audibly, clapping her hands over her mouth as The Queen's Protector stepped out from among the trees. Shae felt a strange sort of deja vu as she looked upon her past self. The Shae of the past was dressed in black leather armor, sporting her usual long, black overcoat, The Evil Queen's sigil sown in to the left side. This was the Shae that loved The Evil Queen, the Shae that was just as cruel and black hearted as she was.

"Holy shit…" Emma whispered again, turning her wide, baffled eyes onto the Shae that was crouched next to her. "That's… That's you!"

"Uh huh." Shae muttered anxiously, staring out at her past self as she sauntered past the black knights to join her Queen.

"And just where have you been?" Asked The Evil Queen, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at her Protector.

"Well, when your lovely subjects refused to talk…" Past Shae began in reply, sporting her own dark and devious grin. "I had to… Make an example of some of their friends."

Shae from the past flicked her hand out toward the trees, and Emma gasped again as three people fell from the treetops. The townsfolk all cried out in alarm, wailing and crying out in horror as the ropes tied around their friend's necks jerked their bodies to a stop just before they hit the ground. Emma clapped her hands over her mouth again as the poor peasants jerked and shook, emitting strangled cries and gurgles as the nooses choked the life from them. The Shae from the past, the evil Shae, laughed all the while, and so did her Queen.

"You're a monster!" A gray haired peasant woman cried, whom Emma shockingly recognized to be Granny.

All anyone saw was a black blur of motion, and the past Shae was suddenly holding Granny in the air by her throat. "You want to be next, do you?" Past Shae snarled at her.

"Now listen to me very carefully." The Evil Queen said in a slow, dangerous tone. "Whatever squalor and despair your pathetic little lives have been able to tolerate until this point, is _nothing_ compared to the pain and misery my friend here can inflict if I leave here unhappy."

"Indeed, your friends were lucky to catch me in a good mood." Evil Shae growled in Granny's face as she clawed desperately at the vampire's hand. "I gave them a swift death. Anger me any further, and you might not be so fortunate."

Evil Shae released Granny, and the old woman fell to the ground, coughing and sputtering for air. The past Shae laughed mockingly again as several of the peasants rushed to her side, pulling her to her feet. Emma gasped once again as she saw Marco, aka Geppetto, step hesitantly forward, a young and entirely wooden Pinocchio clinging fearfully to his leg.

"Please, Your Majesty, we are a peaceful village." Geppetto pleaded with The Queen. "What is it you want from us?"

Gepetto flinched, and Pinocchio whimpered quietly as The Evil Queen turned to the old man, leaning in close, her lips curling into a fearsome snarl.

"Justice." She snarled at him. She then turned back to the terrified peasants, glaring sinisterly at all of them. "If I find out that anyone in this village has helped the bandit Snow White, they will suffer dearly. In fact, let's take a look at exactly what helping Snow White looks like."

The Evil Queen gestured to her Protector, who replied with a quick bow. The past Shae was lost from their line of sight momentarily, and when she returned, she was dragging a struggling woman forward by the arm. This woman appeared to be a prisoner, for her hands were bound together with rope, and a sack hood was tied over her head. When Evil Shae removed the hood, she glanced bewilderedly all around her, her eyes wide and wild with fear.

"Help me!" The prisoner shouted desperately at the townsfolk. "Please, she's going to kill me!"

"Who wants to be next?" Past Shae asked of the peasants, laughing evilly once again as they all averted their eyes.

"Swan, no!" Hook whispered urgently, grabbing on to Emma's arm as she made to go to the poor, desperate woman. "There's nothing we can do for her."

"We can't just let her die!" Emma cried in a loud whisper. "She's just an innocent woman, we need to-"

"Swan, listen, whatever her fate may be, we can't interfere." Hook hastily cut her off. "You heard what Belle said when she figured out what Zelena was up to. Even the smallest change to past events could mean catastrophic consequences for us all."

Emma bit her lip, gazing out at the helpless prisoner. "Fine." She replied, breathing out a relenting sigh. "Let's just find a way out of here."

"Yeah, the sooner the better." Shae muttered darkly.

For a moment, Emma and Hook had forgotten all about their Shae that was crouched on Emma's other side. They both jumped, startled when she finally spoke. Emma simply gaped at her, her wide, hazel green eyes full of furious accusation.

"What?" Shae asked, looking confused. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You… You just killed those people!" Emma breathed in horror. "For no reason!"

Shae swallowed hard, glancing back out through the bushes at the bodies of the people her past self had hung from the trees. She remembered them, the terror in their eyes as she tied the nooses around their necks, how they screamed and begged her to stop. One of them was a young boy, likely only a few years older than Henry was.

"Yeah, I know." Shae muttered miserably. "I was one evil sack of shit."

"You've got that right, mate." Hook agreed with a chuckle.

"Hey!" Shae said angrily, glaring at the pirate. "We were just starting to become friends! Don't ruin it by being a dick."

"But, you just said-"

"I know what I said!" Shae snapped at Hook. She then breathed out a heavy sigh, turning back to Emma. "Look, there's a difference between Regina and The Evil Queen, just like there's a difference between me and… _That_. That was… A long time ago. I'm not that person anymore, ok?"

"Yeah, I know." Emma replied slowly, still eyeing Shae warily. "I just… Hearing about it is one thing, you know? But seeing it is… Is just-"

"Look, let's just focus on getting back home, alright?" Shae interjected, angrily rising to her feet.

"And how exactly do you suggest we do that?" Hook asked as he and Emma stood as well.

"Well, I think we all know that there's only one person powerful enough to whip up another time portal." Shae replied, eyeing them both knowingly.

"Rumplestiltskin." Emma said in answer.

"Aye, as much as I hate to admit it, I believe you're right." Hook begrudgingly agreed. "The damned Crocodile is our best option."

"Right, let's go." Emma said with a determined nod.

"Wait, there's something we need to do first." Hook said with a shake of his head. "You two need to find more suitable clothing. Unfortunately, leather jackets won't come into fashion here… Well… Ever."

Emma and Shae both opened their mouths to protest, but then glanced at each other, and sighed, nodding in agreement. With Hook's assistance, they quickly and quietly managed to steal some clothes that one of the local townsfolk had left hanging out on a line. Hook waited patiently as the two women both changed clothes, and grinned when he saw Emma now wearing a patched maroon and white skirt, along with a brown cloak and leather corset. Shae, who was adamantly against ever wearing a dress, chose a man's dirty brown breaches, a white cotton shirt, a brown leather vest, and a tattered gray travelling cloak. She pulled up the hood of her cloak, and took the maroon scarf that Emma had found. She wrapped it around the lower half of her face, concealing everything but her blood red eyes.

"Right, cuz that's not suspicious at all." Emma muttered, her tone heavy with sarcasm.

"Well, it's better than the alternative." Shae replied, with a shrug. "You saw what I did back there. Everyone around here knows my face, and since it hasn't exactly changed over the years, it's probably best to hide it."

"Well, you're certainly not wrong." Hook said, chuckling darkly. "Come. The Dark One's castle is this way."

Hook led the way back through the forest and onto the wide, cobblestone road. Shae trailed along silently behind Emma and Hook as they followed the road, her heart aching with guilt after watching the atrocity that her past self had just committed. She had forgotten about that particular moment in her and The Evil Queen's gruesome history, and was particularly distressed that Emma and Hook had to watch it happen. The look in Emma's eyes when she had seen exactly what Shae used to be had broken the vampire's heart. Emma was the one person that hadn't ever seen the dark and evil monster that she once was. All that was ruined now.

"So, uh… How exactly did you guys defeat Zelena?" Shae asked of Emma and Hook, breaking her sullen silence. "I'm guessing it was more complicated than dumping a bucket of water on her."

Emma and Hook exchanged a nervous glance for a moment, which caused Shae's brow to furrow in concern. "Well, uh… Her only weakness was light magic." Emma slowly replied. "That's why David and Mary Margaret cast the curse. To find me."

"Oh… Alright…" Shae muttered. "Wait… But I thought you said that you lost your powers."

Emma bit her lip, glancing anxiously at Hook once again. "Uh… Yeah, I did." She replied hesitantly. "It wasn't actually me that took down Zelena. It was Regina."

"Woah, what?" Shae exclaimed, grabbing Emma's arm as she stopped in her tracks. "Regina used light magic? That's… That's not possible! Her whole power base is dark magic, how could she even-"

Shae stopped mid sentence when she saw the look on Emma and Hook's faces. She then breathed out a bitter, sour laugh, shaking her head slowly.

"It was Robin Hood, right?" She asked, laughing bitterly once again. "Their true love helped her find the light in herself, or some shit."

When Emma and Hook remained silent, Shae shook her head slowly once again. "That's just fucking great." She growled.

"Shae, listen, I know this is all really hard, but-" Emma began gently.

"Woah, woah, woah… Hold up." Shae suddenly said, listening hard as her extra sensitive hearing picked up a familiar sound. "Horses. There's more horses coming."

"It could be The Queen again." Hook muttered, looking fearful. "Come on!"

They quickly vacated the road, ducking down amongst some more bushes just in time to see another horse drawn carriage stopping in the middle of the road before them, a fallen tree blocking it's path. This carriage obviously did not belong to The Evil Queen, as it was painted white, and the soldiers mounted on the horses wore white chainmail armor. Shae recognized the symbol emblazoned on their armor to be the sigil of King George.

"Worry not! It's but a fallen tree." Called out a very familiar voice.

The vampire, the pirate, and The Savior all watched in astonishment as Emma's father, Prince Charming, stepped out from behind the carriage. "No way…" Emma breathed, smiling in wonder as she watched The Prince marching up to the fallen tree with his men. "Is… Is that-"

"Your father." Hook finished for her, smiling a warm smile.

Emma breathed out a shocked laugh, watching with a smile of her own as Prince Charming and his knights began to push the tree from the road. She suddenly gasped, glancing behind her and up at the tree tops. Shae and Hook curiously followed suit, and their eyes grew wide when they saw, hiding up in one of the trees, Emma's mother, the bandit Snow White. Emma shifted her body slightly to better watch Snow, freezing in her spot when a twig snapped loudly from underneath her foot.

Snow White, who had been carefully watching her prey, Prince James's carriage, suddenly snapped her head to the side at the loud noise. She was visibly startled to find three strangers staring up at her from the brush. So startled, in fact, that she lost her balance, and tumbled from the branch that she had been precariously crouched upon.

"That's gotta hurt…" Shae muttered, cringing as Snow hit the ground hard.

Snow White immediately leapt back to her feet, and turned her eyes back onto The Prince and his men. They had successfully removed the tree from the road, and Charming himself had gotten back into his carriage. Snow stood rooted in her spot for a moment, anxiously glancing between the royal carriage, which was now slowly pulling away, and back to Emma, Shae, and Hook. They then heard her emit a low grumble, and she turned away from them, sprinting off into the woods.

Once The Prince and his royal guard were safely out of sight, the three crouched in the bushes vacated their hiding spot, stepping back out onto the road. Shae made to continue on down the road, stopping when she saw the sudden panicked look on Emma's face.

"Emma? What's wrong?" Shae asked, her eyes full of concern.

"You know that thing about little changes having big consequences?" Emma asked of her and Hook, and when they both nodded, she winced slightly. "What about… Big changes?"

Hook exchanged a worried glance with Shae, then raised an eyebrow at Emma. "Why? What did we do?"

"That bandit in the tree, that was Snow White." Emma explained. When neither Shae or Hook seemed at all shocked or concerned, she went on. "That was… The moment my parents first met."

Hook's jaw dropped open in shock, and so did Shae's, from behind the scarf tied around her face. The vampire and the pirate both stared at each other, their eyes filled with horror.

"And because of us, now they didn't." Hook muttered.

"Oh shit…" Shae breathed, turning her wide, blood red eyes onto Emma. "Holy shit… Oh, god dammit! Out of all the things we could have changed, _that_ was probably number one on the 'No, No' list!"

"Yeah, I know that, Shae!" Emma exclaimed, throwing her arms up in despair. "I obviously didn't mean to! I-I just… What… What do we do now?"

"We need to get to The Crocodile, fast." Hook said in a rush, then turned to Shae. "Can't you just… Poof us over to The Dark One's castle?"

Shae shook her head, and opened her mouth to respond. She then shut it again, and her eyes grew wide with a sudden realization. "Oh! Uh… Yeah, actually. I can."

"What?" Emma exclaimed, looking angry. "Why the hell didn't you say something before?"

"I'm sorry, alright? I got so used to my powers being weak and, you know, not really using them." Shae replied defensively. "But now that we're back in The Enchanted Forest, I'm back to full power again. So, yeah, let's do this."

Shae placed her hands on both Emma and Hook's shoulders, nodding determinedly. "Lets just hope old Rumple can fix this hot damn mess we've made."

XX

Upon arriving at The Dark One's castle, they were met with a thoroughly furious and less than helpful Rumplestiltskin. The moment he saw Captain Hook, his old nemesis, he immediately attempted to kill him. To both Shae and Hook's immense surprise, Emma was able to convince him not to. Emma told Rumplestiltskin all about his son, and how he was planning on enacting a dark curse to find him again. She was careful to leave out the part about Neal's death, however. Once she was certain that Hook was safe from The Dark One, she told him all about how they were from the future, and how they had made a grave and accidental change.

Shae had remained silent throughout the entire exchange, not even daring to speak. She and The Dark One had not yet crossed paths, and she knew one misspoken word could only add to the already complicated mess that they were all in. She stood quietly by the nearby window as Emma explained to Rumplestiltskin who her parents were, and how Snow White was supposed to steal Prince Charming's wedding ring. The Dark One was having a hard time believing her tale, so Emma decided to show him Henry's storybook. When she opened the book to her parent's story, she was horrified to find that the pages were all suddenly blank.

"What the hell?" She muttered, staring wide eyed down at the book sitting on the table in front of them.

"It's all gone." Hook breathed as he hastily flipped through the pages. "Everything that was supposed to happen after they met has disappeared.

"WHAT?"

Shae had finally, and loudly, broken her silence. She rushed over to the table, roughly shoving Emma and Hook out of her way. They all watched curiously as she too flipped through the pages of the storybook, finding her own story within. They were all shocked to find that part of her story was missing too.

"Oh no… No, no, no…" She muttered, her blood red eyes wide with horror. "Dammit, Snow and Charming are supposed to save me from Van Helsing on the Troll Bridge!"

"And now they won't. They can't." Emma whispered, her own eyes filled with horror as well.

"Oh god… I'm gonna die!" Shae exclaimed, now starting to panic. "Or… Or am I already dead? I don't know… Time travel is confusing!"

"Ah, I see, so that's who you are." Said Rumplestiltskin with an impish giggle.

Emma, Shae, and Hook all glanced down at the book, which was now sitting in front of The Dark One, who had turned to the title page of Shae's story.

"I thought as much." Rumpelstiltskin went on when Shae didn't respond. "You may be hiding your face, Shaeogora, but those blood red eyes of yours are a dead giveaway."

Shae exchanged a nervous glance with Emma and Hook, and then sighed, drawing down her hood and removing the scarf tied around her face. "Please don't call me that." She said with a grimace. "It's just Shae."

"Oh, but 'Shaeogora' is such a strong name." Rumplestiltskin replied, still grinning. "Sounds a bit like… Royalty. Don't you think?"

"What?" Shae asked, brow furrowed in confusion. "What the hell are you talking about? How do you even know me? We haven't met yet."

"Never you mind." Rumplestiltskin replied, waving his hand dismissively at her. "What I am curious to know, is why your Queen hasn't ordered you to kill The Savior here."

The Dark One gestured to Emma, who gave Shae a nervous shrug. "Um… Well, uh…" Shae stammered. "Let's just say that the future is… Complicated."

"Even more so now that we've managed to erase most of it." Hook muttered darkly.

"We need to get Snow to steal that ring." Emma said quietly. "We need to put their story back on track."

"Well, it appears your in luck." Said Rumplestiltskin with another giggle. "There is a ball tonight at King Midas's castle. Your Prince Charming will be there, and so will his ring."

"That's great and everything, but how the hell are we supposed to get Snow there?" Asked Shae. "We don't even know where she is."

"Allow me." Rumplestiltskin replied, rising from his chair.

Shae, Emma, and Hook all followed The Dark One as he walked over to a table sitting against the wall. The table was filled with various strange and magical items, one of which was a crystal ball. Rumplestiltskin waved his hand over it, and the crystal ball momentarily filled with a cloud of purple smoke. When the smoke cleared, it showed them what looked like the inside of a tavern. Snow White was seated at a table across from a man with a bushy black beard.

"She's with Blackbeard." Hook muttered. "She's trying to secure passage on his ship."

"And failing, it appears." Rumplestiltskin observed as Blackbeard got up from the table, walking away from Snow White.

"She can't escape Regina without the money she's supposed to get for the ring." Emma said quietly, then turned to Rumplestiltskin. "Please, can you help us?"

"Help you?" Rumplestiltskin asked incredulously. "Well, I can certainly work on getting your portal to the future open once again. But getting your parents back together? You made that mess, dearie, only you know what you did. Now, go undo it."

With that, The Dark One swept from the room, leaving Emma, Shae, and Hook alone in his front hall. "Well, he's not wrong." Shae muttered with a shrug.

"If Snow White is looking for passage out of The Enchanted Forest, I believe I know a ship's captain that can help us." Hook said, suddenly smiling excitedly.

Emma exchanged a quick, puzzled glance with Shae. "Who?"

Hook grinned at them both in a knowing, devious way. "Me."

XX

The vampire, the pirate, and The Savior all left The Dark One's castle, and traveled to the harborside tavern that they had seen within the crystal ball. They sat huddled together at a table in the very back, carefully watching Captain Hook's past self as he and his crew drank and played a game of dice. Shae stared glumly down into her still full flagon of ale. She had once again drawn up her hood and hidden her face with her scarf, and didn't even dare to remove it, even for a second, to take a drink. Suddenly, a young barmaid, who smelled strongly of ale herself, approached their table, grinning down at Shae in a sultry way.

"Well, hello there." She said, biting her lip as she looked Shae slowly up and down. "I have to say, I like a man with a bit of mystery."

Hook stifled a laugh, and Emma's eyes grew wide as the barmaid slid into Shae's lap, wrapping her arms around her neck. Shae sat rigidly still for a moment, silently gaping at both Emma and Hook.

"What do you say we go upstairs, and you let me have a look at what's… Underneath." The barmaid whispered, tracing her finger across Shae's lips from over the scarf.

The young woman gasped in alarm as Shae reached out and roughly grabbed her wrist, yanking her hand away. She opened her mouth to protest, but shut it again as Shae's eyes began to glow a bright, neon red.

"Go back to the bar, forget you ever saw me." Shae whispered in a low, commanding tone.

The barmaid stared into the vampire's glowing red eyes for a moment. Emma and Hook both watched in wonder as her eyes momentarily glowed red as well. She then got up from Shae's lap, and walked back to the bar, just as Shae had instructed. Emma exchanged a silent, baffled glance with Hook, then turned her wide eyes back onto Shae.

"Woah… I've never seen you use that power before." Emma breathed in shock.

"Yeah, well, messing with people's heads isn't something I like to do very often." Shae muttered, her now blood red eyes suddenly very sad.

"You've… Never used that on me, have you?" Emma asked, a bit fearfully.

Shae chuckled, slowly shaking her head. "No, it wouldn't work on you. It's kinda like Jedi Mind Tricks. It only works on the weak minded."

"Sorry, Jedi Mind… What?" Asked Hook, looking confused.

Shae was about to respond, but stopped when the past Captain Hook's table erupted with sudden and raucous applause. Past Hook and his crew all knocked their flagons of ale together, toasting loudly to the Jolly Roger.

"What exactly are you guys celebrating?" Emma asked of Future Hook, chuckling lightly.

"If memory serves, my crew and I have just returned from a very successful voyage to a kingdom called Arendelle." Hook replied.

"Arendelle?" Shae asked, suddenly staring at Hook, her blood red eyes wide. "Y-You've… You've been to Arendelle?"

"Well, not quite the kingdom itself, but the seas surrounding it, aye." Hook said, eyeing Shae curiously. "Why? Have you been there yourself?"

Shae's eyes somehow grew even wider, and she silently stared between Emma and Hook for a moment. "Uhh… Nope." She replied, quickly shaking her head. She then loudly cleared her throat, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "So, uh… What exactly is the plan here, you guys?"

Hook raised an eyebrow at Emma, who simply shrugged. "Er… Right, all you have to do is make sure _he_ stays occupied." Hook replied, jerking his thumb back toward his past self. "I'll take care of the rest. Just make sure he doesn't return to my ship."

"Don't worry, I've got this." Emma said with a nod.

Shae and Hook both watched with wide, baffled eyes as Emma began to undo the top laces of her corset. "W-What? Wait! W-What are you doing?" Hook stammered.

"Making sure he stays occupied." Emma replied with an innocent shrug. "Shouldn't be too difficult. We all know that I'm his type."

Emma gave them both a wink, and got up from her chair. Hook remained at the table with Shae for a moment, and they both watched as Emma sauntered up to the past Hook, leaning over the table toward him. Slowly, a wide, devious grin spread across the past pirate's face.

"Bloody hell, Swan…" Hook muttered irritably, then turned back to Shae. "Just make sure neither of them get themselves into trouble."

"Aye, aye, Cap'n." Shae replied, giving Hook a mocking salute.

Hook sighed heavily, giving Emma and his past self one last, anxious glance. He then got up from the table as well, and stomped out the door. Shae sighed too, staring longingly down at the flagon of ale sitting in front of her.

"Stuck in the past, on babysitting duty, and I can't even fucking drink." Shae muttered to herself. "Should have fucking stayed in New York."

Shae sat and watched Emma shamelessly flirting with the Captain Hook of the past. She watched as Emma fed him drink after drink, flagon after flagon. Shae was astonished that he was even still conscious. After a while, she began to lose focus, and her mind started to wander. She silently mulled over the opportunity that had suddenly fallen into her lap, an opportunity to fix everything. She had the opportunity to change her entire fate by removing one singular factor from the complicated equation that was her current life; Robin Hood.

If she were to travel to Sherwood Forest and kill the noble thief right that very moment, no one would ever even know. She was confident enough in her abilities that she could even make it look like an accident. Regina would never even meet her other true love, and Shae would be able to have the woman she loved all to herself. However, the moral implications of murdering the man Regina was now in love with weighed heavily upon her. She knew full well that if her past self, the one that she had seen only a short while ago, were presented with the same problem, she wouldn't think twice, wouldn't even hesitate. But things were much different now. Snow White and Prince Charming, Emma, Ruby, and even Regina herself, their love and friendship had realigned the vampire's moral compass in such a drastic way that even thinking about killing the man that had stolen her love away made her squirm with apprehension. She had changed so much, and she hated it.

Shae was roused from her silent musings when someone coughed loudly from beside her. She glanced up, and her heart dropped out of her chest when she saw that the table Emma and the past Captain Hook had been sitting at was now empty. She quickly turned around in her chair, just in time to see the past Captain stumbling out of the tavern door, with Emma beside him. Emma glanced over her shoulder just before the door swung shut behind her, giving Shae a quick, wide eyed glance.

"Oh, son of bitch." Shae grumbled to herself.

The vampire followed Emma and past Hook at a careful distance as they made their way down to the docks. As they neared The Jolly Roger, Shae spotted Snow White exiting the captain's cabin. She stopped, carefully turning her back as Snow swept past her, a strange determined smile spread across the bandit's face. Shae waited until Snow White was out of sight, and turned back to The Jolly Roger, groaning in frustration when she realized that Emma and the past Hook were now gone. She quickly disappeared in a whirl of blood red smoke, reappearing inside the captain's cabin of The Jolly Roger.

Shae was met with a very strange sight. The Captain Hook of the past was standing before the Captain Hook of the future, both Hook's staring wide eyed at each other. Emma was simply staring between both of them, her mouth gaping open in horror.

"W-What?" Past Hook breathed, his eyes wide as saucers. "What the bloody hell is this?"

"Uhhh…" Future Hook droned, glancing at Emma.

"Well, um… Uh…" Emma stammered.

"Oh, god dammit, you guys." Shae grumbled, rolling her eyes at them.

Shae stomped over to Past Hook, seizing him by the front of his coat. "Who the bloody hell are you?" Past Hook demanded. "What the hell is-"

The past Hook stopped mid sentence, staring into the vampire's eyes as they began to glow bright once again. "You're drunk, Captain." Shae told him. "Go sleep it off, and when you wake up, you won't remember any of this. 'Kay?"

Past Hook's eyes glowed the same bright red color as Shae's for a moment. Shae then released him, and he obediently marched over to the cot at the back of the cabin. He laid down upon it, and promptly fell right to sleep, snoring softly.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Shae exclaimed, rounding on both Emma and Hook. "You guys are the worst time travelling companions ever! It's a goddamn miracle our timeline hasn't blown up already!"

Emma and Hook exchanged a silent, sheepish glance. Shae sighed heavily, placing her hands on both their shoulders. "Come on, Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber. Let's get out of here."

Shae once again disappeared in a puff of blood red smoke, with Emma and Hook in tow. The three of them reappeared on a grassy, tree lined hilltop, a large, golden castle glimmering in the moonlight from the distant valley.

"Where the hell are we now?" Emma asked of Shae.

"That's King Midas's castle." Shae answered, pointing a finger down at the castle. "I'm assuming you convinced Snow to come steal Charming's ring, right?"

"Was there ever any doubt?" Hook asked with a grin.

"Yeah, a little." Shae grumbled, rolling her blood red eyes at him.

"So, what, we're just supposed to sit here and wait?" Emma asked, looking worried. "Sorry, but I don't exactly like leaving things to chance."

"You know, I feel exactly the same way."

"GAH!" Shae shouted, startled to find Rumplestiltskin suddenly standing right beside her. She quickly removed her hood and scarf, eyeing The Dark One furiously. "What the hell, man?"

"Not to worry, dearie, it's only little old me." Rumplestiltskin said, emitting an impish giggle. "I come bearing a gift, one that will ensure you entrance into King Midas's castle."

The Dark One held out his hand, and a rolled up scroll magically appeared in his open palm. He held it out to Hook, who took it, though a bit warily.

"What the bloody hell is this?" Hook asked.

"Why, an invitation to the ball, of course!" Rumplestiltskin exclaimed, giggling again. "While you ensure that dear Snow White procures the Prince's ring, I will be busy working on getting your portal to the future open."

"Wait… So you really can do it?" Shae asked, eyeing The Dark One skeptically.

"There is a certain wand that I, um… Came to possess." Rumplestiltskin replied, waving his hand dismissively. "Anyway, legend says, it can recreate any magic that's ever been wielded. With a bit of work, I can use it to recreate the portal that brought you here."

"Please, do it quickly." Emma said pleadingly. "We'll be in and out before you know it."

"Well, not like that, you won't." Rumplestiltskin said with another giggle.

The Dark One waved his hand in Emma and Hook's direction, and they were both suddenly swept up in a whirl of bright red smoke. When the smoke dissipated, Emma was dressed in a flowing red ball gown, her hair tied up in a braid. Hook was now garbed in a set of fine brown and tan breeches and doublet, with a long coat to match. His hook had been replaced with a wooden hand, covered with a brown leather glove.

"Woah…" Shae breathed, staring wide eyed at Emma.

"Hang on, I thought I'm not supposed to stick out!" Emma cried, staring down at her flashy ball gown. "What if someone remembers me in the future?"

"Yes, because what you were wearing before was such an intricate disguise." Rumplestiltskin quipped in reply, his tone heavy with sarcasm. "Honestly, it's a miracle the timeline hasn't imploded already."

"That's what I said!" Shae exclaimed in agreement, throwing her arms up in the air.

The Dark One emitted another high pitched, impish giggle, magically producing a small hand mirror. He held it out to Emma and Hook, and they, along with Shae, leaned in close, examining their own reflections. Two completely different people were gazing back at them from the mirror. Hook and Emma glanced at each other in wonder, and found that, in reality, their faces had remained unchanged.

"A glamour spell." Rumplestiltskin explained. "This is how you will appear to one and all."

"Cool." Shae said, grinning at Emma and Hook.

"Now then, run along and do everything you can to make sure Snow White gets the Prince's ring." Rumplestiltskin went on. "One the two of them are back on track, everything else will be as well."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Shae suddenly exclaimed. "What about me?"

The Dark One turned to Shae, frowning slightly at the vampire. "Yes, you… Well, sorry dearie, but a glamour spell simply won't work on you. One of the downfalls of being undead, it seems."

"Shae, why don't you just wait here?" Emma said gently, giving Shae a small smile. "We'll be back before you know it, I promise."

"Cool… Cool, cool… Right…" Shae muttered, rubbing her chin as she stared down at the ground. "You know what? You guys go to the ball, and I'm gonna go do my own thing, like, _super_ quick. Then I'll, uh… Meet you at Rumple's castle."

Emma exchanged a curious glance with Hook. "Wait… Where are you going?"

"If I had to guess…" Hook began slowly, eyeing Shae with a sudden apprehension. "Sherwood Forest."

"Sherwood Forest?" Emma asked, looking confused. Her eyes then shone with realization, and her jaw dropped open in horror. "Oh my god… That's… That's where Robin Hood's from. You're… You're going to kill him, aren't you?"

Shae opened her mouth to respond, but Rumplestiltskin cut her off with another one of his devious giggles. "Robin Hood, eh?" He asked, grinning at Shae. "The one who steals from the rich and gives to the poor? Fancies himself a thief with honor. Bit of an oxymoron, don't you think?"

"He's some sort of moron, alright." Shae grumbled.

"And what exactly has our honorable thief done to you?" Asked Rumplestiltskin, raising an eyebrow at the vampire. "Stolen something from you, has he?"

"Yeah, you could say that." Shae muttered bitterly, folding her arms across her chest.

"Ah, I see. He's stolen your Queen from you, hasn't he?" Rumplestiltskin asked. When Shae's mouth dropped open in shock, he giggled once again. "Oh, don't look so surprised, dearie! I know a great many things, and I know that you and dear Regina are bound by true love."

Shae eyed The Dark One warily as he took a step closer to her, dropping his voice low. "But I also know that there is another tied to The Evil Queen's heart. A certain man, with a certain tattoo. Whoever could it be, I wonder?"

"Yeah, it's Robin Hood, alright?" Shae spat bitterly. She then breathed out a frustrated sigh, turning back to Emma and Hook's horror stricken faces. "Look, I'm not gonna kill him, alright? I'm just gonna do… Something to make sure he never gets to Regina. That's all."

"Oh, how horribly disappointing." Rumplestiltskin said with a frown. "But, just in case you change your mind!"

The Dark One waved his hand, giggling once again as a dagger appeared in Shae's clenched fist. Shae jumped, staring bewilderedly from the dagger in her hand, back to Rumplestiltskin.

"Why the bloody hell would you do that?" Hook exclaimed angrily.

Rumplestiltskin clapped his hands excitedly, giggling all the while. "Oh, let's just say that I'm an avid fan of a little chaos now and again. Toodle-oo!"

In the time it took Emma, Hook, and Shae to blink, Rumplestiltskin was gone. A sudden silence fell over the three time travellers gathered upon the hilltop. Emma and Hook watched Shae warily as she stared down at the dagger in her hand. After several long moments, she stowed the dagger in her belt, finally glancing back up at Emma and Hook.

"Well… See you guys later." She said with a shrug.

"Shae, wait!" Emma shouted, taking a step toward her.

Emma stopped in her tracks, groaning in frustration as the vampire disappeared in a puff of blood red smoke. She then turned to Hook, her hazel green eyes panic stricken.

"We have to do something." Emma said in a rush. "W-We… We have to stop her!"

"Swan, no." Hook replied gently, slowly shaking his head. " _We_ have to make sure your mother is actually able to steal your father's ring. Whatever the bloody vampire does is beyond our control."

Emma shook her head vigorously, clenching her fists tight. "No! No, we can't… We can't just let her kill Robin Hood!"

"She said she wouldn't, remember?" Hook said in the same careful and gentle tone. "The Shae that we saw earlier might have run off and murdered the man who stole her Queen away without a second thought. But our Shae? She's… Different. She's changed."

When Emma continued to look skeptical, Hook sighed, taking her hand in his. "Look, Swan, she said she wouldn't kill Robin Hood." He went on quietly. "All we can do is take her at her word. I trust she won't, and you should too."

XX

Robin of Locksley had built up quite a reputation for himself within Sherwood Forest, so it didn't take Shae long to track down the infamous thief. Once arriving in Sherwood, she stopped in at a local tavern. The innkeep was a bit hesitant to give out information to a complete stranger, but by using her powers of persuasion once again, Shae was able gain Robin Hood's exact location from the man. Robin Hood and his Merry Men had set up camp just on the outskirts of a town called Nottingham. Shae spotted the glow of firelight as she approached the Merry Men's camp. She recognized Friar Tuck seated by the fire, along with several other men, all holding what looked like bowls of stew.

"Evening, gents." Shae said in greeting, dropping her voice low to sound more like a man's. "Might you have a place at your fire for a weary traveller?"

"Of course, my friend, of course!" Said Friar Tuck, beaming merrily at her. "Come, join us. I can offer you a bowl of rabbit stew, if you'd like."

"Oh, no thank you." Shae politely declined, taking a seat on a log next to the Friar. "I'm just looking to rest my legs and warm my bones, is all."

"Oi, what's with the mask then?" Asked the young man sitting across the fire from Shae.

"Come on, Will. Don't be rude." One of the other men chided the one named Will.

"I'm only curious!" Will cried defensively, then turned his attention back to Shae. "So, what is it, then? The Sheriff of Nottingham after your head as well?"

"Er… Yes, something like that." Shae replied hesitantly.

"That man's a right bloody menace, he is." Will grumbled in a dark tone. "Chasing after poor Robin, even after all that's happened."

"Oh, so you're The Merry Men?" Shae asked, keeping her own tone light and casual. "Fancy that! Where is your fearless leader? I'd be happy to meet the famous Robin Hood."

The men seated around the fire fell silent for a moment, staring glumly down into their bowls of stew. "Well, he's just lost his wife, you see." Friar Tuck answered. "Poor man's been distraught for days. Barely eats, barely sleeps."

"Barely even looks at his own son." Will threw in sadly. "He just can't-"

"Come on, Robin. You need to eat something."

The Merry Men all glanced up, and Shae turned around in her seat. Little John was approaching the fire, leading Robin Hood himself by the arm. Shae clenched her fists when she saw the man that had stolen Regina away from her. She silently seethed with rage as Little John carefully ushered Robin Hood over to the fire, where he took a seat next to Will.

"Robin, this here is-" Friar Tuck began to say, then frowned at Shae. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm afraid I never asked your name."

"It's uh… Han. Han Solo." Shae replied quickly, spouting off the first name that came to her mind.

"Ah, pleasure to meet you, Han." The Friar said with a warm smile. He then cleared his throat, and turned back to Robin Hood, who was silently staring into the fire. "Han here is a passing traveller."

"On the run from Nottingham, same as us." Will told him with a grin, gently nudging Robin's arm.

"Oh, I see." Robin said quietly, giving Shae a weak smile. "You're smart to hide your face, then. Much smarter than I, it seems."

Shae opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again, swallowing the hard, rage filled lump that had formed in her throat as the man she hated smiled at her. She gave him a simple nod, and Robin resumed staring into the fire. The immeasurable pain in his eyes almost made the vampire feel sorry for him, but her fury over what Robin Hood would one day take from her was too great for any sort of sympathy.

The Merry Men ate, drank, and conversated for a long while. Slowly, they began to filter away, returning to their tents as they night wore on. The campfire had shrunk down to mere embers when Friar Tuck turned in for the night, leaving Robin Hood alone with the strange traveller that had happened upon their camp. Shae was finally alone with the person she hated most in the world. She had been quietly wrestling with the confliction in her heart while she sat amongst The Merry Men. But, now that her enemy was mere feet away from her, alone, and defenseless, she knew what must be done. She had to make absolutely sure that there would be no way for Regina's other true love to ever cross her path, and there was only one way to do that.

"My apologies, friend." Robin suddenly said, staring sadly at Shae from across the fire. "I'm not the most pleasant of company at the moment, I'm afraid."

Shae cleared her throat, dropping her voice down to the same low tone she had used before. "It's alright. Your men told me that you've just lost your wife. I am… Very sorry to hear that."

Robin nodded slowly, giving Shae another weak smile. "Thank you. It was… A shock, to put things lightly. I am… Unsure what exactly to do with myself now." He said quietly. "It's as if… As if there's a hole within me now, an empty sort of void. And… And my boy, my son. He's only a baby, he'll… He'll never know his mother. Oh god…"

Robin Hood's face twisted with sorrow, and he leaned forward, burying his face in his hands. Shae watched as his body shook with bitter sobs, her own heart heavy with sorrow. She fiddled with the handle of the dagger tucked under her cloak, confliction rising within her once again. She tried to access her former self, the one that had killed three innocent people without a second thought, the one that she knew still resided deep inside her. She needed that Shae ensure her own future, the future of her relationship with the woman she loved. However, as she gazed upon the weeping, broken man before her, she was having a hard time finding that dark and evil side of herself.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Robin muttered as he straightened himself up, wiping the tears from his face. "I imagine it's not a pleasant sight, watching a grown man cry."

Shae sighed, removing her hand from the dagger and folding her hands in her lap. "It's alright. I um… Understand how painful it is."

"You've lost someone as well?" Asked Robin.

Shae nodded slowly, her blood red eyes filled with sorrow. "Yes… More than once, actually."

"I see…" Robin muttered sadly. "I am truly sorry. It is… It's not easy."

"No, it's not." Shae quietly replied.

They sat in silence for a while, staring into the glowing embers of the campfire. Robin suddenly glanced up, staring at Shae with miserable, blood shot eyes.

"Have you ever met a woman that… The very first time you saw her, you loved everything about her?" Robin asked of Shae, his voice barely above a whisper. "Because that… That was my Marian."

Robin paused, a sudden wistful smile on his face. "I loved every single thing about her." He went on, his eyes shining with tears. "The way she walked, the way she talked, the smell of her hair, her eyes. But it was her smile, most of all. It was the kind of smile that… That every time I saw it, it would make my heart race. Have you ever met a woman like that?"

Shae swallowed hard, fighting back her own tears as she thought about Regina. She thought about _her_ smile, pictured it in her mind. It was the very smile that made her unbeating heart flutter.

"Yes, actually, I have." Shae answered quietly..

"Is this woman still a part of your life?" Robin asked.

Shae bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. "Um… Yes, in a way, I suppose."

Shae jumped slightly, startled as Robin suddenly leapt up from his seat. He stepped straight over the fire and sat down next to Shae. She eyed him warily as he tightly gripped her shoulders, his eyes wide with a wild sort of intensity.

"Then you must hold on to her." He whispered urgently, his voice quavering with emotion. "You must do everything in your power keep her by your side, to keep her safe. You must not lose her, I beg of you. The pain, it's… It's too great. I wouldn't wish it even upon my worst enemy."

Shae gazed into Robin Hood's bright blue eyes as tears rolled down his cheeks. She reached into her cloak once again, her hand shaking as she gripped the handle of the dagger tucked into her belt. She had no idea why The Dark One had given it to her, she didn't exactly need it. She could easily snap Robin's neck right that very moment, make it look like he had taken a bad fall. Or, she could tear him apart with her fangs, and his men would think a rabid animal had done their fearless leader in. She decided that those two options were much too quick, too simple. She wanted Robin of Locksley to suffer for what he had done.

"Don't worry. She's not going anywhere." Shae whispered to him.

Robin gasped, staring down in horror as Shae stabbed the dagger into his stomach. Shae quickly clamped her hand over his mouth, stifling his cry of pain. She shoved him backward onto the ground, pressing her palm down over his mouth as she climbed on top of him. She tore the dagger from his belly, her hand soaked with his blood, and plunged it straight into his heart.

Robin whimpered from around Shae's fingers, digging his fingers into her arm. His agonized screams were muffled as Shae twisted the dagger into his flesh, her blood red eyes wild with rage. She removed the dagger one last time, and shoved it through his adam's apple. The vampire finally removed her hand from his mouth, a dark and twisted grin spreading across her face as he emitted a wet, strangled gurgle, coughing up a wad of blood. She watched in positive delight as the blood spilled from his throat, the light of life fading from his eyes.

"There…" Shae whispered, leaning in close to Robin Hood's still, lifeless face. "Now you'll never take her from me."

XX

"I wouldn't wish it even upon my worst enemy."

Shae snapped out of her violent, rage filled daze. She blinked several times, staring into Robin Hood's bright blue eyes. She gripped the dagger tight, her clenched fist trembling. She then released it, and quickly vacated her seat, stepping away from the man that she had just been about to murder in cold blood.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Robin stammered, wiping more tears away from his face. "I… I didn't mean to burden you with all my woes."

"No, i-it's alright." Shae replied hastily, trying to stop her hands from shaking. "I just… I need to go. Thank you for… For your hospitality."

Robin Hood nodded slowly, and Shae turned to leave. After a few steps, she stopped, biting her lip as she turned back to the man she hated.

"Um… Listen, Robin." She began slowly. "I've got some friends, and they… They're always going on about how, when things get tough, we have to have hope. Sometimes… Sometimes hope is all we have, you know?"

Robin nodded, a small smile creeping across his face. Shae nodded back, turning to leave once again. She stopped when Robin spoke quietly.

"Thank you, for sharing your friend's wisdom." He said, smiling another grateful smile. "I… I think I needed to hear it."

"Um… Sure, y-you're welcome." Shae stammered in reply.

Shae set off into the forest, disappearing in a cloud of blood red smoke once she was out of sight of Robin Hood. She appeared again outside The Dark One's castle doors. She breathed out a heavy sigh, leaning her forehead against the tall wooden doors. She squeezed her eyes shut, silent tears running down her face. She then shook herself, quickly wiping away her tears. She pushed the castle doors open, and when she entered the main hall, she found Rumplestiltskin sitting at the head of the long, wooden table, the crystal ball he had used earlier sitting in front of him.

"I have to say, dearie, you only continue to disappoint." He said, giggling in the high pitched, devious way that he often did.

When Shae got close enough to peer into the crystal ball, she saw Robin Hood, sitting alone at the campfire where she had left him. She breathed out another heavy sigh, slowing rubbing her forehead.

"I think I rather prefer the you from this time." Rumplestiltskin said with another giggle. "I've rather enjoyed watching you and your Queen rampaging across her little kingdom."

"Yeah, well, that's not who I am anymore." Shae replied quietly.

"Are you sure about that?" Rumplestiltskin asked, grinning up at her in a knowing way. "Tell me, dearie, how did it feel when you pictured yourself murdering the famous Robin Hood? How did it feel when you imagined plunging that dagger I gave you into his loathsome heart?"

Shae didn't respond right away. She stared down at the crystal ball, at the man she hated most sitting by the fire with his head in his hands. She thought back to her brief moment of hallucination, remembered what it felt like to watch the light leaving Robin Hood's eyes. Her heart had soared with a kind of morbid gleefulness that she hadn't felt in a long, long time.

"I loved it." She finally replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "I loved every goddamn second of it."

"Of course you did!" Rumplestiltskin cried, as if the fact should have been obvious. "I've seen your kind before, and you're all prone violence, destruction, and death. Did you really think that a creature such as yourself could become some sort of hero?"

"Well, yeah, I-I mean, I did… I-I was, I-" Shae stopped her stammering, and groaned in frustration. "Just… I don't want to talk about that now. Just go get Emma and Hook so we can all get the hell out of here."

Rumplestiltskin glanced around his large, empty hall for a moment, then raised an eyebrow at Shae. "Sorry, dearie, but your time travelling companions aren't here."

"What?" Shae exclaimed, groaning once again. "Oh, god dammit… They should have been back by now. Where the hell are they?"

"Let's find out, shall we?"

The Dark One waved his hand over the crystal ball, and Shae leaned in close, watching as the image of Robin Hood disappeared, replaced by whirling purple smoke. When the smoke cleared, she saw Emma dressed in her red ball gown, in the crowded ballroom of King Midas's golden palace. When she saw who was with her, heart heart dropped straight out of her chest.

"Oh shit…" She whispered.

Her own past self was standing behind Emma, placing iron shackles on her wrists. Behind her were at least a dozen of The Evil Queen's black knights. Standing before her, was The Evil Queen herself, grinning wickedly at a panic stricken Emma.

"Regina, listen, you don't-" Emma began to say, her voice emanating from out of the crystal ball.

"Oi, show some damn respect, _whore_." Shae's past self snarled at her, tugging roughly at the shackles on Emma's wrists. "It's 'Your Majesty.'"

"You're not going anywhere." The Evil Queen sneered. "Snow White may have left the party early, but I suspect that your night has just begun. Take her away."

"With pleasure, Your Majesty." Past Shae replied, shoving Emma forward.

Rumplestiltskin giggled from beside Shae, clapping his hands excitedly. "Now _that_ is the Shae that I like best!"

"Oh, god dammit… God DAMMIT!" Shae shouted, slamming her fist into the table. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

"I don't know, dearie, but you best do it quick." Rumplestiltskin replied, giggling once again. "Otherwise you might just be stuck here for much longer than you planned."

XX

Captain Hook was seated by the campfire next to Prince Charming, staring out anxiously at The Evil Queen's castle in the distance. After Emma was captured by The Queen, Hook quickly tracked down The Prince and Snow White. He managed to convince the bandit to break in to the castle that had once been her own, and free Emma, who now had The Prince's ring. After travelling to The Evil Queen's castle, Snow had instructed Hook and Charming to wait at their camp till nightfall, and she would return with some help to sneak into the castle. Night had long since fallen, and Hook was starting to grow concerned.

"Psst… Psst!"

Hook furrowed his brow, gazing all around him for the source of the curious sound. He spotted a familiar hooded and masked face peering at him from around one of the trees. Charming had spotted it too, and he leapt to his feet in alarm, drawing his sword.

"Woah, hold on there, mate!" Hook exclaimed, carefully putting out his hand. "It's alright. She's a um… A friend."

"She?" Charming asked, raising an eyebrow at the pirate.

Hook ignored the Prince and hurried over to Shae. "It's about bloody time you showed up." Me muttered irritably, dropping his voice low.

"What the hell are you guys even doing out here?" Shae asked, glancing over at Charming curiously. "Why are you with Charming?"

Hook glanced over his shoulder at The Prince as well, who had stowed away his sword, but was still eyeing the masked stranger warily.

"Bit of a long story, mate." Hook replied, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm afraid we've run into a bit of a snag. Swan has been-"

"Captured by Regina and… Me." Shae finished for him. "Yeah, I know. Why exactly are you guys just sitting out here?"

"Well, we were planning a rescue, but Snow White told us to wait here, and she'd return with reinforcements."

"Say what now?"

Hook sighed heavily, rubbing his aching forehead. He quickly explained to Shae everything that had happened since the vampire had left them. Shae listened quietly, her blood red eyes growing wider and wider as Hook went on.

"So… Snow had the ring, then lost it, and now Emma has it, but she's-" Shae began to summarize.

"In The Queen's dungeon, most likely, aye." Hook said, nodding in affirmation.

Shae groaned in frustration, placing her hands over her face. "Jesus Christ, you guys." She grumbled irritably. "Alright, I'm going in. Gotta do everything my damn self…"

"Wait a minute, mate!" Hook exclaimed, grabbing Shae's arm as she made to stomp off toward the castle. "You can't just go barging in to The Evil Queen's castle!"

"Uh, yeah, actually, I can." Shae said in retort. "I'm Regina's Royal Protector, remember? I'm probably the only one out of all of us that can get inside without being killed on sight."

"But your past self is in there as well."

"That's a risk I'll have to take."

"Wait, wait!" Hook said, grabbing the vampire's arm once again. "If you're going to pose as… Well, you, then you'll need your accent back. You know, the one you spoke with back in… In this time."

"Oh, yeah, good point." Shae muttered. She nodded, clearing her throat. "Oi, I fink I use to talk like dis, innit?"

"What? No!" Cried Hook.

"No, no… That's Cockney." Shae mumbled, shaking her head. She then cleared her throat loudly once again. "G'day, mate, let's throw some shrimp on the barbie. Crikey!"

Hook shook his head, and Shae sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Nope. Australian. Just… Nevermind, I'll figure it out."

Shae then turned away from the pirate, stomping off toward The Evil Queen's castle. A persistent anxiousness began to bubble in her stomach as she stared up at the tall, pointed spires of Regina's castle, the very castle that she had spent years in, standing by Regina's side as she wreaked havoc upon her kingdom, all to get revenge upon Snow White. She removed her hood and scarf as she approached the cobblestone walkway that lead up to the castle doors. She nodded curtly at the soldiers posted by the doors, who sprang into a salute when they saw her.

"Oh, I miss that." Shae muttered to herself with a wistful sigh.

She pushed open the grand doors of The Evil Queen's palace, and stepped into the throne room, breathing out a relieved sigh when she found it empty. She took a moment to admire her surroundings, smiling as fond memories of her and Regina's time together washed over her. She quickly shook herself, and marched off in the direction of the dungeons, where she hoped she would find Emma.

It was quite late in the night, and Shae was grateful that the halls of The Queen's castle were mostly empty. She passed a few guards, but, just as the ones outside the castle had, they immediately snapped into salutes when they spotted her. She turned down a long hallway, the door to the dungeons standing at the very end. She breathed out another sigh of relief. She had made it, without any kind of complications. Shae, Emma, and Hook had run into nothing but problems since accidentally falling through Zelena's portal. Maybe their luck was finally starting to turn around.

"Ah! There you are! I've been looking for you."

Shae froze mid step, her eyes growing wide with horror. She turned slowly around, her heart sinking deep into the pit of her stomach. The Evil Queen was sauntering down the hallway toward her, a dark and devilish grin stretching across her face. She stopped when she spotted her Protector, and her grin fell into a confused frown.

"What is this? Why are you dressed like a dirty peasant?" The Queen demanded, a bit irritably, gesturing toward Shae's outfit.

Shae opened and closed her mouth several times, too shocked and disturbed to even speak. The Regina of the past eyed her curiously, waiting for her to respond. Shae knew that The Evil Queen wasn't the patient type, so she would have to come up with something, and fast.

"Um… Well, uh… My… My armor, I-I got blood all over it." Shae quickly stammered, trying to remain calm. "And uh… You know, it's dirty so uh… I-I'm having it cleaned. A-And stuff."

The Evil Queen's brow furrowed in confusion. "What's the matter with you? Why are you speaking so strangely?"

"Ah, there you are, Your Majesty!"

The Evil Queen spun around, and Shae's jaw dropped open in utter horror. Walking down the hallway toward them, was her past self, grinning from ear to ear.

"I've just heard the good news! Snow White is finally-"

The past Shae stopped dead in her tracks, staring wide eyed at her future self standing behind her Queen. The Evil Queen stared between the two Shaes, her mouth gaping open in complete and total confusion.

"Oh no…" Shae whispered. "Ohhh… Shit…"

"What the bloody hell is this?" Past Shae demanded furiously.

"You're not Shae!" The Evil Queen snarled, narrowing her eyes at the future Shae. "Who the hell are you?"

"Uhhh…" Shae droned, her eyes wide with fear. "LOOK OUT!"

As The Evil Queen and her past self both whirled around in alarm, following her pointed finger, Shae disappeared in a puff of blood red smoke. She reappeared in one of the upper halls of The Evil Queen's castle. She breathed out a sigh of relief, doubling over with her hands on her knees.

"Phew… That was a close one." She muttered to herself.

Suddenly, she heard a strange whooshing sound from behind her. She spun around, and only had time to gasp in fright as her past self seized her by the front of her shirt. Shae cried out in pain as Evil Shae slammed her against the wall, pressing her forearm against her throat.

"Who the hell are you?" Past Shae snarled, glaring into her future self's blood red eyes. "How is it that you wear my face?"

Shae replied by headbutting her past self right in the nose. Past Shae stumbled backward, howling in pain as he held her aching nose. Shae threw out her arm, using her magic to send Past Shae hurtling backward down the long hallway. Future Shae whirled around, taking off at a full sprint away from her past self.

"SHIT!" Shae shouted as a fireball came hurtling toward her head.

She threw herself to the ground, rolling and tumbling across the marble floor. When she came to a stop, she gasped in alarm as The Evil Queen stood over her. The Queen summoned another fireball into her hand, but Shae quickly disappeared in another whirl of red smoke. She hadn't had time to mentally choose a destination, and was startled to find that she had appeared inside the castle kitchens. She sat forward, and was even more startled to find that she was sitting upon a wooden table.

Two servant women were seated at the table, seemingly in the middle of a late night snack. They stared at Shae with wide, baffled eyes, and a dinner roll fell from one of the servant's gaping mouths, back onto her plate.

"Um… Hi there!" Shae said, giving the women a nervous smile. "Sorry, I was just- SHIT!"

Shae barrel rolled off of the table as she spotted a rush of blood red smoke from the corner of the room. The two servants shrieked in fright, fleeing from the kitchen as the past Shae drew her sword. Future Shae leapt to her feet, searching all around her for something that she could use as a weapon. Only one item fit that description; A frying pan.

"Come at me, bitch!" Shae snarled, brandishing the frying pan at her past self.

Past Shae let out a roar of rage, swinging her sword through the air. Future Shae managed to block the blow with her frying pan, leaping back out of the way of another. The two Shae's exchanged blows for a few moments, the frying pan successfully keeping Future Shae safe from Past Shae's sword. Suddenly, the round part of the pan snapped off from the force of Past Shae's blow, and Future Shae was left standing with nothing but the handle clenched in her fist.

"Uhh… Think fast!"

Shae hurled the handle at her past self, hitting her right in the forehead with it. Though the Shae of the past was not harmed by the blow, she was at least startled by it. Future Shae used her brief moment of distraction to once again disappear from the room, appearing again in The Evil Queen's bedchamber. She rushed over to The Queen's vanity, hastily pulling open the drawers, tossing various items over her shoulder as she searched.

"Come on, come on… Where the hell is it?" She muttered to herself. "Aha!"

She straightened up, grinning triumphantly as she finally found what she was looking for; a vial of golden, glittering powder. She spun around when she heard a familiar whooshing sound from behind her, and found her past self stepping out of a cloud of blood red smoke.

"Stand and face me, assassin!" Past Shae roared at her.

Future Shae shrugged. "Alright."

Past Shae let out another bellow of rage. She charged at her future self, sword raised in the air. Future Shae swiftly uncorked the vial, tossing the contents in the face of her past self. She stepped aside, deftly dodging Past Shae as she fell face first to the floor, where she remained motionless. Shae didn't have time to revel in her victory, for The Evil Queen had appeared before her in a rush of purple smoke. Her lips curled into a fearsome snarl when she saw her Royal Protector lying unconscious on her bedchamber floor.

"Wait! Regina, stop!" Shae cried as The Evil Queen summoned another fireball into her hand. "Dammit, it's me, ok? I'm her, I'm Shae! I'm… I'm from the future!"

The Evil Queen hesitated with the fireball in her hand, silently gaping at the Shae from the future. After a few moments of bewildered silence, she started to laugh.

"Spouting off nonsense in attempt to save your own life?" She asked, sneering dangerously. "Pathetic!"

"No! No, no! It's nonsense! I-I can prove it!" Shae exclaimed hastily. "If I'm not Shae, then how did I know exactly where to find your sleeping powder?"

Shae waited for a silent beat for The Evil Queen to respond. The Queen only took an angry step toward her, raising her fireball in the air. Shae stumbled back a few steps, and quickly tried again.

"Daniel! I know all about Daniel!" She said in a panicked rush. When The Evil Queen's furious snarl faded, and her eyes grew wide with shock, Shae went on. "Yeah, I know he's the real reason you want Snow White dead. All that stuff on the wanted posters about treason, it's all bullshit. She's the reason that he died, that your mother killed him."

"How the hell do you know about that?" The Evil Queen snarled.

"You told me all about him the first time we met, after I came through that mirror, remember?" Shae quickly answered. "Remember what I told you? I told you that love would bring you nothing but pain. And after you saved me from Van Helsing, after I became your Protector, you told me all about how he died. You… You told me that I was right."

The Evil Queen remained silent for a moment, her mouth gaping open in shock. To Shae's immense relief, she extinguished her fireball, her hand dropping back down to her side as she stared wide eyed at her Protector from the future.

"It… It really is you." She breathed, slowly shaking her head in utter disbelief. "I… I don't understand. Time travel, it's… It's not possible!"

"Trust me, it's possible." Shae replied with a slight chuckle. "Someone in my time… Figured it out and I sort of… Fell through their portal. On accident."

"My god… This is… This is madness!" The Evil Queen exclaimed. "To think, travelling through time is actually possible. How far in the future are you from, exactly?"

"Um… Roughly… Thirty-ish years." Shae replied, shrugging uncertainly.

"Thirty years…" The Queen breathed in wonder, her brown eyes wider than ever. "You said you fell through a portal? How exactly was it opened?"

"Oh, no… No, no, I can't tell you that."

"Then who opened it?"

"I can't tell you that either."

The Evil Queen narrowed her eyes irritably at the vampire. "What exactly _can_ you tell me about the future?"

"Nothing." Shae answered with a quick shake of her head. "In fact, we shouldn't even be having this conversation. I just needed to get you to stop trying to kill me. There were two other people that fell through the portal with me, and I came here looking for one of them. She's probably in your dungeon."

"I see… It's that Princess Leia, isn't it?" Asked The Evil Queen.

"Princess Leia?" Shae echoed, breathing out an amused laugh. "Yeah, that's definitely her."

"I sensed something… Strange about that woman." The Queen muttered quietly. "Who exactly is she?"

Shae bit her lip, anxiously drumming her fingers on her legs. "I can't tell you that."

The Evil Queen eyed Shae curiously as the vampire turned away from her, and began rummaging around inside the drawers of her vanity once again. "What exactly do you think you're doing?" She demanded furiously.

"Calm down, will ya?" Shae snapped, rolling her blood red eyes. "Jesus, I forgot how annoyingly suspicious you used to be… Aha!"

Shae straightened up when finally found what she was looking for. She quickly stepped up to The Evil Queen, holding out a small, clear vial to her. "A memory potion?" Asked The Queen, raising an eyebrow at Shae.

"Yeah, you need to forget all of this." Shae replied with a nod. "Like I said, we shouldn't even be talking, you shouldn't have even seen me. We've already managed to screw up one major event, and I can't risk screwing up anything else."

"Shae, I… No, I-I can't! There's so much I want to ask you, so much I want to know, I-"

"Regina, listen to me." Shae said quietly, taking one of The Queen's hands in hers and staring very seriously into her eyes. "I just need you to trust me, ok? The future, _our_ future, it's messed up enough as it is, I can't-"

"Wait, what do you mean, 'our future?'" The Queen interjected, removing her hand from Shae's and drawing back a step. "You mean to tell me that you still serve as my Protector thirty years from now?"

Shae opened and closed her mouth several times, her throat suddenly very dry. She glanced over at her past self, who was still lying in an unconscious heap on the floor. She then turned back to The Evil Queen, and smiled at her.

"Yes. Always." Shae whispered quietly. "I'll always protect you, Regina. So as your Protector, you need to trust me, and you need to drink this."

Shae held up the vial of memory potion once again. The Evil Queen stared at it for a moment, then she narrowed her eyes irritably at her Protector from the future, folding her arms across her chest.

"Well, I'm not sure how things are in this future of yours, but here and now, I certainly do not take orders from you." She replied with an indignant huff. "It's quite the other way around, actually-"

"Oh my god!" Shae cried, throwing up her arms in despair. "I forgot how goddamn stubborn you used to be! Though, honestly, that hasn't really changed much at all."

The Evil Queen opened her mouth in angry protest, but Shae quickly cut in again. "Dammit, Regina, please!" She exclaimed, once again gripping The Queen's hand, staring desperately into her eyes. "Please, you have to! I told you, we've already changed too much, done too much damage."

"No, absolutely not, I-"

"Bitch, don't make me force this down your goddamn throat, because I _will_!"

"FINE!" The Queen shouted, snatching the vial furiously from Shae's hand. She breathed out a frustrated sigh, glowering at her Protector from the future. "What about her? Or rather… You?"

She gestured over to Shae's unconscious past self, and Future Shae simply shrugged. "I wouldn't worry about her. She called me an assassin earlier, so I'm pretty sure she just thinks I'm… Well, an assassin, disguised as her come to kill you. Which is exactly what you'll think too, after you drink that potion."

The Evil Queen continued to glare at the future Shae for a moment, but then she sighed again, staring down at the vial in her hand. "Shae, please… Isn't there anything you can tell me about my future?" She pleaded quietly, turning her brown eyes back onto the vampire. "I'll only forget it anyway, so what's the harm?"

Shae bit her lip, staring into The Queen's deep, gorgeous brown eyes. Though the Regina that stood before her was only a dark and twisted shadow of the woman she currently loved, her eyes still remained the same. Shae felt a deep, horrible ache in her heart as she stared into those eyes, the eyes that she had lost herself in so many times, eyes that used to be filled with so much love for her.

"I… I know that, after Daniel you thought… Y-You think that you'll never find love again, that no one will love you like he did." Shae quietly replied. "But… You do, Regina. You do find love again."

The Evil Queen's eyes grew wide, and her mouth gaped open in shock. When she failed to respond, too shocked to even speak, Shae smiled at her once again, her blood red eyes shining with tears, and went on.

"Not too long from now, there will be… There… There _is_ someone who you love, someone who loves you." She paused, fighting back the tears that were threatening to leak from her eyes. "There is someone who sees through all the… The rage, the pain, the darkness. Someone who sees the woman underneath it all. And… And that person loves her very, very much. More than anything."

"Who?" The Queen breathed quietly. When Shae didn't respond, when she couldn't, her eyes suddenly shone with understanding, and they grew wider than ever. "You…"

Shae swallowed the hard lump that hard formed in her throat, squeezing her eyes shut, tears now leaking down her cold, pale cheeks. She then breathed out a slow, shaky sigh, and nodded.

"My god…" The Queen breathed, staring up at Shae with wide, baffled eyes. "I… I admit, I have seen the way you look at me. I thought it was purely desire, but… But love?"

"It, uh… It started out that way, yeah." Shae replied, breathing out a slight chuckle. "It just… Took me a while to figure out what it actually was. It took us both a while.

The Evil Queen glanced over at Shae's past self lying on the floor, then back at the future Shae, her mouth gaping open. "So… So you're saying that, in the future, we… We will-"

"Yeah." Shae cut in quietly, smiling once again. "I know you feel it too, right now. You felt it for the first time the day you saved me from Van Helsing, we both did. When you got me down from that stake, I sort of… Fell into your arms. And after that… I just… Never really stopped."

The Queen fell silent for a moment, glancing over at her unconscious Protector, her mouth opening and closing several times in complete and utter shock. Shae watched her quietly as she processed everything she had just told her. The Queen slowly shook her head, turning her baffled gaze back onto the future Shae.

"Shae, I… I don't know what to say." She whispered.

Shae smiled sadly into her eyes, reaching out and placing a hand on her cheek. "You don't have to say anything." She whispered back.

Shae slowly leaned forward, placing a soft, gentle kiss on The Evil Queen's lips. For a moment, The Queen stood rigid in shock, and Shae was suddenly reminded of the first time she had ever kissed her. Regina had gotten angry, slapped her, even. But, this time, The Queen did not recoil. Her lips parted against Shae's, and she slowly wrapped her arms around her neck, drawing her in closer.

They stood locked in their passionate embrace for a few long, silent moments, their lips parting slowly, gently. When Shae finally pulled away, she found The Evil Queen smiling up at her, the very smile that made her unbeating heart flutter inside her chest.

"Is this something we do a lot of in the future?" The Queen asked, smiling into Shae's blood red eyes, her arms still curled around her neck.

Shae breathed out a laugh, nodding slowly. "Yeah, among other things."

The Queen laughed too, and she placed her hand on the back of Shae's head, drawing her back in. "Do it again." She whispered.

Shae obeyed her Queen's order, and kissed her again. She pulled her against her body, wrapping her arms tightly around her. The Queen gasped against Shae's lips at the amount of deep, passionate urgency in her kiss. She gently squeezed a fistful of Shae's hair, a soft moan escaping her lips.

Shae's sorrows were momentarily forgotten as she held the Regina of the past in her arms. She was comforted by the familiar feeling of her lips against her own, the scent of the perfume that she used to wear. As their lips parted again and again, Shae slowly began to realize that something was off, something was… Wrong. She knew that it was because the woman that she was kissing was not the woman she loved, not anymore. As she kissed The Evil Queen, she longed for Regina, wanting so desperately to be back in her loving arms once again.

"Shae… What is it? What's wrong?" The Queen asked as Shae suddenly broke away, choking out a strangled sob, her blood red eyes streaming with tears.

"There's someone else…" Shae whispered shakily, biting back another sob.

"What?" Asked The Queen, her eyes growing wide once again.

"In the future, there's a… A man that comes into your life, our lives." Shae replied, her voice cracking with emotion. "A-And you… You fall in love with him."

The Evil Queen drew back a step, her jaw dropping open in shock. "What?" She asked again, looking outraged. "You're telling me that I choose someone else over… Over you? My own Protector?"

"It's… I-It's complicated." Shae stammered in reply, wiping at the tears on her face. "I… I died, sort of… But you found a way to bring me back. And… And while I was gone, you… You fell in love with… With him."

"Who?" The Queen demanded furiously, still outraged over this new information. "Who exactly is this man?"

Shae shook her head vigorously, more tears spilling down her face. "No, I-I… I can't. Dammit, I shouldn't have even said anything. I just… Oh god, it just hurts so much…"

The Evil Queen stood rigid in her spot, watching in silent horror as Shae broke down in front of her, falling to her knees as her body shook with bitter sobs. After a few moments of uncertain hesitation, she knelt down in front of the miserable, broken woman before her, and gently took her into her arms. Shae sobbed into her shoulder, wrapping her arms around The Queen, holding her desperately. The Regina of the past held her as she wept, gently wiping Shae's tears away when her sobs finally subsided.

"Oh, Shae… Shae, I'm so sorry." The Queen whispered to her, her eyes full of sorrow. "I can't take this, I won't. Not now."

Shae shook her head as The Queen attempted to give the vial of memory potion back to her. "No, Regina, you have to." Shae replied shakily, pressing the vial back into The Queen's hands. " _Especially_ now. I've said way too much."

"No! No, I can't! Not when I know that I'm just going to… Abandon you for someone else!" The Queen exclaimed. Her furious expression then softened, and she smiled again, gently placing her hand on Shae's cheek. "Shae, you were right. I… I did feel it the day I saved you from Van Helsing, and again when you kissed me. I… I do love you."

"I love you too, and so does she." Shae whispered, smiling through her tears and pointing over at her still unconscious past self. "The two of you have so much to look forward to. And I… I can't risk losing any of that. I wouldn't trade that time with you for anything in the world."

Suddenly, the Shae of the past began to stir, emitting a feeble groan as she finally began to regain consciousness. Future Shae turned back to The Evil Queen, gripping her tightly by her shoulders, staring desperately into her brown eyes.

"Regina, please!" She whispered urgently. "You have to drink the potion. You have to. Now!"

The Queen hesitated for a moment, glancing between the Shae that was before her, and the one that was stirring weakly upon the ground. She then took the future Shae's face in her hands, staring back into her blood red eyes with the same amount of desperation.

"Promise me." She whispered urgently. "Promise me that, when you go back, that you won't give up, that you'll fight for me."

Shae nodded, smiling as more tears spilled down her cheeks. "I will. I promise."

The Queen pulled Shae in close, placing one last kiss on her soft, cold lips. She then nodded back, and her and Shae both rose to their feet. Shae stepped back, watching carefully as The Evil Queen uncorked the vial in her hand. She tilted her head back, and brought the vial up to her lips, draining it swiftly in one gulp. When she brought her head back down, the vial slipped from her hand, and the Shae from the future was gone.

"Regina… Regina!"

The Evil Queen blinked several times, her eyes focusing on her Royal Protector who was scrambling back to her feet. Shae rushed over to her, her blood red eyes wide with panic.

"W-What happened? Where's the assassin?" She asked, searching The Queen's bedchamber with her eyes.

"I… I'm not sure." The Queen replied uncertainly, gazing bewilderedly all around her. "Gone, it seems."

"Oh… Good. That's good." Shae muttered in reply, looking her Queen up and down. "A-Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." The Queen answered with a dismissive wave of her hand. "None of that matters now. There is only one thing that does."

Her Protector eyed her curiously as The Queen stepped up closer to her. She placed her hands on Shae's chest, gently gripping the front of her long, black leather coat. Slowly, a wicked, devious grin spread across her face, her eyes shining with a dark and dangerous excitement.

"Snow White is finally in my grasp. I will finally have my revenge."

XX

Shae searched through the cells of The Evil Queen's dungeon, the various prisoners that The Queen and her past self had captured cowering in fear at the sight of her. However, there was one particular prisoner that Shae did not find amongst the others: Emma. She checked each cell three times over, questioning each of the prisoners, but they were all too frightened of her to speak a word. She abandoned her fruitless search after a while, and returned to the campsite where she had found Hook and Prince Charming. She quickly hid her face again when she found Hook, and thankfully Emma, in the company of Snow White, Ruby (aka Red), The Blue Fairy, and another woman that Shae recognized as the prisoner that they had seen in the tiny village when they had first arrived in The Enchanted Forest.

Emma and Hook were careful not to speak Shae's name, and introduced her to the others as merely a friend of theirs. Shae was shocked to learn that, while she had been inside The Evil Queen's castle, so had Snow White. She had been captured by Regina herself, and used the black fairy dust she carried with her to escape The Queen's clutches just as she was about to be executed. She was again shocked, and angry, when Emma told her all about the prisoner that she had rescued from The Evil Queen's dungeon. Apparently, the woman, who completely refused to tell them her name, was due to be executed the very next day. Emma was forced to listen quietly as Shae and Hook both gave her a stern lecture about time travel, and the dangers she had potentially caused by saving the life of someone who was supposed to be dead.

"What if this woman has a child that grows up to be a murderer?" Hook asked her, keeping his voice low as to not be overheard by the others.

"Or what if one day she accidentally runs over one of the dwarves with a horse, and then there's only six of them?" Shae threw in heatedly.

"What the hell would that even do?" Emma asked, raising an eyebrow at the vampire.

"How should I know?" Shae replied, throwing up her arms in despair. "There's always been seven! Six could be… Catastrophic!"

Emma rolled her eyes at both Shae and Hook, and the vampire and the pirate were both forced to relent. The deed had already been done. After Red and The Blue Fairy took their leave, the rest decided to make camp for the night. Shae had protested, wanting to return to Rumplestiltskin so they could get back to their own time as soon as possible, but Emma insisted on remaining with Snow White and Prince Charming. She wanted to make absolutely sure that their story was back on track, and that her own future was once again secure.

Since Shae didn't need to sleep, so she agreed to keep watch throughout the night. As the others slept peacefully upon the grassy ground, Shae sat on a log by the faintly glowing embers of the campfire, gazing out at The Evil Queen's castle in the distance. She turned her head when she heard footsteps, and found Emma walking toward her.

"Can't sleep?" Shae asked, drawing down her hood and scarf as Emma sat down on the log next to her.

Emma slowly shook her head, smiling a sad smile. "I just… Got too much on my mind, you know?"

Shae nodded, smiling a sad smile back. They sat in silence for a while, gazing out at the tall, pointed spires of the castle in the distance. Emma then softly cleared her throat, shifting slightly in her seat.

"So, uh… I never got a chance to ask you about Robin Hood." She began, a bit hesitantly. "What… What exactly happened?"

"Nothing." Shae replied quietly. "I… I didn't do anything."

Emma's eyebrows raised in shock. "Really?"

Shae heaved a heavy sigh, staring into the glowing embers of the fire. "I um… I lied to you guys before, when I said I wasn't going to kill him." She admitted softly, her tone heavy with guilt. "I _was_ going to. But, when the moment came, I… I couldn't do it. He was sitting just as close as you are now, completely defenseless. But I… I just… Couldn't."

Shae breathed out a bitter, sour laugh, and slowly shook her head. "Instead, I just stood there and told him to have hope that things would get better." She went on, her voice barely above a whisper. She then turned to Emma, her eyes full of confusion. "Why? Why the hell did I tell him that? _Him_ , of all people."

"Because, killing him is something the old Shae would have done, the one we saw in that village." Emma replied with a gentle smile. "But, like you said, that's not you anymore. You've changed, Shae, you're a good person. You… Did the right thing."

"'The right thing…'" Shae muttered, laughing bitterly once again. "A while ago, I told your mother that I was done doing the right thing. But… I dunno, I guess I can't really seem to stop."

The two women fell silent again, both staring into the fire's dying embers. Shae then gazed back up at The Evil Queen's castle, and chuckled lightly once again.

"You know, I've been thinking." She began quietly. "I've got another great opportunity in front of me here."

Emma's brow furrowed in confusion as Shae inclined her head toward the castle. "What do you mean?"

"I could go back in there, right now, and get rid of my past self." Shae explained. "I could… I could change everything, everyone's lives, not just my own. I could take over as her, completely start over."

"Well… Yeah, I guess you could." Emma replied hesitantly. "So… What's stopping you?"

Shae bit her lip, taking a moment to respond. "When I was inside, I uh… Accidentally ran into Regina and… Myself." She slowly replied. "I ended up telling Regina who I was, just to get her to stop trying to kill me. And I… I told her all about… About us, about how we fall in love."

"What?" Emma exclaimed, looking panicked.

"It's alright, she won't remember any of it. I made her take a memory potion." Shae replied hastily. "But before she did, I… I kissed her. But it… It didn't feel the same. It felt… Wrong."

Emma breathed out a sigh of relief, nodding as she processed Shae's words. "Well, I think it's probably because that wasn't Regina." She replied with a slight shrug. "At least, not _your_ Regina, anyway. The Regina that you love is back in Storybrooke, in our time."

"And in love with someone else." Shae muttered.

Emma sighed once again. "Yeah, I know. But… You heard what she said. She still loves you too. What you and Regina have, it can't just… Go away. I mean, you guys literally share a heart now. It's still there, Shae, it really is."

"I know." Shae whispered in reply. "Earlier I promised Regina, er, The Evil Queen, that when I got back, I wouldn't give up, that I would… Fight for her."

Shae paused for a moment, her eyes welling with tears. "But… Emma, I don't know if I can." She whispered, her voice quavering with emotion. "I… I don't know if I should."

Emma watched with a heavy heart as tears began to spill down the vampire's face. "I mean, shit, she used light magic because of Robin Hood." Shae went on miserably. "And you and her, a-and Snow even, you guys are… Friends now. None of that would have happened if she had been with me."

"Shae, you don't know that."

"I don't know anything anymore."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, burying her face in her hands as more tears leaked down her face. Emma sat in silence, gently rubbing the vampire's back as she fought back her own tears.

"Remus told me that going back to Storybrooke was a mistake." Shae eventually said, after a few moments of silence. "I think he was right. I think… Once we get back to our time, I'm gonna go back to New York."

Emma bit her lip, slowly nodding her head. "If… If that's what you feel like you have to do, Shae… Then you should."

"What about you?" Shae asked, wiping the tears off of her face. "You still want to come with me?"

Emma hesitated for a moment, biting her lip once again. "Honestly… I'm not sure anymore." She replied quietly. "Seeing my parents here, and them seeing me as nothing but a stranger… It… It hurts. And I… Really miss them."

"Oh…" Shae breathed, her blood red eyes growing wide with concern. "Oh, Emma, I'm so sorry. I… I didn't know all this had you so upset."

"Neither did, until a little while ago." Emma replied with a slight chuckle. "I just… I keep thinking about something Neal said to me a long time ago."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"He said that… The way you know you really have a home, is that when you leave it, you get this feeling that you just can't shake. You just… Miss it."

Emma turned her eyes back onto Shae, smiling a sad, wistful smile. "And… Honestly? I'm really starting to miss Storybrooke."

XX

The next morning, the three time travelers awoke to a startling, but also relieving find. Snow White was gone, along with Prince Charming's satchel, the very satchel that contained his wedding ring. Though the Prince was distraught, Shae, Emma, and Hook were delighted that Snow White and Prince Charming's story was once again back on track. Charming immediately left in pursuit of the bandit that had, once again, stolen his ring. The time travelers, along with their nameless companion that had been The Evil Queen's prisoner, followed at a careful distance, watching to make sure that the rest of their story unfolded just as it had before.

There was a brief moment of panic when they realized that Snow White had already used her black fairy dust, which she had originally used to escape the trolls upon the aptly named Troll Bridge. However, they were relieved to find that Snow and Charming managed to fight off the trolls regardless. They watched as Shae's past self appeared upon the Troll Bridge, sent by The Evil Queen to recapture Snow White. Emma and Hook both began to panic once again, but Shae assured them that things were happening just as they did before. They watched with bated breath as the past Shae was attacked by the hulking werewolf Van Helsing, only to be saved by Snow White and Prince Charming. Once Shae's past self was found and safely carried away by The Queen's men, Emma got out Henry's storybook. They were all immensely relieved when they found the pages full once again.

"We did it!" Shae announced as they stepped in to the front hall of Rumplestiltskin's castle.

"Excellent!" Rumplestiltskin replied with an impish giggle. "Ah, and I see you've brought some luggage."

He gestured to the nameless prisoner that was slung over Hook's shoulder, completely unconscious. Emma, Hook, and Shae all exchanged a nervous glance.

"Uhh… Long story." Said Emma.

After a heated discussion over what to do with the prisoner woman that was supposed to be dead, the Emma and Hook had decided that the best option was to bring her with them to the future. Shae, however, disagreed, and though she wasn't going to stop them, she refused to have anything to do with their decision. The nameless woman was not at all pleased either. She had a hard time believing that they were from the future to begin with, and insisted on returning to her family. They tried to tell her that it was impossible for her to return home, that it could potentially have horrible consequences for the future, but their warnings fell on deaf ears. After several moments of loud and angry protesting, Emma responded by wacking her over the head with a stick. The unfortunate woman was now their hostage, a prisoner once again.

"So, how's the portal coming?" Shae asked, waving her hand dismissively. "Can you open it?"

"I cannot." Rumplestiltskin replied with a shrug.

Silence fell over the hall as Emma, Hook, and Shae's mouths all dropped open in shock. "Say what now?" Shae exclaimed.

"What the bloody hell is all that, then?" Hook asked, gesturing toward the table in front of The Dark One.

Rumplestiltskin glanced down at the table, which was strewn with various strange looking objects. Shae recognized some of them, having seen similar items within The Evil Queen's storeroom. It seemed that The Dark One was brewing some sort of potion.

"A memory potion." Rumplestiltskin replied, confirming Shae's suspicions. "I know too much about my future. The only way to protect it, is to forget it."

"But… What about that wand you told us about?" Emma asked hastily. "Y-You said that it could help us!"

"Ah, yes, that." Rumplestiltskin said, giggling again. He waved his hand, and the wand itself appeared in Emma's hand with a puff of purple smoke. "Apparently, only those who have used the portal can reopen it. You are welcome to try, dearie. But, if you can't wield magic, then I'm afraid you're going nowhere."

"Well, she can't." Shae said with a shrug, stepping toward Emma and reaching for the wand. "But I-"

"No, you can't." Rumplestiltskin interjected. "You may have magic, but your vampiric powers simply won't do the trick. So sorry, dearie."

Shae stopped mid step, her mouth gaping open once again. "You can't expect us to just stay here!" Hook exclaimed furiously. "What about protecting your precious future?"

"Oh, that's exactly what I'm going to do." The Dark One replied with a devious grin.

"You're… You're going to kill us?" Shae stammered quietly, drawing back a step, her blood red eyes wide with horror.

Rumplestiltskin emitted another high pitched giggle. "No, I will simply put you someplace safe, someplace where even I dare not go. The place where I store the magic that is too dark and unpredictable, even for me."

"NO, WAIT-" Hook shouted.

But it was too late. The Dark One waved his hand once again, and the time travellers and their hostage were all engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke. They all felt themselves being lifted into the air, and their world was a chaotic, disorienting blur as they began to spin round and round wildly. Suddenly, it all stopped, and their feet touched solid ground again. They gazed all around them, and found that they were in an immensely large, immensely confusing room. They were surrounded by stone walls, covered with pillared archways, stretching up as far as the eye could see. There were various bookshelves and cabinets scattered about the room, all filled with strange and likely dangerous items.

"Ah, well at least he did us one favor." Hook said, grinning as he examined himself in a nearby mirror. "I'm devilishly handsome again."

Shae glanced down at her own body, and found that she was once again dressed in the clothes that she had been wearing in Storybrooke, and so were Emma and Hook, the glamour spell Rumplestiltskin had cast on them undone. Their unconscious prisoner, who Hook set down on a nearby table, however, had remained unchanged.

"Where the hell are we?" Emma breathed, her eyes wide with horror as she observed their surroundings.

"The Dark One's vault, looks like." Shae answered with a shrug. "Kinda reminds me of Regina's, except… Bigger and, well… Darker."

"So, what, he's just gonna let us starve to death down here?" Emma exclaimed in outrage.

"Oh, no, I'll end up killing you guys _way_ before you starve to death." Shae replied, chuckling darkly.

"What?" Emma and Hook exclaimed in unison.

"Hey, not by choice, alright?" Shae replied, raising her hands defensively. "If I go too long without blood, I'll go into a frenzy. And once I drain you guys dry, then, you know… _I'll_ die."

"A comforting thought, thanks, mate." Hook muttered, rolling his eyes. "I'm assuming you're unable to… Poof us out of here."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, scrunching up her face, attempting to use her power of teleportation. When nothing seemed to happen, she breathed out a heavy sigh, and shook her head. The three time travellers fell silent for a few moments, their minds turning, trying to process their new and dire situation.

"Woah! Hey, put that down!" Emma shouted at Hook, who had removed what looked like some sort of urn from one of the many cabinets. "If The Dark One is afraid of this stuff, there's probably a good reason."

Hook obeyed, and carefully set the urn down on a nearby end table. "Sorry, I'm simply… Trying to figure a way out."

"I don't really think there is one." Emma muttered miserably.

"Look, all we need is a bit of magic." Hook replied in an exasperated tone. "You're the Savior, Swan, you can do it!"

"No, I can't!" Cried Emma. "I lost my magic, remember?"

"Wait, hold up, I think he might be right." Shae said, suddenly smiling excitedly. "Zelena took your powers, right? So when she died, all of her spells should have been undone. You should have your powers back now."

"Believe me, if I could make it work, I would." Emma replied, holding up the wand still clutched in her fist. When Shae and Hook exchanged a skeptical glance, Emma's face fell into a fierce glare. "What, you guys think I'm faking it?"

"I think not having magic makes it a hell of a lot easier for you to run back to New York with the bloodsucker here and pretend to be someone else!" Hook replied scathingly.

"Hey!" Shae cried, looking offended.

Hook ignored her, pointing a finger at Emma. "Listen to me, Swan. That's not who you are. You're the bloody savior! It's time to stop running!"

"You think I don't know that?" Emma shouted furiously, causing both Hook and Shae to flinch in alarm. "Yeah, I run away, that's how I've always survived. But, believe me, I want this to work. I want to go back. I… I want to stop running."

Hook's angry expression softened, and he exchanged a baffled glance with Shae. "What's changed your mind?" He asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"Watching my mother die, thinking that she was dead." Emma replied quietly, her hazel green eyes welling with tears. "You saw what happened. I was so relieved that she was ok, and I hugged her. But… You know what I saw in her eyes? Nothing. She… She didn't know who I was."

Emma's voice broke with emotion, and Shae and Hook watched silently as tears fell freely down her face. "I saved her, but I lost her too." Emma went on, her voice barely above a whisper. "That's all I've been doing to her since I met her, I've been running from her. It's got to stop. When Henry first brought me to Storybrooke, he told me he was bringing me back to break a curse. But I didn't see what he was really doing… He… He was bringing me home."

"So…" Shae began with a small chuckle. "Neal was right."

"Right about what?" Asked Hook.

Shae smiled at Emma, echoing her words from the previous night. "You don't really have a home, until you just miss it."

Emma nodded slowly, smiling as well through her tears. "Yeah." She whispered. "And being with my parents these last few days, but not _really_ being with them? I… I've never missed them more. Storybrooke… It's… It's my home."

Emma squeezed her eyes shut, more tears leaking down her face. When she opened them again, she found that both Shae and Hook were grinning at her.

"What?" She asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

"Look down." Hook said, nodding down at the wand in her hand.

Emma obeyed, and gasped in alarm. The wand was now glowing with a bright white light. She breathed out an astonished laugh, glancing back at Shae and Hook's smiling faces.

"Looks like you got your magic back." Shae said with a grin. "I knew you could do it, Swan Song. Now let's get the hell out of here."

Emma nodded, and the vampire and the pirate both stepped back as she raised the wand. They watched with bated breath as Emma squeezed her eyes shut, holding the wand out in front of her. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen, and both their hearts sunk. Suddenly, a blinding flash of white light shot out of the wand in Emma's hand, and they were all forced to shield their eyes. Wind suddenly began rushing all around them, and they heard a very familiar humming noise. When they glanced up, a gaping, swirling orange portal was hovering in the air before them.

"You did it!" Shae exclaimed, shaking Emma's shoulder excitedly.

"Well done, Swan!" Cried Hook, grinning broadly.

Emma grinned back, and nodded at them both. "Right. Let's go home."

"Do you mind?" Hook asked of Shae, gesturing to the unconscious woman lying on the table. "You are considerably stronger than I am, after all."

"Oh, _hell_ no!" Shae exclaimed, shaking her head vigorously. "Uh-uh, no, I told you guys, I don't want any part of this. If she screws shit up in the future, then you two dummies are taking the fall, not me."

Hook rolled his eyes at the vampire, breathing out an exasperated huff as he stepped up to the table. He grunted as he lifted the prisoner into his arms. He then nodded at both Shae and Emma, and stepped through the swirling portal. Shae clapped Emma on the shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. Emma grinned back, and Shae nodded determinedly as well. She stood squarely in front of the portal for a moment, then stepped through after Captain Hook.

Shae once again felt her feet leave the ground, and her world was engulfed in chaos all over again. She was forced to squeeze her eyes shut tight as her body began spinning wildly, the wind rushing through her ears. Just as she thought the pressure around her head was going to crush her skull to pieces, it all stopped, and she grunted as she hit solid ground face first. She felt the familiar taste of dirt in her mouth, and she spat it out, groaning as she picked her head up. She shakily pushed herself to her feet, and slowly turned around. Another excited grin spread across her face. Standing before her, was the barn where they had first fallen through Zelena's time portal. They had made it back to Storybrooke.

"Where's Swan?" Asked Hook, who was getting to his feet beside her.

The grin faded from Shae's face, and she stared into the gaping portal that was still hovering in the air inside the barn. She and Hook both waited for an impossibly long moment, and when Emma did not appear, they began to panic.

"Shit… Oh shit…" Shae muttered, staring at Hook, her eyes wide with horror. "Something must have happened, something- OOF!"

Emma suddenly came shooting out of the portal, crashing straight into Shae. Hook leapt back just in time, and the two women hit the ground hard. After a few moments of dazed and painful groaning, Shae started to laugh. Emma had landed right on top of her.

"Hey, buy me a drink first, will ya?" She said with a quirky grin.

Emma groaned again, using Shae's face as support to push herself up onto her feet. Emma helped Shae up, and she smiled in wonder, staring into the now empty barn.

"We did it." She breathed.

"We did it." Shae echoed, grinning broadly.

"We're back!" Emma exclaimed.

"We're back!" Shouted Hook.

The three time travellers, now back in the time where they belonged, exchanged excited and joyous embraces. They stopped suddenly, staring down with wide eyes at their hostage from the past, who was finally regaining consciousness.

"Uh, right, you guys make sure she doesn't freak out." Emma said, smiling excitedly. "I've got some people I need to see."

"Wait!" Shae called out as Emma turned away. "I'm uh… I-I'm coming with you."

Emma stopped, turning around and raising an eyebrow curiously at the vampire. "Really? What about Regina and… Robin Hood?"

Shae hesitated for a moment, chewing on her lip ring nervously. "I, uh… I-I don't know." She stammered in reply. "But, all that stuff you said about not running anymore, it… It made me realize that running back to New York, running away from my problems… It just isn't the answer, you know?"

Shae smiled at her, breathing out a small laugh as she shrugged. "It's like you said, Storybrooke is my home now too. I've… Changed a lot. I've got friends here now, friends that… That kinda feel like… Family."

"Yeah, you do." Emma said in agreement. "You've got friends, family, that will help you through everything you're going through. That's what family does, right?"

Emma then took Shae by the hand, smiling into her blood red eyes. "Now, come on. Let's go see them."

XX

Shae and Emma got into Shae's old V.W. Bus, which was still parked just outside the farm house, and Shae drove them hastily back to Granny's Diner. Emma was relieved to find everything just the way she had left it. Her parents were throwing a party to announce the arrival of their new baby, Emma's brother. Emma had stormed out of the diner after being questioned by her parents about going back to New York. Before, she had been unsure about what she was going to do. Now, she was never more sure about anything in her life. She was staying. She had finally found her home.

David and Mary Margaret were both confused by the grateful and joyous tears on Emma's face, and were even more so when they both received a tight and joyful hug from Shae. Everyone gathered inside the diner listened intently as both Emma and Shae recounted their harrowing tale about being trapped in the past, and about how they had almost completely destroyed the future. Emma and Shae were sitting at a table with Emma's parents and Henry, the boy's storybook sitting on the table in front of them. It was open to a now brand new page that had magically appeared due to Emma, Shae, and Hook's trip to the past. The picture on the left side of the page was of Emma and Hook, dancing together in King Midas's ballroom.

"Wait… So _you're_ Princess Leia?" Mary Margaret asked of her daughter, her eyes wide with shock.

"Nice alias." Henry said with a laugh.

"I used Han Solo." Shae told him with a grin.

"No way!" Emma exclaimed. "Nice!"

They all laughed as Emma and Shae high fived each other. "Well, that settles it, you're one of us now." David said, tapping a finger on the book.

"A fairytale princess, at last!" Mary Margaret exclaimed excitedly.

"And as my very first princessly request…" Emma began, pointing a finger at her parents. "I would very much like to know the name of my new little brother."

"Oh, god… _Please_ tell me you guys didn't name him Leopold." Shae said, staring with wide, horrified eyes at the baby nestled in Mary Margaret's arms.

Mary Margaret chuckled lightly, and exchanged a knowing glance with her husband, who slowly nodded. David then got up from the table, and cleared his throat loudly.

"Excuse me! If I could have everyone's attention just for a moment!" He called out in a clear, ringing voice. Once the diner was quiet, and all eyes were on him, he went on. "This coronation ceremony is something we've looked forward to for a very long time. The arrival of our new son has been a cause of great joy for our family, and we hope you can share in it as we name him for a hero. Someone who saved all of us."

"People of Storybrooke, it is our great honor to introduce you to our son." Mary Margaret said, smiling down at the baby in her arms. "Prince Neal."

The crowd gathered inside the diner erupted in raucous applause. Shae turned around in her seat, glancing back at Mr. Gold, who was seated in a booth next to Belle. He was smiling, and he nodded at Mary Margaret and David, his eyes shining with tears. Shae turned back to Emma, who was misty eyed as well. She reached across the table, gently taking little Neal's tiny hand.

"It's very nice to meet you, Neal." She said with a smile.

"Thank god." Shae said, breathing out a relieved sigh. "Seriously, I was really worried for a second. I mean, 'Leopold,' would have been fine back home, but here? Well, let's just say the kid probably would have gotten some serious wedgies."

They all laughed again, smiling fondly at baby Neal cradled in his mother's arms. Shae sat and talked with Heny, Emma, and her parents for a while, sharing more stories about what had happened while they were stuck in the past. Hook eventually returned with the woman they had brought back from The Enchanted Forest, who was frightened and confused to see Shae. Emma, her parents, and Hook quickly reassured her that things were different now, that Shae was their friend. The woman, whose name they still had not learned, was still extremely wary, so Shae respectfully removed herself from the table. She was sitting at the end of the bar next to Ruby, when the bell over the diner's door tinkled. Shae's heart dropped deep into the pit of her stomach when she saw who had just entered the diner; It was Regina, with Robin Hood beside her, along with his son, Roland.

"Shae… You ok?" Ruby asked, her eyes full of concern.

Shae nodded, swallowing the hard, painful lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. She slowly set down her glass of whiskey, breathing out a heavy sigh. She then got up from her bar stool, and slowly made her way across the diner. She stopped just behind Regina, loudly clearing her throat. Regina spun around, and her brown eyes grew wide with shock.

"Shae?" She breathed, drawing back a step. Slowly, a smile began to creep across her face, the very smile that Shae had been so desperately longing to see. "You… You came back."

Shae smiled too, and, for a moment, she lost herself in the beautiful brown eyes of the woman she loved. Her surroundings faded away as she saw the smile on her face. She was about to respond in the way she always did when Regina uttered the phrase that she just had. She stopped when Robin Hood suddenly leapt out of his seat next to Little John, stepping protectively between her and Regina.

"You…" He whispered, his bright blue eyes full of fear. "W-What… What the hell are you doing here?"

Shae's blood red eyes flashed with rage, and her lips curled into a snarl. She balled her hands into fists, and, for a moment, it looked as if she was about to hit him. Shae and Robin Hood stood in tense silence, and Shae's hands shook as she glared into his blue eyes. The vampire's vicious snarl suddenly faded, and her eyes became filled with sorrow. She breathed out a heavy, shaky sigh, glancing away from Robin and down at the floor.

"It's alright, I'm… I-I'm not here to hurt you." She replied quietly, slowly unclenching her fists. "In fact, I… I want to apologize, for what I did, the way I reacted. It… It wasn't right. I'm really sorry."

Robin didn't respond, and only continued to eye the vampire warily. "Look, obviously this is all really… Complicated." Shae went on slowly. "And, uh… I-I think the three of us should probably sit down and talk at some point."

Shae paused for a moment as she met Regina's gaze, and her heart gave a sudden, painful lurch as she stared into her deep brown eyes. She quickly glanced away, clearing her throat again, fighting back the tears that were welling into her eyes. She noticed that Little John and the rest of the Merry Men were all staring daggers at her, and the diner had grown strangely quiet all of a sudden.

"Uh, but, for now just… Enjoy the party." She went on quickly, smiling nervously at Robin Hood. "I-Im gonna do the same, quietly, over there. Ok? Cool."

Shae didn't wait for a response from either Robin or Regina. She swiftly turned on her heel, and returned to her seat at the end of the counter. She sat rigid in her spot for a moment, her hands shaking, feeling all the eyes on the back of her head. She then breathed out a sigh of relief as the diner filled with the sounds of chattering once again.

"I have to say, mate, that was surprisingly civil of you." Hook said as he and Emma joined Shae and Ruby at the counter.

Shae ignored him, taking up her glass of whiskey again, and draining it in one gulp. She then leaned forward across the counter, her torso momentarily lost from sight as she fumbled around behind the bar. She returned with a full bottle of Jack Daniel's in her hand. She unscrewed the lid with quivering hands, and they all watched with wide, baffled eyes as she began to gulp down the entire contents of the bottle.

"Oh, I want to rip the goddamn, fucking lungs out of his stupid, goddamn, fucking CHEST!" Shae snarled dangerously, slamming the now empty bottle of whiskey down onto the counter.

"There it is." Ruby said with a chuckle.

Emma chuckled as well, slowly shaking her head as Shae began rummaging around behind the bar again, likely searching for more whiskey. She was about to respond, but stopped when the woman they had brought back from the past rushed up to her, urgently grabbing her arm.

"T-That's… The Evil Queen!" She whispered, eyeing Regina with as much fear as she had Shae. "W-What… What is she doing here? I… I don't-"

"It's alright, just stay calm, ok?" Emma replied gently. "She's different now, just like Shae. Come on, you'll see."

Emma took the prisoner woman by the arm, and led her over to Regina, who was standing next to Robin Hood. The thief had returned to his seat next to Little John, but continued to eye Shae warily from across the room.

"Hey, Regina." Emma said when Regina turned around as she approached her. "There's someone I'd like you to meet. This is, uh… Well, um…"

Emma suddenly realized that she still didn't know the woman's name. She was about to ask it, but stopped, letting out a startled gasp when she heard a loud clattering from beside her. Robin Hood had leapt up from his seat once again, knocking several glasses of beer off of the table in the process. He stared at the woman from the past, his bright blue eyes wide as saucers. Apparently, he recognized her. When he spoke, when he uttered her name, Emma's heart nearly stopped.

"Marian?"

XX


	14. Chapter 14, A Frozen Secret

**Author's Note: The song being played in this chapter is Bloody Nails and Broken Hearts by Billy Talent. I hope you all don't find these notes too terribly annoying. I just don't want anyone to think I actually wrote these songs. I CAN write stories, I CANNOT write music.**

CHAPTER 14

"Marian! I thought you were dead, I thought I'd never see you again!"

The party inside Granny's Diner came to a sudden, screeching halt. The diner was dead silent as everyone gathered inside stood in horrified shock, watching as Robin Hood embraced his once dead wife, his bright blue eyes streaming with tears.

"Mama?"

Marian released her husband, drawing in a gasp as she saw young Roland standing by his father's side. "Roland!" She exclaimed. "Oh, my baby!"

Marian fell to her knees in front of him, pulling the boy into her arms. Robin Hood knelt down next to her, wrapping his arms tightly around his wife and son. The party goers watched the once broken family now reunited, both Robin and Marian sobbing with grateful, unparalleled joy.

Emma Swan stood rigid in her spot, her heart hammering inside her chest. She tore her eyes away from Robin Hood and his wife, and slowly turned her gaze onto Regina. The once Evil Queen's eyes were wide with horror as she watched the man she loved holding his wife in his arms. She slowly turned her eyes onto Emma, her mouth gaping open in shock. Emma opened her own mouth to say something, anything that might help remedy the situation. She stopped when she heard the sound of low, muffled laughter from behind her.

All eyes turned onto Shae as the vampire held a hand over her mouth, attempting to stop herself from laughing. She failed immensely, and what started as a low chuckle, slowly grew into loud, raucous guffaws.

"Oh… Oh man… Oh… Shit!" She stammered through fits of giggles. "T-That's… She's… His wife? Oh my god… Oh my god! That's just… Oh, man!"

"Shae… Shae, shut UP!" Ruby muttered, shoving Shae's arm as the vampire continued laughing.

"I know, I'm sorry, I just- WOAH!"

Regina had suddenly shoved Emma out of her way, and stomped furiously over to Shae, her eyes flashing with rage. She seized Shae by the front of her jacket, and slammed her up against the wall, glaring viciously into her blood red eyes.

"What have you done?" She snarled in a low, dangerous tone.

"Woah, hey, look, I get why you'd think I had something to do with this, but I didn't!" Shae said in a panicked rush, raising her hands in careful surrender. "I swear! I washed my hands of all that the second The Wonder Twins here decided to bring her back with us."

Shae gestured over at Hook and Emma, who were both still looking utterly floored. Regina released Shae and spun around, turning her horrified, furious eyes onto Emma.

"You…" She whispered quietly. "You did this?"

"I… I just wanted to save her life." Emma meekly replied.

"You're just like your mother." Regina spat bitterly, her clenched fists shaking with rage. "Never thinking of CONSEQUENCES!"

Emma leapt back in fright, watching with wide, mortified eyes as Regina swept past her, stomping out of the diner's door. Emma stared between Hook, Shae, and her parents for a moment, then hurried after Regina into the night. As soon as the door swung shut behind Emma, Shae immediately burst into laughter once again.

"Oh, man… Oh, I really hate to say this…" Shae began, chuckling as she clapped Hook on the shoulder. "Actually, no, I'm really going to enjoy saying it. I _fucking_ told you so!"

Hook swatted the vampire's hand away, glaring furiously at her. "Is that really bloody helpful right now?"

"Made me feel better." Shae replied, laughing even more.

"Shae, you have _got_ to pull yourself together." Mary Margaret said scoldingly, narrowing her eyes at the giggling vampire. "None of this is funny. At all!"

"Oh, it sure as shit is!" Shae exclaimed. "Just a little while ago, Emma told me that I had friends now in Storybrooke that would help me through my problems with Regina. Who would have thought that you guys would _literally_ solve all my problems for me?"

Shae sighed in a content and amused way, once again placing her hand on Hook's shoulder. "Seriously, dude, I have to thank you and Emma. You guys are-"

"Woah, wait!" Ruby suddenly exclaimed, urgently grabbing Mary Margaret's arm. "Where'd Robin and Marian go?"

They all quickly realized that Marian, Robin, and also Roland were suddenly missing. Mary Margaret gasped in alarm, and rushed toward the door, carrying baby Neal carefully in her arms. The others hurried after her, not at all knowing what they were about to find outside. The situation was indeed tense, but, thankfully, no one had been harmed.

"Are you two together?" Marian was demanding of her husband, whose hand was placed gently on Regina's arm.

"Marian, please-" Robin began to plead.

"You and The Evil Queen?" Marian interjected furiously, drawing back a step, placing her hand protectively on Roland's shoulder. "Did you let her near my son? Don't you know what she's done, the terror that she's inflicted?"

"Hey! Is everything ok?" Mary Margaret called out as she and David hurried out onto the sidewalk, followed closely by Henry, Hook, Ruby, and lastly, Shae.

"Well, no one's been incinerated yet, so that's a good sign." David muttered with a small chuckle.

"Regina, you ok?" Asked Mary Margaret.

Regina replied with a small, exasperated shrug. Marian stared at Regina, and back to Mary Margaret's concerned expression for a moment, her mouth gaping open in horror.

"What is wrong with you people?" She exclaimed furiously. "Why are you talking to her? How can you stand beside _her_?"

Marian narrowed her eyes at Shae, pointing a furious, accusing finger at her. Shae bit her lip, a wide grin spreading across her face as she fought back more laughter. She once again failed, and doubled over with her hands on her knees, wheezing with fits of giggles.

"Oh, man! Oh, I'm sorry. It's just… It's too much!" Shae stammered, shaking her head and wiping away the tears of laughter on her face.

"I can't believe this!" Marian cried, her eyes wide with horror as she stared at her husband. "You and The Evil Queen? Robin, she was going to have me executed, all because I wouldn't tell her where Snow White was. She's a monster! Just like her damn vampire!"

"Wow, alright." Shae said with another chuckle. "I think I liked you better when you were unconscious. You're kind of a bitch when you're awake."

"Don't you dare speak to her like that!" Robin Hood shouted, stomping up to Shae and pointing a finger at her as well.

The amused grin quickly faded from Shae's face. She swatted his hand away, taking an angry step forward. "Point that finger in my face again and I'll RIP IT OFF!"

"HEY!" David shouted, stepping between Robin and Shae, shoving them both back. "That's enough! Now is not the time for this!"

"Regina!" Emma suddenly exclaimed.

Shae and Robin Hood ceased glaring at each other and glanced up. Regina had turned away from them, and was stomping down the sidewalk, shoulders hunched, her fists clenched. Emma made to go after her, but Hook stopped her, grabbing on to her arm.

"Swan, no." He said sternly, slowly shaking his head. "No good has ever come from pushing that woman. Just… Give her space."

"It's what she does in that space that I'm worried about." David muttered darkly.

"You don't think she'll become evil again, do you?" Henry asked, his eyes wide with fear. When the others all exchanged silent, uncertain glances, the boy vigorously shook his head. "S-She can't! She's come too far!"

Emma sighed, gently and soothingly wrapping her arm around his shoulders. "I… Hope you're right, kid."

"Well, this has been one hell of a party." Shae said, grinning from ear to ear once again. "Seriously, you guys. This is, just… This is the best day."

Shae began laughing once again, and slowly shook her head as she pushed past Robin and David. Marian eyed the vampire warily as she stepped up to her, but Shae simply clapped her hand on the woman's shoulder, a wide grin stretching across her face.

"Welcome to Storybrooke, Marian!" She said chipperly. "I am _so_ glad you're here."

XX

Regina tossed and turned in her bed for hours, unable to sleep, unable to get the horrifying image of Robin holding his wife out of her mind. She could even still hear the sound of Shae's laughter amongst the quiet chirping of the crickets. However, what made the former Queen most restless, was the bitter, sour taste in her mouth from the pure and unyielding rage that was boiling inside her stomach. The Savior, Emma Swan, had once again interfered in her life, and once again had ruined everything.

Regina sat up in her bed, her brow furrowed in confusion when she heard the soft sound of music playing. The sound seemed to be coming from inside her own home. She quickly vacated her bed and donned her robe, stepping out into the hallway outside her bedroom. As she slowly and carefully descended the stairs, she realized that the music was coming from the piano in her dining room. She recognized the song as Chopin's Nocturne in E Flat Major, her absolute favorite classical piece. There was only one person she had ever shared that information with, only one person that could perform it so skillfully.

When she stepped into her dining room, Regina drew in a soft gasp, stopping dead in her tracks in the doorway. Every single flat surface in the room, from the dining room table itself, the small end tables, and even the top of the piano, was covered in bouquets of large, blooming, bright purple calla lilies.

"Do you like them?" Shae asked from the piano bench, without even turning around. "I know they're your favorite. Even got them in your favorite color, too. Most people probably assume it's black, but I know better."

Shae removed her hands from the piano keys, and slowly turned around to face Regina, smiling a warm, gentle smile. Regina stood in shocked silence for a moment, her eyes welling with tears as she stared around at all the bouquets of her favorite flowers. She then narrowed her eyes at Shae, slowly folding her arms across her chest.

"Did you… Break into my house?"

Shae chuckled, slowly rising to her feet, giving Regina an innocent shrug. "Is it really breaking in if you still have a key?"

"It is, if you weren't invited." Regina replied irritably. "So, what, you thought you'd just barge in here and make some sort of… Grand, romantic gesture?"

When Shae shrugged at her again, Regina sighed heavily, slowly rubbing her forehead. "Oh, Shae… Shae, I can't do this. Not now."

"Hey, I gave you plenty of time to, you know… Recover." Shae replied, raising her hands defensively.

"A few hours?" Cried Regina. "Shae, I can't get over all of this in just a few hours!"

Shae sighed too, and slowly nodded her head. "Yeah, I know." She muttered. "But you can eventually, with some help."

"From who?" Regina asked, raising an eyebrow at the vampire. "You?"

"Of course." Shae replied, giving her a wink. "I am your other true love, after all. You know, the one that isn't married, and never has been. Briefly engaged once. Well, twice, actually, if you count-"

"He wasn't married until _you_ brought Marian here." Regina spat bitterly, pointing an accusing finger at Shae.

"Hey! I told you, I had nothing to do with that!" Replied Shae, pointing a finger back. "That was all Emma and the… Handless wonder!"

"Yes, well, you didn't exactly do anything to stop them, did you?"

"What was I supposed to do, Regina?" Shae cried, throwing her arms up in the air. "Kill her?"

"You were certainly prepared to kill Robin just the other night." Regina said with a shrug of her own.

Shae breathed out a laugh, shaking her head slowly. "If you only knew…"

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Asked Regina, once again raising an eyebrow at the vampire.

"Nothing, forget it." Shae replied, waving her hand dismissively. "Look, I'm sorry, ok? I'm sorry that we brought your boyfriend's wife back. None of us had any idea who she was, I swear. It was just… I dunno… Fate, I guess."

Regina breathed out a bemused laugh, eyeing Shae with utter disbelief. "Fate? You're saying that you think fate is the reason that Robin's dead wife is here?"

"Yeah, I really do." Shae replied with a serious nod. "You told me yourself that you still love me, and that's what makes this all so hard. But now? Well, now it's easy. Fate has given you one very obvious choice."

Regina bit her lip, her eyes welling with tears once again. "Shae, it's not that simple."

"Isn't it?" Shae exclaimed. "How do you think I knew to get you these flowers? How do you think I knew to play you Chopin's Nocturne in E Flat Major?"

Shae paused momentarily, her own blood red eyes shining with tears. "Because I know _you_ , Regina." She went on quietly, her voice quavering with emotion. "I know you in ways that Robin Hood never will."

Regina turned her head away from her true love, tears falling freely down her face now. Shae slowly walked forward, stopping just in front of her, and gently taking her hand.

"You and I have fought so much darkness in our lives, in our very souls." Shae went on, her voice barely above a whisper, thick with emotion. "And we won. We fought, and we won, and we came out the other side stronger, _together_."

"Robin has battled his own demons." Regina said quietly, refusing to meet Shae's gaze.

"Demons?" Shae exclaimed with an amused snort. "He doesn't know a damn thing about demons. Not like you and I do."

Shae took another small step forward, closing the distance between them. She gently cupped her hand under Regina's chin, tilting her head upwards, forcing her to gaze into her blood red eyes.

"I know you, Regina." Shae whispered with a smile. She released Regina's chin, and sent shivers throughout Regina's entire body as she gently drew her finger down the side of her neck. "I know just how to touch you, how to kiss you."

Regina drew in a sharp breath as Shae's cold, pale lips pressed lightly against her own. She stood rigidly still for a moment, but then sighed, gently wrapping her arms around Shae's neck as their lips parted. Shae kissed her slowly, deeply, holding her gently in her arms. It was the kind of kiss that left Regina breathless, that set her heart racing. As she felt the sweet, familiar taste of Shae's lips upon her own, breathed in her intoxicating scent, she suddenly realized how terribly she had missed her.

"You can't tell me you don't still feel this." Shae whispered as she pulled away from their embrace, her hand placed gently on Regina's cheek. "You can't stand there and tell me that this doesn't still feel real."

Regina stared up into her true love's blood red eyes, her heart still hammering in her chest. She breathed out a shaky sigh, and drew back a step, removing Shae's hand from her cheek.

"No, I can't." She whispered back, more tears trickling down her face. "Of course I can't. I told you once before that I would never stop loving you, and… And I meant it, it's true. Even more so now that we share a heart."

"Regina, I… I don't understand." Shae quietly replied as she slowly shook her head. "If that's how you really feel then… I don't understand why this decision is so hard for you."

Regina breathed out a bitter, shaky laugh, shaking her head as well. "Neither do I."

Regina's face then twisted in sorrow, and she buried her face in her hands as she choked out a strangled sob. Shae gently drew her into her arms, holding her tight as she sobbed into her chest. Regina clung desperately to Shae, digging her fingers into the front of her leather jacket. Shae held her close as her body shook with sobs, Regina's tears soaking the front of her t-shirt.

"Shae, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry." Regina whispered, staring miserably into Shae's blood red eyes. "I… I just… I can't…"

Shae smiled into her eyes, taking her face in her hands, gently brushing her tears away with her thumbs. She opened her mouth to reply, but then shut it again, choosing instead to lean forward once again, and place a tender kiss on Regina's lips. Regina sobbed against Shae's lips, Robin Hood's bright blue eyes flashing before her own. She pushed Shae back, vigorously shaking her head as she fought back more bitter sobs.

"Shae, stop, please…" Regina begged her, her heart aching with misery. "Please, this only makes everything worse."

"How?" Shae asked, reaching out and tightly gripping Regina's arms, staring desperately into her eyes. "How does this make it worse?"

"I don't know!" Regina shouted, yanking her arms out of Shae's grip. "I don't know, Shae. It… It just does. Please… Please, you have to stop."

"No." Shae whispered, shaking her head as tears rushed down her face. "No, I can't. I won't."

Regina drew in a startled gasp as Shae grabbed her roughly by her arms again. She stumbled backwards as Shae bared down upon her, and gasped again as she pinned her to the wall by her arms. Shae kissed her again, fiercely, desperately. Regina let out a muffled, strangled cry against her lips, trying to desperately to free herself from the vampire's painful iron grip.

In her panicked and fearful desperation, Regina let loose a blast of magical energy. Shae was sent hurtling across the room, and the sound of shattering glass broke chaotically into the quiet of the night. The bouquets of lilies tumbled from their surfaces as Shae crashed into the dining room table, her back slamming into the piano sitting against the far wall. She fell to the ground, the flowers that she had bought for the woman she loved falling onto the floor all around her.

"WHY?" Regina screamed, her whole body trembling. "WHY, SHAE?"

Shae groaned, pushing herself up onto her knees. She stared around at all the flowers lying wilted and ruined on the floor, her blood red eyes wide with horror. She turned her gaze onto Regina, her mouth gaping open in shock, her eyes streaming with tears.

"Why?" Regina repeated in a desperate whisper. "Why are you doing this?"

"BECAUSE I PROMISED YOU!"

Regina jumped, drawing back a step in fear at Shae's sudden, furious outburst. "Promised me?" She breathed quietly. "Promised me what?"

Shae hung her head, squeezing her eyes shut as more miserable tears fell from her eyes. Regina took another step back as Shae slowly rose to her feet, but the vampire remained where she stood. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket, staring down at the floor.

"Do you remember the assassin that broke into your castle, the one that looked just like me?" Shae asked of her, her tone heavy with sadness.

Regina shook her head, and opened her mouth to reply. She quickly shut it again, her brow furrowing as she suddenly realized that she _did_ remember the assassin disguised as her Protector. She glanced up from the floor and back at Shae, her eyes shining with understanding.

"That _was_ you, wasn't it?" She asked, her brown eyes wide with shock. "The future you, I mean. Or the… _Now_ , you."

Shae nodded slowly, continuing to stare down at the petal strewn floor. "I broke into your castle looking for Emma, and I… Bumped into you." She went on. "You kept trying to kill me, so I ended up having to tell you who I was, and where I came from."

Regina's brow furrowed in confusion once again. "I don't remember that conversation."

"That's because I made you take a memory potion." Shae explained, still refusing to meet Regina's gaze. "But, before I did, I… I told you all about us, and about what I was going to go back to."

Shae finally glanced up from the floor, her blood red eyes shining with tears once again. "You made me swear, Regina, you made me promise that, when I got back to the future, that I wouldn't give up." She went on in a whisper, her voice cracking with emotion. "You made me promise that I would fight for you, and I intend to keep that promise."

Regina turned her back on her true love, unable to bare the sight of her miserable, desperate eyes any longer. She buried her face in her hands, more tears leaking out of her own eyes, as her own heart ached with utter misery.

"I don't want you to fight for me, Shae." Regina told her quietly. "You… You shouldn't have to."

Shae quickly crossed the room in three long strides, gently placing her hand on Regina's elbow. "But _I_ want to."

"NO!" Regina shouted, ripping her arm out of Shae's grip, turning her back on her once again. "Shae, please, you have to stop. You… You have to leave. Now."

"Right, so you can go running right back to Robin Hood as soon as I turn my back." Shae spat bitterly.

"NO!" Regina shouted again, rounding on the vampire furiously. "No, of course not! He's got a wife now, remember?" She paused, glancing away as she once again saw the painful sorrow in her true love's eyes. "I… I don't want to see him either. I don't want to see either of you, I don't want to speak to you. Not… Not now."

She turned her back on Shae once again, leaning her hands against the kitchen counter. "Please, Shae… Please just go away, just… Leave me alone. I… I just can't."

Shae breathed out a bitter, sour laugh, running shaky hands through her messy black hair. "You know, I really was right all those years ago."

Regina squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the heart that she now shared with Shae shattering to pieces. She already knew what her true love was going to say next.

"Love is nothing but pain."

XX

After her grand, romantic gesture had failed, and she was once again rejected by the woman she loved, Shae retreated into miserable solitude within her cabin in the woods. She had absolutely no idea that there was once again a new threat to the town of Storybrooke. The very next morning after the party at Granny's that had taken a very grim turn, Storybrooke was besieged by what appeared to be some kind of giant snow monster. Emma, with the help of Hook, chased after the snow monster, and attempted to figure out who exactly had conjured it. Unbeknownst to them, the monster was conjured by a newcomer to their town: Elsa, Queen of Arendell.

Unbeknownst to the three time travellers, they had brought back from the past more than just Robin Hood's once dead wife. The strange urn that Hook had found within The Dark One's vault had slipped through the portal with them, and had fallen open upon landing in the future. Elsa had been trapped inside, and upon arriving in a new and strange world, she was shocked, confused, and, most of all, frightened. She had been on the run from Emma and Hook when, in her fear, she conjured the snow monster with her ice powers. The Queen of Arendell then proceeded to conjure a wall of ice, stretching all the way around the town. No one was going to leave Storybrooke, not until she found out where exactly she was, and why she had been trapped inside an urn. No one was leaving, not until she found her sister.

Emma, her parents, and Hook were too busy dealing with the new threat to the town to worry about their vampire friend. However, there were others that were, and Shae had several visitors to her cabin in the days following Regina's rejection. The first was Henry. After the power had mysteriously gone completely out inside her cabin one night, Shae decided to start a fire in the firepit that sat just outside the cabin. The crackling fire cast a warm glow upon the vampire as she sat alone, strumming on her guitar and singing a bitter, angry song.

"Now I know fairy tales don't come true,  
And Cinderella don't fit the shoe.  
Someday I'll get back the love I gave,  
Someday you'll pay for the mess you've made.

From the start, drew a target on my heart,  
So you can throw your poison darts.  
You'll never kill, never kill, never kill.

You left a trail right from the start,  
Of bloody nails and broken hearts.  
And you keep tearin' them apart,  
With bloody nails and broken hearts.

You left a trail right from the start,  
Of bloody nails and broken hearts.  
And I bet you thought I'd miss your bitter kiss.

Your bitter kiss, your bitter kiss,  
I'll never miss your bitter kiss.  
Your bitter kiss, your bitter kiss,

I'll never miss-"

Shae stopped short, listening hard as her sensitive hearing picked up the sound of footsteps. She carefully set Bianca, her guitar, onto the ground, and slowly rose to her feet. She squinted into the night, and spotted the glow of a flashlight drawing closer to her cabin. Her eyebrows raised in shock as her visitor stepped through the trees.

"Henry?" She exclaimed. "What the hell are you doing out here? It's dark out!"

Henry stowed his flashlight in his pocket, and shrugged slightly. "I know, I just… Thought you might want some company. And I… I just…"

Henry stammered into silence for a moment, and he stared quietly down at his feet. "I-I know that New York was all fake and everything, but…" He went on, giving another small shrug. "But you're still my friend, and I… I miss you."

The slightly angry expression faded from Shae's face as Henry continued to stare down at the ground, slowly swinging his arms. She then sighed, and quickly rushed over to him, wrapping the boy in a tight hug.

"Oh, Henry… I-I miss you too, buddy." She whispered as she held him tight.

Henry smiled up at her as she released him. "Really?"

Shae smiled back, and nodded. "Yeah, of course. I'm sorry that we haven't talked or… Or hung out or anything. Just… Hold on, I'll get you a chair."

Henry waited patiently as Shae went back inside the cabin, returning once again with a wooden dining chair. "So, does your mom know you're here?" Shae asked the boy once they were both seated by the fire.

"Well… No, not exactly." Henry admitted with another shrug. "But Grandma, Mary Margaret, she knows I'm here. She said it's probably safer out here with you than in town right now anyway."

"What? Why? What's going on in town?" Shae asked, brow furrowed in concern.

"Well, there was the giant snow monster, and now the ice wall that took out the power lines-"

"Woah, wait a minute!" Shae suddenly exclaimed, urgently grabbing onto Henry's arm. "Did… Did you say… Snow monster?"

"Um… Yeah." Henry replied, confused by the sudden fearful look in the vampire's eyes. "It's ok, though, it's gone now. Nobody knows where it came from though."

Shae stared into the fire, her eyes suddenly far, far away, her hand still tightly gripping Henry's arm. Henry waited for a moment, and eyed her curiously as she continued to sit in what appeared to be shocked and fearful silence.

"Shae, are… You ok?" Henry asked her.

Shae blinked several times, and quickly released Henry's arm when she realized that she was still clutching it. She then cleared her throat, and hastily changed the subject.

"So, uh… H-How's your mom doing?"

"Which one?"

Shae chuckled lightly, slowly shaking her head. "Right, I keep forgetting that I need to be more specific." She muttered. "Uh… Both, I guess."

"Well, Emma's fine, I guess." Henry replied with a shrug. "Things are weird with her and Hook though. I think she likes him, but she keeps avoiding him or something. And Regina… Um, I… I don't really know."

Shae's brow furrowed in concern once again at the sudden sad look in the boy's eyes. "What do you mean?"

Henry bit his lip, staring out into the fire as well. "She sent me a note earlier, and… And told me to stay away." He answered quietly. "She… Doesn't want to see me."

Shae sighed heavily, gently patting the boy's shoulder as he glumly hung his head. "I'm sorry, Henry. I'm sure she's ok, she's just… Having a hard time right now. Everything is really complicated now that Marian is here."

"But, I just… I don't understand." Henry said slowly. "Now that Robin is with Marian then… Then my mom, she should be with you, right?"

"Yeah, you'd think so." Shae muttered sadly. "But, it's just… It's not really that simple."

"Why not?" Henry asked, looking even more confused.

Shae fell silent for a moment, once again staring into the fire as she pondered how to answer the boy's question. When she came up with nothing, she sighed again, slowly rubbing her forehead.

"Henry, I'm sorry, but… I think it's just something you're too young to understand." She finally replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cried Henry, looking offended.

"I don't really know, ok? It's hard to explain." Shae quickly replied. When Henry continued to eye her angrily, she went on. "Look, all those fairy tales you grew up reading, even the ones in that book of yours, the true ones… They're all about people finding their one true love, finding that one person that they're meant to be with."

Shae paused for a moment, trying to stop the snarl from spreading across her face as she thought about Regina and Robin Hood. "But, your mom… She's got two of those." She went on quietly. "Sometimes, someone can be in love with more than one person, and that's… Hard. Complicated. And… Messy."

"Kinda like when you were in love with both Emma and Regina?" Henry asked.

Shae sighed heavily again. "Yeah… Kinda."

"Do you still love her?" Henry asked in a quiet voice. "Emma, I mean."

Shae bit her lip, once again thinking hard about how to respond. "I think… In a way, yes, I do." She replied slowly. "Love can come in a lot of different forms, you know? I still care about Emma a whole lot, and I'm sure she cares about me too, and you, and Hook now, I guess. Which is just… Weird."

Henry nodded earnestly, causing Shae to chuckle. She then cleared her throat, and went on. "But, uh… I guess what I'm trying to say, is that I do care about Emma very deeply, but… But not in the same way that I care about Regina."

Henry bit his lip, nodding slowly as he stared into the fire, pondering the vampire's words. Shae watched him curiously as he began drumming his fingers on his legs in an anxious sort of way. When he finally glanced back up at her, there was a sudden immense sadness in his eyes.

"I-I… I'm really sorry, Shae." He stammered quietly.

Shae's brow furrowed in confusion. "Sorry about what?"

"Um… There's another reason I came to find you." Henry replied slowly. "There was something attached to my mom's note, something of yours. She wanted me to… Give it back to you."

Henry fumbled around in his pocket for a moment, and pressed something small, round, and metallic into the vampire's hand. Shae instantly knew what it was as the second it touched her palm. She stared down at her ring sitting in her hand, the tiny particles of stardust glowing ever so faintly in the firelight. She had given it to Regina the night of her battle with Zelena, the night that The Wicked Witch crushed her heart. Regina had been furious with her after finding her in bed with Emma, refusing to even speak to her for days. Despite the pain that Shae had caused her, Regina was able to forgive her, and once again placed Shae's ring on her finger, promised to marry her once her sister had been dealt with. Once again their true love had proven that it could overcome anything. But now, with another true love in Regina's life, everything was different, painful, and uncertain.

Shae clutched the ring tightly in her fist, squeezing her eyes shut as tears leaked down her cold, pale face. She tried to stop the overwhelming rush of emotion that was washing over her, but she just couldn't. She leaned forward, burying her face in her hands as she began to sob bitterly. Henry watched her silently for a moment, then hesitantly reached out, gently and soothingly rubbing the vampire's back.

"I'm sorry, Henry." Shae muttered once her tears had subsided. "I should be the one comforting you, not… Not the other way around."

"It's ok." Henry said, smiling sadly up at her. "It's… It's gonna be ok. You and my mom have found your way back to each other a bunch of times already. You'll do it again this time too. I know you will."

Shae clenched her jaw, fighting back against the immeasurable pain that ached within her heart. She straightened up, wiping the tears from her face, and managed a sad smile of her own.

"I hope you're right, kid." She whispered softly. "I… Really hope you're right."

XX

While Shae had been talking with Henry, Emma, David, and Hook discovered the source of the town wide power outage. A giant wall of ice was suddenly surrounding the town, and had knocked down several power lines. While carefully examining the ice wall, they discovered it's source, and the source of the snow monster that had attacked the town: Elsa of Arendell.

The heroes of Storybrooke immediately assumed Elsa was a threat. However, they quickly learned that Elsa was a kind and gentle woman, who was frightened and confused by the new world she had suddenly found herself in. She had no idea how she had been trapped inside the urn, or why, and all she wanted was to find her sister, Anna. David, with the help of Hook, managed to track down Bo Peep's magical staff, hoping that it would be able to show them where Anna was. However, all that came out of the staff was a faint, pulsing heartbeat. They still didn't know where Anna was, but they at least knew that she was alive.

Elsa was comforted to know that her beloved sister was indeed alive somewhere. She agreed to undo her spell that had created the ice wall, but was confused when she found that she couldn't. Her and Emma quickly deduced that there was something very wrong. Someone else was keeping Elsa's ice wall intact, someone who must have powers just like her's.

While Emma, Hook, and Elsa searched for the person that was maintaining the ice wall, and also Anna as well, Shae remained in isolation within her cabin, as did Regina, within her own home. Since the former Mayor didn't seem to want her job any more, Mary Margaret stepped in as Mayor of Storybrooke. She had sent out fliers for an event that she called, "The Mayor's Fireside Chat." Everyone in the town was welcome to attend, to learn about things going on in the town, and offer their own suggestions for improvements that could be made. Mary Margaret and David were both pleasantly surprised by the number of people that were gathered inside The Mayor's Office. Robin Hood had even brought Marian, in attempt to help introduce his wife to her strange new reality.

The new Mayor quickly lost control over her own meeting, panic ensuing when she told everyone about the ice wall. It grew far worse when Marian suddenly collapsed in her husband's arms. They all watched in horrified shock as streaks of her dark brown hair began to turn white, and her entire body began to frost over. The townsfolk immediately began throwing accusations at Elsa, but she insisted that she was not to blame. However, her words fell on deaf and furious ears, and Emma quickly removed her from The Mayor's Office. She left Elsa in the care of Hook, instructing him to take her to The Sheriff's Station, where he could keep Arendell's Queen safe and out of sight from the angry townsfolk. Meanwhile, Emma left with her father for Robin Hood's camp. They hoped that they would be able to find something that could tell them who had cast the icy spell on Marian, and why.

With very little knowledge of magic, and little other choice, Mary Margaret and David were forced to summon Regina. The once Evil Queen was not exactly happy to be helping the wife of the man she loved, but nevertheless, she did agree to help. Unfortunately, Regina had never seen any sort of spell like the one that had somehow been cast on Marian. She was at a complete and utter loss. Once again, with little other choice, they next decided to summon Shae. Robin was not happy about it, and neither was Regina, but both of them knew that Shae was from a whole different world, a world that was filled with all sorts of magic. They hoped that the vampire might know something about what was done to Marian, and, possibly, how to save her.

Mary Margaret sent Ruby after Shae, thinking that she likely had the best chance of coaxing the vampire out of her cabin. They placed Marian on the couch in front of the fire while they waited, thinking that the warmth might slow down the icy spell. However, the roaring and crackling fire seemed to have no effect. Marian's body was completely caked over in ice by the time Ruby finally returned, with Shae in tow. As soon as Shae stepped through the door, she immediately stopped in her tracks when she saw Robin Hood standing next to Regina. She stood in shocked silence for a few moments, staring wide eyed at the two of them.

"Nope." She finally said, vigorously shaking her head. "Nope, nope, nope."

Shae promptly turned on her heel, and stomped back out the door. The others all looked expectantly at Ruby, who breathed out an exasperated sigh.

"You guys, it took me forever just to get her here." She groaned. "It's someone else's turn."

"Here, hold the baby." Mary Margaret grumbled, holding baby Neal out to Ruby. "I've got this."

Ruby carefully took Neal from Mary Margaret's arms. Mary Margaret then marched out the door, her lips pursed in an irritated scowl. She returned a few moments later, dragging Shae back into the room by her ear.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Shae cried, rubbing her aching ear once Mary Margaret released her. "Jesus fuck… How? How are you so strong?"

"Must be all the diaper changing, I don't know!" Mary Margaret snapped irritably. "Now, please, just listen. We need your help."

"Jesus fucking Christ…" Shae muttered, slowly rubbing her forehead. "Just… Fine. What? What do you guys want? What did you do now?"

"You didn't tell her?" Asked Regina, raising an eyebrow at Ruby.

"No, of course not." Ruby replied with a snort. "She never would have come if I did."

"Why?" Shae asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at them all. "What's going on?"

"It's… It's Marian." Robin replied hesitantly. "Someone has… Cast some sort of spell or… Or curse on her."

Shae's blood red eyes grew wide with shock, and she slowly turned them onto Regina. "What the hell did you do?"

Regina scoffed indignantly. "Me? I didn't do anything!"

"Shae, it wasn't Regina." Mary Margaret cut in hastily. "That's why we brought you here. We don't know who did it, or what even… _It_ is. Regina said she's never seen magic like this before."

"None of us have." Said Ruby.

"Alright…" Shae muttered, slowly nodding her head. "So what exactly is wrong with her?"

"See for yourself." Regina replied, gesturing toward the couch.

Shae followed behind Regina as she led her over to the couch, where Marian was still lying, completely covered in ice. As soon as Shae saw her, she drew in a sharp, startled gasp. She stumbled backward, several items from the fireplace mantle clattering to the floor as she knocked into it.

"Shae? Are you alright?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Shae, what's wrong?" Asked Ruby.

The vampire didn't seem to hear them. She stood rigid in her spot, her hand over her mouth, the other gripping the mantlepiece tight. She stared silently down at Marian's frozen body, her blood red eyes wide, and suddenly full of fear. Everyone gathered inside The Mayor's Office had known Shae for years, apart from Robin Hood. None of them had ever seen such a fear in her eyes.

"No… No, no, no…" Shae whispered, her hand dropping limply back to her side, her bottom lip trembling. "No… I-It can't be…"

"What's the matter with you?" Regina demanded, a bit irritably. "Do you know what this is? Have you seen it before?"

Shae blinked several times, finally roused from her shocked and fearful daze. She stared around at all of their expectant faces for a moment, her jaw still hanging open. She then quickly clamped it shut, and loudly cleared her throat.

"Nope."

They all gaped at the vampire in silent befuddlement as she stepped around the couch, heading for the door. Regina quickly stopped her, grabbing her roughly by the arm, jerking her to a stop.

"You're lying!"

Shae glanced down at Regina's hand on her arm, then back up at Regina herself, her lips curling into a snarl. She glared silently into Regina's eyes for a moment, then snorted, raising her voice to a high pitched, ridiculous tone.

"'Oh, I'm Regina, and I think I know everything!'" She cried mockingly. She then wrenched her arm out of Regina's grip, and rolled her eyes at her. "Ugh… Please."

"Are you mocking me?" Regina snarled furiously.

Shae snorted in amusement once again. "Oh, so you can tell when I'm lying, but you can't tell when I'm mocking you to your face?"

"So you _are_ lying!" Regina exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger in Shae's face.

"Get your damn finger out of my face!" Shae shouted back, swatting Regina's hand away.

"Shae, please!" Mary Margaret pleaded. "If you know something, if you know how to save Marian, then you need to tell us!"

Shae glared silently into Regina's eyes for a moment, then glanced back down at Marian. Her blood red eyes were once again filled with the strange sort of fear as before as she looked upon Marian's ice covered body. She then breathed out a relenting sigh, turning her eyes back onto Regina.

"Look, all I can tell you, is that if you want to save your boyfriend's wife, you're gonna need to rip out her heart."

A horrified silence fell over the room, their jaws dropping open as they gaped at the vampire in utter disbelief. "What?" Mary Margaret exclaimed.

"She will do no such thing!" Robin Hood spat furiously.

"She will, if she wants to save her life." Shae spat back. "As soon as that ice touches her heart, she's dead, if she isn't already. From the look of her, it… Might already be too late."

Robin's bright blue eyes grew wide with horror. "Y-You're saying… That she might already be dead?"

"Maybe." Shae replied with a shrug. "It's hard to tell, without looking at her heart."

Robin turned to Regina, urgently gripping her arm. "Regina, please. If what she says is true, then… Then, please, you must hurry."

Regina hesitated for a moment, biting her lip as she stared down at Robin Hood's frozen wife. She then sighed heavily, and nodded. Robin and Shae both stepped back, and Regina stepped up to the couch next to Marian. She drew in a quick, steadying breath, and they all winced as she plunged her hand through the layer of ice around Marian's body, and into her chest. Her brow furrowed momentarily, and she grunted as she struggled against the icy spell. She then gave her arm one last heave, and it finally came free, with Marian's heart in tow.

"It… Seems to be untouched by the ice." Regina said as she closely examined the glowing red heart in her hand.

She then handed the heart over to Shae, who also carefully looked it over, holding it up and turning it from side to side. Shae nodded in agreement, and handed Marian's heart over to her husband.

"Looks like you got lucky." Shae told him, giving another shrug. "Her heart's fine, which means she's still alive. Now can I go?"

"Wait… But, she's still frozen." Robin Hood said, staring fearfully down at his wife.

"Yep." Shae replied simply. "I said removing her heart would save her, not unfreeze her. I have no idea how to do that. Have you tried an icepick? Or… A flamethrower? Oh! Molotov cocktails!"

"Shae, we are not setting Marian on fire." Mary Margaret said with an exasperated sigh.

"Do whatever you want." Shae replied, waving her hand unconcernedly. "I was mostly joking anyway. Only the person who cast the spell can undo it."

"So… She's doomed remain frozen like this?" Asked Robin Hood, his eyes still wide with fear.

"Until all you hero folks find whoever cast the spell." Shae said with another unconcerned shrug. "Have fun with that. I'm outta here."

Shae once again turned her back on them, and made for the door. She stopped, fists clenched in anger when Regina called out to her. "Shae, stop!"

"WHAT?" Shae exclaimed, whirling back around.

"How exactly do you know all of this?" Regina demanded of her. "How did you know to remove Marian's heart?"

Shae gave her another dismissive shrug. "I just do."

Regina narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the vampire, pointing another accusing finger at her. "You're hiding something… Why?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Yeah, actually, I think it does." Said Mary Margaret, also eyeing the vampire suspiciously. "You know who did this to Marian, don't you?"

"Nope." Said Shae.

"You're lying again!" Regina shouted furiously, pointing at Shae once again. "Why? Why all the lies, the deception?"

"BECAUSE IT'S NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS, REGINA!"

They all gasped at Shae's furious, roaring outburst. They stood quietly, eyeing Shae warily as the vampire's clenched fists began shaking with rage, her blood red eyes shining with tears.

"My secrets, my _life_ …" Shae went on in a quiet, dangerous tone. "They stopped being any of your business the moment you kicked me to the curb."

Regina's mouth gaped open in horror, her own eyes welling with tears. "Shae… I-I just… I didn't-"

"Yes you FUCKING DID!" Shae roared again. She then rounded on Mary Margaret and Ruby, who both drew back a step at the fury in her eyes. "Don't come to me about shit like this again! I'm not in the business of helping people anymore."

Shae once again stomped toward the door, and, this time, nobody stopped her. The others all jumped slightly as Shae slammed the door shut behind her, and they all fell into a fearful and confused silence.

"What do we do now?" Robin Hood whispered quietly, looking to Regina.

"I'm… Not sure." Regina replied, slowly shaking her head. "I will go through my spellbooks and see if I can somehow find a way to unfreeze Marian. But, like Shae said, the only sure way to do it is find whoever cast the spell, and make them undo it."

"Somehow, I feel like it won't be that easy." Ruby muttered, breathing out a small chuckle.

Regina chuckled darkly herself. "No, it certainly won't." She murmured in a agreement. "When Shae saw Marian, there was a fear in her eyes unlike anything I've ever seen before."

"Yeah, I saw it too." Mary Margaret said with a nod. "And if Shae is afraid of whoever did this, then we definitely should be too."

XX

While Mary Margaret, Ruby, Regina, and Robin Hood argued with Shae over her closely guarded secrets, Hook had decided to disobey Emma's orders, and took Elsa to Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop. Hook was not keen on sitting idly by while Emma searched for the person who shared Elsa's icy powers, so he decided to go on a hunt of his own, with Elsa in tow. He gave Mr. Gold one of the white hairs that had sprouted on Marian's head, and The Dark One was able to use it to cast a locator spell. He broke down the hair into magical snow flurries, and told Hook and Elsa that the magic within the hair would return to its source. Elsa and Hook followed the flurries of snow deep into the Storybrooke woods, where they happened upon a woman, a woman with light blonde hair, garbed in a sparkling white dress with a high, pointed collar. This strange woman appeared to have magic, the very same kind as Elsa's.

This woman seemed to know Elsa, but Elsa had no memory of her. The woman told her that her memories had been taken from her by the rock trolls, and that it was Elsa's own sister, Anna, that had trapped her within the urn. Elsa refused to believe it, but the strange woman told her that, like all other normal, non-magical people, Anna had grown to fear her sister and her ice powers. She had cast the spell on Marian in attempt to teach Elsa the lesson that, eventually, everyone turns on people with magic, even friends, and even family. They are all simply waiting for a reason to take drastic measures. The woman was about to use her powers to kill Hook, to once again try and teach Elsa the same lesson, when Emma and David arrived just in time to stop her.

The strange woman, who had been aptly dubbed as 'The Snow Queen,' somehow, someway, also seemed to know Emma. Just like Elsa, Emma had absolutely no memory of The Snow Queen. She had no idea what she wanted with her, Elsa, or the town of Storybrooke. Emma once again sent Elsa to The Sheriff's Station with Hook, who decided to actually obey her orders this time. Emma returned home after her long and tiring day, only to receive even more shocking news from her mother. Mary Margaret told her and her husband all about what had happened after they had left the meeting at The Mayor's Office. They all now knew that there was only one person who might know just exactly what The Snow Queen was up to: Shae.

They once again decided to send Ruby out to Shae's cabin, to see if the young she-wolf could gain any kind of information from the vampire about The Snow Queen. Shae, however, refused to say anything about the matter, keeping her secrets as well guarded as ever. Although Ruby had gone to see Shae for the purpose of gaining information, she quickly decided not to press the issue. She still cared very deeply for her ex-lover, and knew that Shae was already in an immeasurable amount of pain. When she asked about The Snow Queen, about why she had reacted so fearfully to seeing Marian, Ruby saw even more pain in the vampire's eyes. All she knew was that The Snow Queen was somehow tied to her past.

"I've worked really hard to put my past behind me." Shae had said to her. "But, for some reason, it refuses to fucking stay there."

After that, Ruby decided to drop the subject of The Snow Queen. Then, things between Shae and Ruby took a sudden and unforeseen turn. Ruby had taken Shae's hand in her own, and she saw a strange sort of hunger in the vampire's eyes. Suddenly, Shae was kissing her, touching her, their lips parting again and again with urgent and passionate ferocity. Suddenly, they were tearing at each other's clothes, and, suddenly, they were fucking on the couch.

The vampire and the werewolf's brief relationship had been filled with an immeasurable amount of attraction and desire, and they had been unable to keep their hands off each other for any longer than a day. That same passionate, carnal desire had not faded in the slightest, and they left chaos in their wake as they made urgent and furious love all about the cabin. They had finally made it into the bedroom, the blankets and sheets lying in a messy, tangled heap upon the floor. Ruby was on her hands and knees on the bed, and Shae knelt behind her, two fingers deep inside her, her other hand gripping a fistful of Ruby's hair. Ruby screamed and moaned with pleasure as Shae fucked her hard, fast, and deep, every so often slapping her backside with an open palm, something Shae knew full well that Ruby liked.

"Oh… Oh, fuck… Shae!" Ruby moaned between ragged breaths. "Oh god… Oh… FUCK!"

Ruby screamed with pleasure as her body tensed up, and Shae moaned with her, grinning as her hand was once again soaked with Ruby's cum. Ruby pushed herself up, leaning back into Shae, her chest heaving with exertion. Shae held her tight, pressing slow and gentle kisses on her neck as she shivered with pleasure. Ruby moaned softly, and grabbed onto the hair on the back of Shae's head. She jerked her head away from her neck, and kissed her cold, pale lips. They kissed slowly, deeply, Ruby continuing to moan softly as Shae slid her hand back down between her legs, gently fondling her womanhood.

"Oh god, Shae…" Ruby whispered against Shae's lips. "Oh, I missed you."

"I missed you too." Shae whispered back.

Ruby chuckled, biting her lip as Shae went back to kissing her neck. "Don't lie. You had Regina to take care of you."

"Nobody takes care of me quite like you do." Shae whispered in her ear, gently nibbling on her earlobe.

"Mmm… Well, I'm glad to hear that." Ruby replied with a grin.

Ruby suddenly turned herself around, grabbing Shae by her shoulders. She spun them both around, and shoved Shae roughly down onto the bed. Shae cried out in shock, moaning loudly as Ruby plunged her face between her legs. The vampire and the werewolf made furious, urgent love back and forth for several more hours, until, finally, they were both spent. Ruby lie on her back, her chest heaving after cumming vigorously once again. Shae pressed slow, deep kisses up and down her torso, worshiping her body with her hands, her lips, her tongue.

"Shae, there's… Something else I want to talk to you about." Ruby said after her ragged breaths had finally evened out.

Shae removed her lips from around Ruby's nipple, pouting slightly. "I thought we were done talking."

Ruby chuckled, grabbing Shae by her chin and pulling her in for a kiss. "I know, but it's important. Hold on, I need to show you something."

Shae bit her lip, staring longingly at Ruby's naked body as the she-wolf left the bedroom. She returned a few moments later, and pressed something small into the vampire's hand as she sat back down on the bed. Shae's blood red eyes grew wide with shock when she saw what exactly was sitting in her open palm: A magic bean.

"Where the hell did you get this?" Shae breathed in wonder.

"It was the only one Anton was able to grow." Ruby explained. "After… Well, uh…"

"After Regina destroyed the rest." Shae mumbled sadly. "But… Why do you have it? What are you going to do with it?"

"I'm, uh… I'm going back home."

Shae's eyes grew wide with shock once again. "What? Why?"

Ruby sighed heavily, her brilliant green eyes suddenly very sad. "Shae, my whole life I never really felt like I… Belonged anywhere." She replied quietly. "Even here in Storybrooke I still feel like… Like an outcast."

Ruby paused for a moment, biting her lip hesitantly. "I… I want to find my pack." She went on. "When I was with them… It was the first time in my life that I ever felt like I belonged."

"Why is that so important to you, Ruby?" Shae asked her quietly.

Ruby gave a small shrug. "I… Don't really know. Being with people that were like me, it was just… A feeling that I can't just give up. I've only ever felt it twice in my entire life."

"Twice?" Asked Shae, raising an eyebrow curiously.

Ruby nodded, smiling as she gently placed her hand on Shae's cheek. "When I was with my pack, and… When I was with you, Shae."

Shae stared into Ruby's eyes for a moment, and then sighed, her own eyes full of sorrow. "Oh, Ruby… I-I just… I… I don't-"

"Shae, it's alright." Ruby said with a sad smile. "I know what all this was. Regina rejected you, and I'm just your rebound."

"Ruby, come on, don't say it like that." Shae said with a groan.

"Why not? It's the truth." Ruby replied, chuckling lightly. "It's ok, really. I knew exactly what this was the moment you kissed me. I guess I just… Wanted to chase that feeling again. To see if this still… Felt the same."

"Did it?"

Ruby chuckled again, placing a light kiss on Shae's lips. "Well, sure, some of it did." She said with a grin. The grin then faded, and her eyes grew sad once again. "But… Not all of it. You're in love with Regina."

"And _she's_ in love with Robin Hood." Shae muttered bitterly.

"Yeah, I know." Ruby muttered as well. "Which is why… I think you should come with me."

Shae's jaw dropped open in shock. "Say what now?"

Ruby sighed again, taking Shae's hand in her's, staring very seriously into her blood red eyes. "Shae, you're in so much pain right now." She said quietly. "And going back to The Enchanted Forest could give you a chance to get away from all this pain. You could… Start over, start a new life."

"With you, you mean. Right?" Shae said quietly as well, smiling a sad smile.

Ruby bit her lip, staring down at Shae's chest as she gently traced a finger along one of the vampire's many scars. "I'd be lying if I said that isn't something I'd want." She whispered, glancing back up into Shae's eyes. "But really I just… Want you to be happy, Shae. You deserve to be happy. You deserve someone who can… Give their all to you, you know?"

"Someone like you?" Shae asked with another sad smile.

Ruby breathed out a laugh. "Yeah, I guess so."

Shae laced her fingers in with Ruby's, gently pressing her lips to her cheek, kissing away the single tear that had leaked out of her eye. "Oh, Ruby, that's… That's all I want too." She whispered softly, her blood red eyes full of sorrow. "But… I just… I don't know. Regina, she's my true love. We're… Bound by destiny, or whatever. And we even share a heart now, which is just… Fucking nuts."

Shae sighed heavily, hanging her head as another tear rolled down Ruby's cheek. They sat in silence for a few moments, both their hearts hanging heavy with sadness.

"What does Granny think about all this?" Shae asked of Ruby. When the she-wolf didn't respond right away, Shae's eyes shone with understanding. "You… Didn't tell her."

Ruby slowly shook her head. "If I did, she'd just try and stop me, and get all… Emotional, and stuff." She replied with a small shrug. "Seeing her like that… I just… I don't know if I'd actually have the courage to go. You, Belle, and Mary Margaret are the only ones that know."

"I see." Shae muttered, nodding as well. "When are you… You know…"

"Leaving?" Ruby finished for her. "Tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night?" Shae breathed in shock. "Shit… I… I just… I don't know… Do I have to decide now?"

Ruby laughed, slowly shaking her head. "No, of course not." She replied, gently running her fingers through Shae's messy black hair. "Actually, I'd prefer if you didn't. I'm not quite done with you yet."

Shae grinned against Ruby's lips as she kissed her, and the vampire and the werewolf continued to make urgent, passionate love until the wee hours of the morning. As Ruby fell asleep in her arms, Shae lie awake as she always did during the night, her mind fraught with uncertainty. She knew Ruby was right, going back to The Enchanted Forest, getting away from Storybrooke, from Regina, from Robin Hood, would only help ease the terrible pain she felt deep within her heart. She knew that, not only would leaving Storybrooke help ease her pain, it would allow her to escape from the events that were taking place within the town. Shae's past had once again come back to haunt her, and the vampire was not at all ready to face it.

XX

The next night, Ruby stood deep within the Storybrooke forest, sharing a tearful goodbye with her two dearest friends, Mary Margaret and Belle. She had waited for Shae for some time, but it appeared that the vampire had made her choice. Ruby turned away from the tear stained faces of her friends, reaching into the pocket of her red hood, where her magic bean was safely tucked away. She stopped suddenly, whirling around when a familiar voice called out to her.

"Ruby! Ruby, wait!"

"Shae!" Ruby exclaimed, smiling excitedly as the vampire jogged up to her. "You're… You're here! So you're coming with me?"

Shae exchanged a nervous glance with Mary Margaret and Belle. She opened and closed her mouth several times, then heaved a heavy sigh, staring down at the forest floor.

"You're… Not coming, are you?" Ruby said slowly, the smile fading from her face.

Shae heaved another sad, heavy sigh, and slowly shook her head. "I'm sorry, Ruby." She whispered quietly. "I just… I… I can't."

Ruby stared silently into Shae's blood red eyes for a moment, eyes that were filled with immense sorrow. She sighed herself, slowly nodding her head, biting back more tears.

"I… Understand." She finally replied, managing a sad smile. "I just… I hope that you can find some happiness here, Shae."

"Yeah… You too." Said Shae, smiling a sad smile back. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

Ruby nodded some more, trying to fight back her tears as she stared into Shae's blood red eyes. Suddenly, she was overcome with emotion, her face twisting in sorrow as the tears began to leak out of her eyes. Shae quickly drew her into her arms, holding her tight as she began to sob. Mary Margaret and Belle watched with heavy hearts as the vampire and the werewolf wrapped their arms around each other, both of their bodies shaking with sobs, neither one of them wanting to let go. Shae took Ruby's teary eyed face in her hands, kissing her deeply, desperately. Ruby kissed her back with the same amount of passionate desperation, tightly gripping the front of Shae's leather jacket.

"Ruby… Ruby, don't go." Shae whispered, her voice cracking with emotion.

"Don't stay." Ruby whispered back.

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, hanging her head as more tears leaked down her cold, pale cheeks. Ruby took Shae's face in her hands, and placed a gentle kiss on the vampire's forehead.

"Goodbye, Shae." Ruby whispered, smiling through her tears.

Shae breathed out a shaky sigh, smiling back at her. "Goodbye, Ruby."

Ruby placed one last kiss one Shae's lips, then stepped back, giving her friends Belle and Mary Margaret one final nod. They nodded back, and Mary Margaret, Belle, and Shae watched as Ruby turned away from them, removing her magic bean from the pocket of her red hood. Ruby tossed the bean onto the ground, and they all jumped slightly as a gaping, swirling portal opened up before her. Ruby turned back, giving Shae one last smile, her brilliant green eyes filled with desperate longing, but also, hope. She then turned back to the portal before her, took a deep, steadying breath, and stepped forward.

A deafening silence fell over the Storybrooke forest as the portal closed, and Ruby was gone. Ruby's friends stared at the spot where she had just been standing, their hearts filled with sorrow. They stood in silence for a few moments, none of them knowing what to say.

"Oh god…" Shae suddenly whispered, her eyes wide, her bottom lip trembling. "Oh… Oh, what have I done?"

Belle and Mary Margaret rushed forward in concern as Shae suddenly collapsed onto her hands and knees, her body shaking with bitter sobs. Mary Margaret and Belle knelt down on either side of the vampire, once again at a loss for any comforting words.

"I… I should have gone with her." Shae sobbed, digging her fingers into the grassy ground. "Oh god… Why? Why didn't I go with her?"

"Because, Shae… You don't love her." Whispered Mary Margaret.

"WHY NOT?" Shae shouted furiously, pounding her fist into the dirt. "She's… She's perfect. She's everything I'd ever want in a woman. Things would have been so simple with her. They… They _were_ simple…"

"I know, Shae, I know… I'm sorry." Mary Margaret said quietly, gently rubbing the vampire's back.

Shae sighed shakily, pushing herself up onto her knees. "Fuck… I really must be cursed or something."

"Cursed?" Asked Belle, furrowing her brow at Mary Margaret.

"I've lost every woman I've ever loved, ever cared for." Shae answered in a bitter whisper. "Regina's in love with someone else, Nadia was fucking murdered, everything with Emma was just… Fake memories. Ruby's gone now, and… A-And…"

Shae stopped suddenly, squeezing her eyes shut, shaking her head vigorously. "No… No, I can't… I can't talk about her, can't think about her… I… No, no, I can't…"

"Who?" Mary Margaret asked quietly. "Who, Shae?"

"There was someone else, before Regina… Wasn't there?" Whispered Belle.

Shae nodded slowly, and Mary Margaret and Belle stared wide eyed at each other. "What… Happened to her?" Mary Margaret asked slowly.

Shae shook her head, wiping at her tear stained face. "I… I don't know. It doesn't matter. She was taken away from me, just like all the others."

"Taken away?" Belle echoed, eyeing Shae with concerned curiosity as the vampire pushed herself shakily to her feet.

"Shae, wait!" Mary Margaret exclaimed, grabbing on to Shae's arm as she turned away from them.

"STOP!" Shae bellowed, wrenching her arm out of Mary Margaret's grip. "Dammit, just… Let it go!"

Shae suddenly gasped, clapping both hands over her mouth, her blood red eyes filled with horror. It looked as if she had just said something terribly wrong.

"Let it go…" She whispered, her bottom lip trembling once again. "Oh god… No… No, no, no…"

"Shae… Shae what's wrong?" Belle asked, eyeing the vampire with fearful concern.

Shae shook her head vigorously, slowly backing away from them, tears welling into her eyes. Before either Belle or Mary Margaret could say anything more, the vampire turned and sprinted into the forest, her body disappearing in a black blur of motion. The two women stood in baffled silence for a moment, utterly confused by the strange sort of fear that they had once again seen in Shae's blood red eyes.

"Let it go?" Belle asked, turning her wide, confused eyes onto her friend. "What exactly does that mean? Why did that upset her so much?"

"I have no idea…" Mary Margaret muttered darkly. "But one thing's for sure… Shae's hiding something, something big."

XX

After Ruby's departure back to The Enchanted Forest, Belle and Mary Margaret lent their aid to Emma and Elsa, who were still trying to deduce The Snow Queen's plan, and also find Anna. Meanwhile, Regina continued to search for a way to unfreeze Marian, but to no avail. Henry even embarked on his own secret mission, which he and Regina dubbed, "Operation Mongoose." He was determined to find the author of the magical storybook, and have him, or her, write his mother a happy ending. He had taken a job as Mr. Gold's apprentice, in hopes that something within his grandfather's shop would lead him to the author. Unbeknownst to everyone else, Gold was on a mission of his own. A magical hat that had once belonged to a powerful sorcerer had, once again, found its way into his possession. Gold planned on using the hat to free himself from the tether that was The Dark One's dagger, so he could leave Storybrooke with Belle, who was now his wife, and still retain his powers.

The heroes of Storybrooke knew that Shae could possibly hold the key to finding and stopping The Snow Queen, and continued to visit her out at her cabin, attempting to probe the vampire for answers. Already mentally and emotionally scarred after being rejected by her true love, Ruby's loss weighed heavily upon Shae. She remained in miserable and heartbroken isolation, slamming her cabin door in the face of anyone who knocked upon it. That was, until, one particular visitor came knocking, one that Shae had not at all expected.

"Regina?" She asked, her face plastered with shock. "W-What… What are you doing here?"

Regina bit her lip, staring down at her feet. "Honestly, I'm… Not quite sure." She muttered quietly. "Can… Can I come in?"

"I don't know, can you?"

Regina furrowed her brow at the vampire as Shae began giggling at her own joke. "Are… You drunk?"

"This is America, isn't it?" Shae asked, folding her arms across her chest. "I don't have to answer stupid questions while standing on my own property."

"Technically, this is Gold's property." Regina replied, folding her arms as well.

"Really?" Shae asked, eyebrows raised in shock. "Huh… Well, that explains the weird ass decorating."

Regina sighed exasperatedly. "Shae, please… _May_ I come in?"

"Fine, fine…"

Shae stepped aside, allowing Regina to enter the cabin. In the years that Regina and Shae had lived together, both at Regina's castle and her home in Storybrooke, Shae had always been very tidy. However, the inside of the cabin where she had been staying, alone, was in absolute shambles, the hardwood floor littered with various empty bottles of liquor.

"Did you drink all of this yourself?" Regina asked in horror.

"You know how much it takes to get me drunk." Said Shae, giving her an unconcerned shrug.

"Yes, I know, but… My god, Shae." Regina replied, shaking her head bewilderedly.

Shae sighed irritably, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Just… What do you want, Regina?"

Regina didn't respond right away. She once again stared silently down at her feet, biting her lip hesitantly. "I… Don't really know."

Shae snorted loudly. "The hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know."

Shae watched with her brow furrowed as Regina's deep brown eyes began to well with tears. She continued to stare down at the floor, hesitating in silence for a few moments, refusing to meet Shae's gaze. When she finally did, Shae saw immense sorrow in her eyes.

"All of this… It hurts so much." Regina whispered quietly, wiping at the tears that were starting to leak down her face. "I miss Robin, and I just keep searching for a way to save his damn wife, to… Return her to him. I know it's the right thing to do, but… God, it just hurts."

Shae clenched her fists, trying to stop the snarl that was spreading across her face. "Why the hell are you telling me all this?"

"Because, you're the one person that I want to talk to." Regina replied, more tears rolling down her cheeks. "I do miss Robin but… Dammit, Shae, I miss _you_."

Regina wrapped her arms around her torso, biting back a sob. "I miss you so much." She went on, her voice barely above a whisper. "I miss your touch, your kiss, your… Your very presence. Shae, I just… I miss you."

Shae breathed out a bitter laugh, running a hand through her messy black hair. "What do you want me to say, Regina? That I miss you too?" She asked, her own eyes beginning to shine with tears. "Of course I fucking do. But that doesn't change anything. That doesn't change the fact that you went off and fell in love with someone else, and that you threw me out when I tried to go back to you."

"I know." Regina admitted miserably. "But I think… I think that was all a mistake."

Shae laughed again, eyeing Regina with utter disbelief. "You _think_?"

Regina nodded, her face twisting in sorrow, more tears streaming from her eyes. She quickly crossed the room, stopping just in front of her true love, gripping her hands tight, staring desperately into her blood red eyes.

"Shae, you were right." She whispered, smiling through her tears. "You're the one that stood by me, your love never wavering until I betrayed you. I… I tried to take your heart, I _did_ take your heart. And yet… You still loved me, after everything I'd done to you. Shae, I… I just…"

Shae turned her face away as Regina's voice broke with emotion. Regina then reached out, turning the vampire's face back toward her, pressing a kiss firmly on her cold, pale lips. Shae hesitated for a moment, standing rigidly still, her body trembling. She then placed her quivering hands on Regina's hips, drawing her in closer, tears leaking from her eyes as their lips parted.

Just as it always did when the two lovers kissed, the entire rest of the world melted away around them. The pain Shae felt deep within her heart was momentarily lifted as she held the woman she loved in her arms, as she kissed her. Regina poured all her love into her kiss, and the vampire felt it. They stood locked in their embrace for a few long, passionate moments, their lips parting slowly, gently.

"Oh, Shae…" Regina whispered against her true love's lips, holding her face gently in her hands. "Shae, I love you."

Shae stared silently into her eyes for a moment, her bottom lip trembling. Suddenly, Shae's lips curled into a snarl, and Regina gasped in fright as she shoved her roughly backwards. Shae turned her back on her, stumbling forward a few steps, leaning her shaking hands against the kitchen counter.

"Get out."

Regina's jaw dropped open in shock. "What?"

"You heard me…" Shae growled. She then whirled back around, her eyes flashing with rage, pointing a furious finger at the door. "GET OUT!"

"W-What?" Regina asked again, her eyes welling with more shocked, confused tears. "Shae, I… I don't-"

"You don't get to do this, Regina!" Shae shouted at her, taking an angry step forward. "You don't get to decide you're going to reject me one day, and want me back the next! That's not how this _fucking_ works!"

"How… How what works?"

"THIS!" Shae bellowed, her blood red eyes wide and wild with fury. "Fucking… Life! Love! You don't get to just change your mind whenever the hell you want!"

Regina choked out a sob, drawing back fearfully as Shae stepped forward, bearing down upon her, her blood red eyes full of vicious, painful rage.

"Now… _Get. Out._ " Shae snarled at her.

"Shae… Shae, please…" Regina sobbed, reaching out and desperately gripping the front of her leather jacket. "I… I love you!"

"I DON'T CARE!" Shae screamed, shoving her back once again. "GET OUT!"

Regina choked out another sob, clapping her hands over her mouth, her eyes streaming with tears. Shae scooped up a bottle of whiskey from off of the kitchen counter, and hurled it at the wall next to Regina, where it shattered to pieces.

"GET OUT!" She roared, pointing at the door once again. "GO! NOW!"

Regina stood rooted in her spot for a moment, and Shae took another furious step forward. Regina quickly disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, reappearing in her own bedroom. She collapsed to the floor, her heart aching with misery over the pain and the malice that she had seen within the eyes of the woman that she loved. She curled herself into a ball, sobbing bitterly on her bedroom floor, her heart that she shared with Shae once again shattering to pieces. She had already lost one of her true loves, and now, it seemed, she had lost them both.

XX

The heroes of Storybrooke continued their fruitless attempts to speak with Shae about what she knew about The Snow Queen. However, after her painful and furious encounter with Regina, Shae all out stopped answering her door. Emma and the others were on their own. Whatever Shae knew about The Snow Queen, whatever her secrets were, there seemed to be no way to get anything out of her now. The vampire was distraught, angry, and broken, not at all interested in seeing or speaking to any of her friends.

While going through some boxes of old city records with Elsa one night, the two women made a shocking discovery. There were photographs in the box that had been taken by Sidney Glass, when Regina had him spying on Emma during her first year in Storybrooke. Several of the pictures were of Emma and The Snow Queen inside her ice cream shop, appearing to have some sort of heated discussion. Emma had absolutely no memory of their conversation, but she knew that there was one person who just might know something: Regina.

Emma loaded Elsa into her tiny yellow bug, and drove out to Regina's vault. Things had been extremely tense between Emma and Regina, and Emma was a bit nervous to confront her, especially since it had to do with their tumultuous past. She grew even more nervous when Elsa decided to remain in the car, thinking that Emma needed to have a conversation with Regina alone. Emma knew she was right, but was anxious without the formidable Ice Queen to back her up.

Emma's conversation with Regina was quick, curt, and altogether fruitless. Regina knew nothing about the pictures that Sidney had taken, and didn't even know where Sidney himself was. Emma returned to her car, crestfallen over once again learning no new information about the ever elusive Snow Queen. She started to panic when she found her passenger side door open, and Elsa missing. Emma immediately headed into the woods, and a few moments later, so did Regina.

Regina had lied to Emma when she said she didn't know where Sidney was. Regina had released him from his cell at the hospital, only to once again trap him within her mirror, just as he had been at her castle in The Enchanted Forest. Sidney, by way of a small pocket mirror, was leading Regina through the woods to The Snow Queen's lair. To Regina's dismay, she ran into Emma, who decided to join forces with her. The two women argued bitterly as they walked through the woods, stopping in their tracks when they happened upon a bridge stretching across a large ravine, a bridge made entirely of ice.

"Looks like Elsa was here." Emma muttered, staring at the ice bridge in wonder.

"Thanks, Ms. Swan, please continue to point out the obvious." Regina said with an eyeroll as she stepped toward the bridge.

Emma quickly grabbed on to her arm. "Woah, hey! We don't know if it's safe!"

Regina wrenched her arm out of Emma's grip, fixing her with a cold, irritated glare. She then took a careful step onto the bridge, pressing down on the first step with her foot, testing the ice.

"You were saying?" Regina said, raising an eyebrow at Emma.

Emma sighed irritably, following after Regina as she began to make her way across the bridge. "Ugh… I don't know why I even bother."

"Well, that makes two of us." Regina snapped over her shoulder. "Now, would you please hurry? I would like to find The Snow Queen before it's actually winter."

Emma was about to retort, but her words caught in her throat as, suddenly, a strong wind began to barrel by, causing the bridge to quake beneath their feet. Both Emma and Regina stopped in their tracks, gripping the railings of the bridge for support.

"Uh oh… Something's wrong." Emma muttered, her eyes wide with fear. "I-It's The Snow Queen… She found us!"

"Sidney…" Regina snarled, removing the small mirror from inside her pocket. She found Sidney grinning at her from within the mirror in a devious, knowing way. "TRAITOR! You've been working for The Snow Queen this whole time!"

"I'm the traitor?" Sidney snarled back at her. "I think Your Majesty should take a look in the mirror. And while you contemplate what you've done, know that _she_ has a present for you, one that I'd say is very well deserved."

Regina let out a roar of rage, snapping the mirror shut and stowing it back in her pocket. She rolled her eyes irritably when she found Emma staring at her, mouth gaping open in indignant shock.

"Oh, save your moral judgement!" Regina shouted at her over the rushing gusts of wind.

Emma once again opened her mouth to retort, but shut it as the bridge shook dangerously. Suddenly, there was a loud crackling noise, and Emma whirled around to find the bridge beginning to collapse as the wind roared around them.

"RUN!" Emma shouted.

Emma and Regina sprinted forward across the bridge, trying as hard as they could to outrun the collapsing bridge behind them. They ran as fast as their legs could carry them, their hearts hammering with panic. The two women stumbled slightly as the bridge gave a violent heave, and the stairs before them began to crumble, falling into the deep, rocky abyss beneath them.

"JUMP!"

There was a person standing at the edge of the cliff, a person dressed in a black leather jacket. Emma and Regina both sprinted forward, leaping through the air toward the cliff as the rest of the bridge fell away beneath their feet. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as they sailed through the air, arms outstretched toward the cliff. Shae grabbed onto both their hands as they began to fall, and the two women cried out in pain as their bodies smacked against the cliff face. Shae grunted as she heaved both Emma and Regina up over the edge of the cliff. They lie face down on the grassy ledge, chests heaving with half exertion, half fear, both of them miraculously safe and unharmed.

"You guys alright?" Shae asked as she helped them both to their feet.

"Yeah, I think so." Emma said breathlessly, smiling gratefully at their vampire savior. "Thanks."

"What the hell are you doing out here?" Regina demanded, a bit irritably.

"Looks like I'm playing 'Captain Save-a-Hoe.' Again." Shae replied with an uncharacteristic giggle.

Regina folded her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes at Shae. "Are you drunk again?"

"Oh, fuck off!" Shae snarled at her.

"Guys!" Emma shouted, pointing at something behind them, her eyes full of fear. "We've got a problem!"

Regina and Shae whirled around, and gasped when they saw what was lumbering toward them through the trees. It was some sort of warrior made entirely of ice, armed with a massive shield and waraxe. It stood as tall as two grown men, garbed in armor and a horned helmet, it's eyes glowing a bright blue from the eye slits of the helmet.

"What fresh nonsense is this?" Shae exclaimed, groaning in frustration.

The ice warrior roared at them, smacking his axe against his shield menacingly. Shae stomped forward, waving her arms at the monster.

"Yo, iceman! Over here!" She shouted at it.

The warrior roared again, the ground quaking beneath their feet as it barreled toward the vampire. Shae brought her arm up just in time, her superhuman strength stopping the swing of the warrior's axe. Shae let out a roar of rage herself, punching her free fist straight through the warrior's arm. It stumbled backwards, howling in pain as it's arm shattered to pieces. Shae looked back at Emma and Regina, grinning triumphantly.

"Uh oh…" Emma breathed.

Shae whirled back around, her stomach dropping out as the ice warrior's arm began reshaping itself. It roared at Shae once again, it's arm completely restored.

"That's not good." Shae muttered.

Emma and Regina cried out in alarm as the ice warrior scooped Shae up in it's massive, icy fist. Shae used her own fist to hit it in the side of it's helmet, causing it to stumble backward once again. It roared furiously in Shae's face, and proceeded to slam her into the ground, face first, over and over and over again.

"DO… SOME… THING!" Shae shouted between blows.

Regina and Emma both nodded at each other, and Regina summoned a fireball into her hand. She hurled it at the ice monster, and it bounced harmlessly off of it's shield. Emma brought up her hands, shooting a beam of light magic at the warrior. The warrior ceased slamming the helpless vampire into the dirt, howling in pain as it's other arm shattered to icy splinters. The warrior chucked Shae from it's hand, sending her hurtling through the air, where she crashed into a tree, falling limply to the ground. Emma and Regina watched in horror as the ice warrior's arm, once again, began to reform.

"That's definitely a problem." Emma said, her eyes wide with fear.

"Not helpful." Regina muttered in agreement.

"Try again." Said Emma, nodding determinedly at Regina. "Together."

Regina nodded back, and the two women brought up their hands, bending their knees in battle ready stances. Beams of glowing red magic shot out from Regina's hands, bright, shimmering white beams from Emma's. The ice warrior bellowed and roared in agony as the magic of the two women hit it straight in the chest. Emma and Regina pushed hard, and grinned triumphantly when they realized that their combined powers were actually working. The ice warrior was beginning to melt. It's legs slowly began to drip away, next it's torso, then it's massive, hulking arms. Finally, the monster's helmet clad head melted away, and all that was left was a giant, glistening puddle of water.

"We did it." Regina breathed in wonder, dropping her hands back to her sides.

Nearby, Shae emitted a feeble groan, picking her head up from the ground. "Oh god… Shae!" Emma exclaimed.

Emma rushed over to her, grabbing on to her arms as she staggered to her feet. "She's fine, she's basically indestructible." Regina said, waving her hand dismissively.

"Doesn't mean it didn't hurt like a bitch." Shae grumbled, rubbing her aching forehead with a painful grimace.

"You ok?" Emma asked her.

"Fine, I'm fine." Shae muttered as she adjusted her leather jacket. "What the hell are you guys doing out here, anyway?"

"Well, uh, I was looking for Elsa." Emma replied, glancing at Regina uncertainly. "And Regina, well, uh-"

"Wait, what?" Shae exclaimed, her blood red eyes wide with shock. "Did… Did you say Elsa? As in… The Queen of Arendell?"

When Emma and Regina both nodded, Shae's eyes grew wider still. "She's… She's here? In Storybrooke?"

"Uh… Yeah." Emma replied, exchanging a confused glance with Regina. "Why? Do you know her?"

Shae didn't respond right away. She stared down at the ground, her wide eyes once again filled with the strange sort of fear that both Emma and Regina had seen before. However, there was also an immense sadness in the vampire's blood red eyes. Shae blinked several times, clearing her throat loudly as she snapped back to reality.

"Nope."

Shae promptly turned on her heel, and began stomping away from them. Emma and Regina stared at each other in baffled silence for a moment. They both opened their mouths to call out to Shae, but shut them when they heard a soft and familiar voice.

"Come now, Shae, it's not nice to lie."

Emma and Regina spun around, and found The Snow Queen standing before them, once again garbed in her white, glittering, high collared dress. They glanced quickly back at Shae, who had stopped dead in her tracks, her clenched fists quivering. She then slowly turned around, her lips curling into a fearsome snarl.

"Ingrid." She said quietly, a devious, dangerous grin slowly spreading across her pale face. "Oh, I've been looking forward to this for a long, long time."

"I'm sure you have." The Snow Queen replied, smiling in a sad sort of way. "I'm sure you've been wanting to tear me to shreds ever since you left my Elsa."

The grin faded from Shae's face, her blood red eyes flashing with rage. "Left? LEFT?" She shouted, her fists shaking violently. "You mean after you forced me away?"

The Snow Queen smiled another sad, gentle smile. "Yes, and it appears I made the right decision." She replied quietly. "I've been keeping an eye on you, Shae. I watched as you joined forces with The Evil Queen, as you fell in love with her. I watched as you became the monster that I knew you were."

The Snow Queen, whose name was apparently Ingrid, momentarily locked eyes with Regina, who snarled at her just as maliciously as Shae was. "Elsa may have fell for your lies." Ingrid went on in the same quiet, gentle tone. "But I saw through them."

"I never lied to her, not ONCE!" Shae bellowed, pointing a quivering finger at The Snow Queen.

Ingrid laughed lightly, slowly shaking her head. "You may have convinced yourself of that, but I know better."

Shae let out a roar of rage, and charged at The Snow Queen. Emma and Regina were both knocked off their feet as Shae barrelled past them in a rushing black blur. She grabbed Ingrid by her throat, slamming her up against the tree behind her.

"You're going to pay, bitch!" Shae snarled in her face. "You're going to pay for taking her away from me!"

Regina and Emma had made it back to their feet, and they watched as Ingrid, who seemed calm and unconcerned despite her predicament, placed her hand gently on Shae's shoulder. Emma and Regina both gasped in horror as Shae's entire body immediately caked over in ice, just like Marian's. Ingrid shoved Shae away from her, and a hollow sounding thump resonated around the trees as Shae's rigid and frozen body toppled over onto the ground, her arm still outstretched into the air.

"Well, that was most unpleasant." Ingrid muttered as she straightened herself up.

Both Emma and Regina stood in shocked and horrified silence, neither of them able to speak as they stared down at Shae's frozen body.

"I'd expect someone like _you_ to keep such company." Ingrid went on, narrowing her eyes at Regina. "But you, Emma… I expected better from you."

"What did you do to her?" Regina breathed, her mouth gaping open as she stared at the woman she loved, now completely frozen.

"Don't worry, she's still alive." Ingrid replied, waving her hand dismissively toward Shae. "She's simply… Out of the way, so I can take what I need."

The Snow Queen held out her hand, and, in a whirl of snow flurries, Regina's pocket mirror appeared in her open palm. Regina glanced down at her own pocket, then back up at Ingrid, her lips curling into a menacing snarl.

"Give me back my mirror, you-"

"No."

The Snow Queen outstretched her hand toward the once Evil Queen. Regina let out a muffled cry, clutching at her throat as Ingrid magically strangled her.

"NO! STOP!" Emma shouted, taking an angry step toward Ingrid.

Ingrid threw out her other hand, strangling Emma as well. Suddenly, a blast of bright blue, icy energy shot out from behind Emma and Regina. They both were released from The Snow Queen's spell as she was knocked off her feet. They watched in silent and grateful wonder as Elsa stepped forward, her flowing, glittering blue dress billowing out behind her.

"Enough!" Elsa shouted, her fists clenched in defiant rage. "If you want a fight, fight me!"

The Snow Queen pushed herself back up onto her feet. Elsa drew back a step, raising her hands in preparation for another fight. However, Ingrid simply smiled warmly at her, her eyes suddenly shining with tears.

"Well done, Elsa." She whispered softly. "You're finally letting go of your fear. There's hope for you yet. I'm… So proud of you."

"Let's finish this now, Snow Bitch!" Regina growled, taking an angry step forward.

The Snow Queen continued to smile at Elsa, not even bothering to glance at Regina. "No need. I have what I want."

With that, The Snow Queen named Ingrid disappeared in a whirl of white snow. Elsa dropped her hands back to her sides, and Emma breathed out a sigh of relief. Regina turned her back on both Emma and Elsa, hands on her hips, seething silently.

"Are you both ok?" Elsa asked in concern.

"We are now, thanks." Emma said with a grateful smile. She then rounded furiously on Regina, narrowing her eyes at the back of her head. "Why didn't you tell me about Sidney?"

Regina whirled back around, fixing The Savior with an irritated glare. "Because, despite what you think, we're not partners! I didn't ask you to tag along."

"Well, I did." Emma replied stubbornly, folding her arms across her chest. "If you had told me, maybe you would have saved us some trouble."

"Tell you what?" Regina exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air. "That I put Sidney in a mirror to help me kill Marian, but then I changed my mind?"

Emma and Elsa's jaws both dropped open in shock, and Regina breathed out a bitter laugh, slowly shaking her head. "What's the point? You never would have believed me. I know you too well, Swan." Regina muttered. She then pointed a finger at Emma, glaring into her hazel green eyes. "Stop trying to get me to forgive you, it'll never happen."

"Stop it!" Elsa shouted, stepping between the two bitter women. "If you two don't mend your differences, Storybrooke doesn't stand a chance!"

Regina laughed sourly once again. "We never will." She snarled, still glaring viciously at Emma. "For one simple reason. I don't want to."

Emma clenched her fists, biting back the rage that was bubbling within her stomach. She and Elsa both watched curiously as Regina stomped over to the still frozen vampire, and knelt down beside her.

"What the hell are you doing now?" Emma asked with an exasperated sigh.

"Unfreezing my true love." Regina spat bitterly.

Regina bent over Shae's frozen body, and placed a kiss on the vampire's ice covered lips. Emma and Elsa both leapt back in shock as a pulsewave of magic emmenated from between Shae and Regina's lips as soon as they touched. A loud humming noise began to resonate around the forest and, suddenly, the ice covering Shae's body shattered to pieces. Shae's back arched, and she drew in a deep, shuddering gasp. She sat bolt upright, coughing and sputtering, her blood red eyes wide and wild.

"Oh… Oh fuck… C-Cold… So cold…" Shae muttered, her whole body shivering violently.

"Are you alright?" Regina asked, placing her hand gently on Shae's cheek.

Shae's eyes grew even wider when she saw Regina kneeling beside her. A smile slowly creeped across her face, and she placed her hand on top of Regina's. They both smiled at each other for a moment, staring deep into each other's eyes. The smile then faded from Shae's face, and she pushed Regina's hand away from her.

"Um… Y-Yeah, I think so." She muttered. Her lips then curled into a vicious snarl as she searched the forest around her with her eyes. "Where the fuck's Ingrid? I'll rip that bitch's lungs right out of her goddamn chest and-"

"Shae?"

Regina and Emma both glanced at Elsa, who was standing rigidly still, her piercing blue eyes wide with utter shock. Shae turned her blood red eyes onto The Ice Queen, and she gasped. She slowly rose to her feet, placing her hands over her mouth.

"Elsa?" Shae whispered, her hands falling limply back to her sides, her bottom lip trembling. "Holy shit… It's… It's you. It's really you."

"Shae, what is this, what's going on?" Regina asked, glancing curiously between Shae and Elsa's shock plastered faces. "What are you- OH!"

Regina was once again knocked off her feet as Elsa stomped over to Shae, shoving Regina roughly out of her way. Regina gasped as she hit the ground, and Emma gasped as Elsa hit Shae in the face with her fist. Shae grunted painfully as The Ice Queen's fist made contact with her nose, and she instantly hit the ground, falling flat on her back next to Regina.

"Oh, god, right in the nose!" Shae groaned, holding her aching nose.

"WOAH! Elsa, stop!" Emma exclaimed, grabbing on to both of Elsa's arms as she stood over the vampire, fist raised in the air.

"What the hell is going on?" Regina demanded furiously, pushing herself back onto her feet.

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Elsa screamed at Shae, her normal calm, gentle expression filled with pure, unadulterated malice. "I don't want to see your face, EVER AGAIN!"

Elsa ripped her arms out of Emma's grip, taking a furious step toward Shae, her clenched fists shaking with rage. "If I do, I'll do much more than just punch it!"

With that, Elsa whirled around, and stomped away from them through the trees. Emma and Regina stared at each other in silent shock for a few moments, both of them utterly confused.

"What the shit?" Emma breathed, turning her wide eyes onto Shae. "Shae, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Shae grumbled, still rubbing her nose as she sat forward. "Man, she's got one hell of a right hook."

"What the hell was that all about?" Asked Regina as she helped Shae to her feet.

"Yeah, what exactly happened between you two?" Emma asked, breathing out a bewildered laugh. "She really seems like she hates your guts."

Shae brushed herself off, carefully adjusting her black leather jacket. She glanced silently between Emma and Regina's shocked and confused faces. She then straightened herself up, and fixed them both with a defiant glare.

"Don't worry about it."

"Shae!" Regina shouted angrily at the vampire's back.

"Shae, wait!" Emma exclaimed.

Emma and Regina both groaned in frustration as Shae sprinted away from them, her body disappearing in a black blur of motion. Emma shook her head in utter bewilderment, then turned to Regina.

"What do we do now?" She asked, throwing her arms up in the air.

Regina scoffed indignantly. "We? We aren't going to do anything." She said, glaring viciously at the blonde. " _I'm_ going home, and _you're_ going to leave me alone. Whatever happened between Shae and the Ice Bitch is no concern of mine."

"Regina, wait, please-"

Emma breathed out another irritated sigh, rubbing her aching forehead as Regina disappeared in a whirl of purple smoke. Emma then turned on her heel, stomping furiously through the woods, grumbling irritably to herself.

"Like dealing with fucking toddlers, I swear…"

XX

Emma returned to The Sheriff's Station, her head spinning over the events of the last few hours. After Shae disappeared without saying a thing, she attempted to question Elsa about her and Shae's apparent past. However, Elsa all out refused to speak about the matter, the room filling with snow flurries and the windows frosting over at the very mention of Shae's name. Emma decided to drop the subject, and Elsa left The Sheriff's Station, leaving Emma alone with her thoughts.

Emma was sitting in her office, going through a box of things that she had hung on to from her past, when Hook joined her. Within the box, Hook and Emma discovered an old video camera, one that Emma remembered well. She had made a friend named Lily when she was a young girl, a friend that she had betrayed and left behind, just like she had with Regina. Emma told Hook all about her old friend, and how terrible she had been feeling over what she had done to Regina. Hook did his best to console her, and he and Emma decided to watch the tape that was still in the old camera. What they saw on the tape shocked them both to their cores.

A young Emma had been filming in what looked to be a foster home. A boy in the home named Kevin stole the camera from her, and was scolded by the woman running the household, a woman that just so happened to be Ingrid, The Snow Queen. Emma was shocked, frightened, and confused. She had absolutely no memory of living with The Snow Queen as a child.

The next morning, Emma gathered together a group at The Sheriff's station, and showed them all the video that she and Hook had stumbled upon. Emma's parents were present, along with Mr. Gold and Belle, Hook, Elsa, and also, an extremely reluctant Regina. They were all just as shocked as she was, and began to discuss what exactly they were supposed to do with this new and startling information. Emma and Elsa had no memories of Ingrid, but it was obvious that The Snow Queen needed the two young women for something. What they didn't know, however, was what. But they did know someone who just might.

Once again, Elsa all out refused to speak about Shae, or join Emma, her parents, Hook, and Regina as they paid the vampire a visit at her cabin. Belle took Elsa to the library, thinking that there might be something there about The Snow Queen, or possibly Elsa's sister, Anna. Emma and the others got into their various vehicles and drove out to the cabin in the woods, determined to finally get some answers out of their vampire friend about The Snow Queen, and also, about her apparent history with Elsa.

Shae was sitting on the hardwood floor of her cabin, her back leaning against the wall. She took a deep swig out of her bottle of whiskey, staring down at the small, bronze badge in her hands. She gently brushed her thumb across the badge, the crest of Arendell's royal family carved into the metal. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears leaking down her face as she remembered the day that Elsa had pinned it to her chest. She wore it proudly back then, but now it was nothing but a painful memory.

"Oh, Elsa…" She whispered, squeezing the badge in her shaking fist, more tears leaking from her eyes. "Elsa, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

"Hello, Shae."

Shae gasped, the badge slipping from her hand. She scrambled to her feet, her fists shaking with part rage, part fear as she saw who was now standing in the midst of her cabin.

"Ingrid." She snarled, staring daggers at The Snow Queen. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you." Ingrid replied, smiling a sad, gentle smile. "I've simply come with a warning."

"Warning?" Shae asked, eyeing her suspiciously. "What kind of warning?"

"You will stay out of my way, and you will stay away from my Elsa." Ingrid replied in a low, dangerous tone, slowly sauntering toward the vampire. "If you decide to interfere, if you lay a single finger on Elsa, then, well… I think you already know what exactly will happen to you."

Shae gasped as Ingrid reached out and grabbed onto her arm. She let out a strangled cry of pain, watching in horror as her arm began to frost over underneath Ingrid's hand.

"True love's kiss may have saved you last time." Ingrid whispered, staring into the vampire's terrified, blood red eyes. "But, trust me when I say, cross me, and I will make _sure_ that your Evil Queen will never be able to save you."

"Stop… Stop it!" Shae exclaimed desperately, her hand shaking as the frost began spreading up her arm. "Please… STOP!"

Ingrid released her, and the vampire stumbled backward into the wall, clutching her arm as the frost began to dissipate. "Tread lightly, Shae." Ingrid went on in another calm, dangerous whisper. "Your friends are dangerously close to finding out your secret. How do you think your Queen will feel once she learns of your history with Elsa? I doubt she'll be pleased."

Shae jumped as there was a sudden knock at her door, and she jerked her head toward it. When she turned back to Ingrid, she found that The Snow Queen was suddenly gone, leaving behind a gentle gust of snow flurries. Shae breathed out a shaky sigh, bending over and picking up the bronze badge that she had dropped. There was another knock on her door as she carefully stowed it back in her pocket. She ignored her visitor, scooping up a bottle of whiskey from the kitchen counter, drinking deep.

"Shae, come on, I know you're in there." Came Emma's voice from outside her door.

"Just because I'm in here, doesn't mean I have to open the door." Shae called out in reply.

"Uh, yeah, I kinda think it does."

Shae groaned in frustration, slamming the now empty bottle of whiskey back onto the counter. She stomped over to the door and threw it open, her eyes growing wide with shock when she saw the group of people gathered on her doorstep behind Emma.

"Oh, good, you've brought the whole family." Shae said with sarcastic chipperness. "Even the little brother, the boyfriend, and the step-grandmother."

Shae pointed at baby Neal cradled in Mary Margaret's arms, then Hook, and Regina respectively. She then turned to Regina, chuckling slightly. "That's what you are, by the way. Which is just… Weird."

"Shae, please." Mary Margaret cut in gently, before Regina could retort. "You need to tell us what you know about The Snow Queen."

"And, more importantly, what happened between you and The Ice Witch." Said Regina, raising an eyebrow at the vampire.

The amused, slightly drunken grin quickly faded from Shae's face, falling into an irritated and furious scowl. She pointed a finger at Regina, her eyes flashing with rage.

"Don't… Call her that." Shae snarled in a low, dangerous tone. "I don't have to tell you anything. Go away."

Emma gasped, leaping back a step as Shae slammed the door shut in her face. "That went well." Hook commented blandly.

"Stand back." Regina muttered, pushing Emma out of her way and standing squarely in front of the cabin door. "I'm growing tired of this."

The others all cried out in alarm as Regina flicked her hands out in front of the door, magically blasting it away. Shae was knocked off her feet by the blast, falling flat on her face on the cabin floor.

"What the shit, Regina?" Shae shouted, pushing herself up onto her hands and knees.

Regina didn't respond. She stomped furiously into the cabin, seizing Shae by the back of her shirt. She pulled the vampire roughly to her feet, and flung her against the wall. Shae's back hit the wall, and Regina grabbed her by the front of her shirt, glaring furiously into her blood red eyes.

"Woah, Regina, are you sure you want to do this now?" Shae asked in a rush, grinning cheekily at her. "I'm all for a little aggressive foreplay, but, I mean, we've got an audience, and-"

"ENOUGH!" Regina shouted in Shae's face. "I've had enough of your games, your lies! You're going to tell us what you know, NOW!"

"FUCK YOU!" Shae shouted back.

"STOP IT!" Emma bellowed, stepped between them and pushing Regina back. "Dammit, I know things haven't been easy between the two of you, but this isn't helping. Just calm the hell down."

"I am calm." Shae said, grabbing her leather jacket from off the back of the couch. "I'm also leaving. Goodbye."

"Shae, stop! Please!" Mary Margaret pleaded, grabbing onto the vampire's arm with her baby free hand as Shae made for the door. "Please, we need your help."

"I told you, I'm not in the business of helping people anymore." Shae snarled, wrenching her arm away.

"Shae, it's The Snow Queen." Emma cut in hastily. "She's planning something for Storybrooke, something big, and… I'm pretty sure me and Elsa are both in a lot of danger because of her."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Shae snapped irritably.

Emma, with the help of her parents, proceeded to tell Shae everything about what they had learned about The Snow Queen so far. Shae was shocked to learn that Emma and Elsa had no memory of her, even more so when Emma told her about the video tape. They questioned the vampire about Anna, who was still missing, but Shae insisted that she didn't know anything about the young woman's whereabouts.

"Last time I saw her, she was in The Enchanted Forest." Shae told them. "When I left Arendelle, she hadn't come back yet. When I saw Elsa, I assumed Anna was here with her, Kristoff too."

"No, unfortunately not." David said sadly. "Elsa has been searching for her ever since she got here."

"Ingrid…" Shae growled, balling her hands into fists. "She did something with Anna, I know she did."

"Aye, we're beginning think as such as well." Hook agreed in a dark tone.

"You said last night that The Snow Queen sent you away from Arendell." Emma said slowly. "Maybe she did the same thing to Anna. What exactly happened?"

"I'm more interested to learn what went on between you and Elsa." Said Regina, raising a knowing eyebrow at Shae. "It seems you're an old friend of hers, the kind that you punch in the face upon seeing again."

"She punched you in the face?" Asked Hook, and when Shae nodded, he chuckled bemusedly. "Bloody hell, mate… What exactly did you do to her?"

"Shae, please, you need to tell us what happened." Mary Margaret pleaded gently. "Elsa refuses to talk about it."

"Aye, she gets rather frosty at the very mention of your name." Hook said with a grin. "Pun only slightly intended."

Shae hesitated for a moment, staring around at all their expectant faces. She then breathed out a heavy sigh, squeezing her eyes shut, slowly rubbing her forehead.

"Fine." She muttered irritably. "Only because I know you bozos won't leave me the hell alone until I do."

They all watched as Shae stomped over to the kitchen counter, grabbing another bottle of whiskey. They waited patiently as she drank straight from the bottle. When she was finished, she heaved another heavy sigh, her blood red eyes suddenly filled with sorrow.

"Regina wasn't the first Queen I served." Shae said quietly. "Or the first one I… Fell in love with."

Their jaws all dropped open in shock. Emma gaped silently at her parents for a moment, then turned her eyes onto Regina. The once Evil Queen looked just as floored as the rest of them.

"What?" Regina breathed in shock.

"You broke her heart, didn't you?" Asked Mary Margaret, eyeing Shae accusingly. "That's why she punched you in the face. Regina did the same thing the first time she saw you here in Storybrooke. Well, technically she set you on fire, but-"

"Yes! Yes, I did, alright?" Shae exclaimed furiously. She hesitated for another moment, staring down at the floor, her blood red eyes welling with tears. "But, it… I-It wasn't my fault… I… I never wanted to…"

"Shae, what happened?" Emma asked gently. "Just… Start at the beginning. How did you even meet Elsa?"

Shae sighed heavily once again, taking another long moment to respond. They all watched silently as Shae continued to stare down at the floor, her eyes suddenly worlds away. She then shook herself, and finally glanced back up at them.

"Settle in, Charmings and company." She said, taking another swig from her bottle. "It's a long fucking story…"

XX


	15. Chapter 15, A Frozen Tale, Part I

**Author's Note: So, I'm sincerely hoping that everyone reading my story has seen Frozen. If not... Well, some bits of the next two chapters might not make a lot of sense. You'll still get the gist of the story, but some references and dialogue might be lost. Also, I've split Shae and Elsa's story into two parts. Hope you all enjoy part one.**

CHAPTER 15

"Welcome to Arendell!"

Shae stepped off of the ship and onto the dock, nodding at the portly dock master. She followed the crowd of people leaving the docks, stopping as she entered the town square, taking in her new and strange surroundings. There seemed some sort of grand to-do going on within the kingdom of Arendell. There were brightly colored streamers and banners hung from every building in the square, people dressed to the nines rushing about this way and that. They all seemed to be headed in the same direction, toward the large palace that lie ahead, where the vampire assumed Arendell's royalty resided.

"Mom, why do I have to wear this thing?" A young boy was groaning to his mother nearby, tugging irritably at his navy blue coat.

"Because, The Queen has come of age!" The mother said excitedly. "It's Coronation Day!"

"That's not my fault!" Cried the boy.

Shae chuckled amusedly, and continued along through the town square, following the throngs of excited villagers. She watched as a group of them raised a brightly colored maypole in the center of the square, bursting into raucous applause once they were finished.

"I can't believe they're finally opening up the gates!" Said the man next to Shae, grinning at the woman beside him.

"And for a whole day!" Exclaimed the woman. "Come on, hurry up!"

Shae furrowed her brow in confusion as the woman dragged the man along by his hand. Opening the gates? Were they not open before? Shae wasn't entirely sure what was going on in this strange new kingdom she had found herself in, and decided she should probably stop and ask someone. She spotted a tall, blonde haired man off to the side of the square near some stalls, standing beside what appeared to be some sort of reindeer.

"Pardon me, sir." Shae said, giving the man a polite nod. "I'm afraid I'm utterly lost. What exactly is going on around here?"

The blonde haired man chuckled, folding his arms across his chest. "You must be new to Arendell."

"Yes, I've just arrived." Shae replied, nodding some more. She gasped slightly, taking a small step back as the reindeer suddenly began sniffing at the satchel tied to her belt. "Oh, um… Hello, there!"

"Come on, Sven, stop it." The man groaned, tugging on one of the reindeer's antlers. "She doesn't have any snacks for you."

Shae chuckled lightly, reaching into her satchel. "Actually, I think I just might have something."

Shae pulled out a shiny red apple, and held it out to the reindeer, whose name, apparently, was Sven. Sven gave it a careful sniff, then breathed out a loud, seemingly irritated huff, shaking his antlered head from side to side.

"Sorry, he's got a thing for carrots." The blonde man said, retrieving a carrot from his pocket and handing it to Sven, who gobbled it up in one gulp. "I'm Kristoff, by the way."

"Shae." Said Shae, shaking the man's outsretched hand. "Pleasure."

"Likewise." Kristoff replied with a warm smile. "So, what brings you to Arendell?"

"I'm not quite sure, to be honest." Shae said, giving him a small shrug. "I was in a land called The Enchanted Forest when I got the sudden urge to travel. So, I got on a ship, and it brought me here."

"Well, you definitely picked a good time to drop in." Kristoff replied, grinning excitedly. "It's Coronation Day!"

"Yes, I heard as much." Shae muttered in reply. "What exactly does that mean? Has Arendell been without a ruler till now?"

Kristoff scratched his blonde haired head, giving Shae a shrug of his own. "Well, uh… Yeah, sort of. The King and Queen died years ago, but they left behind two daughters. Elsa, their oldest, is finally of age now, so she's being crowned Queen."

"Oh, I see." Shae muttered once again. "And the whole kingdom is to attend the ceremony?"

"And then some." Kristoff replied with a chuckle. "I was just about to head up to the castle. Come on, I'll walk with you. Stay here, Sven."

Sven whined loudly, plopping down on his hindquarters, hanging his brown, antlered head. "Don't worry, buddy, I'll be back soon." Kristoff told him gently, patting him on the head. "Come on, it's this way."

"Thank you for your help, Kristoff." Shae said as she followed the young man toward the castle. "Is everyone from Arendell this friendly?"

"Eh, most of us, I guess." Kristoff replied with a shrug. "Others, well-"

"For the first time in forever,  
There'll be magic, there'll be fun!  
For the first time in forever,  
I could be noticed by someone!"

A young, red haired woman with braided pigtails, garbed in an ornate green dress, skipped lightly past them, singing loudly and boisterously to herself. Shae and Kristoff stopped in their tracks, eyeing her curiously.

"Do… People from Arendell also like to randomly break into song?" Shae asked, turning slowly to Kristoff.

"Nope." Kristoff replied, staring wide eyed at the woman's back as she skipped merrily away. "I think she's just a weirdo."

Shae shrugged, and she and Kristoff continued their walk toward the castle gates. Shae trailed along behind the blonde haired man as he led them across the drawbridge. The vampire stared up at the palace in wonder. She had seen castles before, but never anything quite as grand as the Palace of Arendell.

"Oh, these sore eyes can't wait to see The Queen and Princess!" A man nearby was saying to his friend. "I bet they're just lovely!"

"Oh, yes!" The other man heartily agreed. "I'm sure they're simply magical!"

As Shae gazed upon Castle Arendell, her brow furrowed curiously as she spotted a woman standing at one of the windows. With the vampire's magically enhanced senses, she was able to see that the woman had dazzling, sparkling blue eyes, her tightly braided hair a shade of light blonde, almost white. As the woman stared down at the crowd through the window, her blue eyes momentarily locked with Shae's.

Shae gasped, stopping dead in her tracks. She sensed something very strange from this woman, something that the vampire did not sense from anyone or anything else around her. It was strong, stronger than anything she had ever felt before, emanating from the air around her like a pulsating beacon.

"Shae!" Kristoff called out, when he realized the vampire was no longer behind him. "Hey, aren't you coming?"

"Yes, yes, coming!" Shae called out in return.

Shae quickly glanced back up at the castle window, frowning when she saw that the woman was now gone. She then hurried along after Kristoff, her brow furrowed deeply as she stared down at the cobblestone pathway before her.

"Yes… Magical, indeed…"

XX

Shae sat in a pew next to Kristoff within the castle's large, ornately decorated chapel. Almost the entire kingdom was gathered inside, even more milling about outside the doors, craning their necks over the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of their Queen and Princess. Princess Anna entered first, and Shae recognized her as the strange woman that had been singing earlier. When Queen Elsa of Arendell finally made her entrance, Shae drew in an audible gasp, her blood red eyes wide with absolute wonder. The Queen was the woman from the window, the woman that Shae could sense an immense and powerful magic from.

"My god…" Shae whispered softly, shaking her head in utter befuddlement. "She is… Stunning."

Kristoff shrugged one of his shoulders. "Eh…"

Shae gasped again, turning her wide, baffled eyes onto Kristoff. "Are you serious?"

"I dunno." Kristoff said, shrugging again. "She's alright, I guess. I kinda prefer redheads, though."

"Yes, and I prefer brunettes, but still-"

"SHH!"

Shae and Kristoff both turned around in their seats, finding a gray haired old woman glaring at them irritably, her wrinkled, bony finger pressed to her lips.

"Sorry." The vampire and the blonde muttered in unison, and promptly fell silent.

The rest of the chapel fell silent as well as Arendell's Bishop stepped forward, and began to speak in a language that Shae did not understand. She didn't mind, though. She continued to stare at Elsa in absolute wonder, her stomach filled with butterflies at the sight of her regal and stunning beauty, her head spinning with the pulsating waves of magic that were emanating from Arendell's new Queen. Elsa seemed to be an exceptionally powerful sorceress, and her subjects seemed to have no idea.

"Your Majesty, the gloves…"

Shae's sensitive hearing picked up The Bishop's whispered words as he presented an ornate, golden scepter and orb to The Queen on a red velvet pillow. Shae sat forward in her seat, watching curiously as Queen Elsa hesitated, her sparkling blue eyes suddenly filled with fear. She then removed her light blue gloves, and took up the orb and scepter, turning to face the crowd. The Bishop once again began speaking in the same strange language, and Shae slid forward in her seat even more, sitting right on the edge of the pew. She squinted her blood red eyes as Elsa's hands began to shake, and gasped when she saw that both the scepter and the orb were beginning to frost over around The Queen's fingers.

"Do you see that?" Shae whispered to Kristoff, never taking her eyes off of Elsa.

"See what?" Kristoff whispered back.

"SHH!"

"Alright, alright…" Kristoff muttered to the old woman behind them. "Sheesh…"

"Queen Elsa of Arendell!"

The crowd leapt to their feet, bursting into rousing cheers and applause as The Bishop placed a golden tiara on Elsa's head. Shae jumped up as well, watching curiously as Elsa all but threw the orb and scepter back onto their pillow, hastily pulling on her light blue gloves. Shae bit her lip, brow furrowed as she saw the immense fear in Queen Elsa's eyes. Not only did Arendell's Queen have extremely powerful magic, she seemed to be unable to control it.

"I can't believe they're finally opening up the gates!"

The townswoman's words suddenly tolled like a bell in the vampire's ears. The gates of Arendell Castle had been shut for a reason, a very powerful reason. Shae turned to Kristoff, placing a hand urgently on his shoulder, staring very seriously into his eyes.

"I must speak with The Queen."

XX

"How exactly do you plan on getting in there?"

Kristoff leaned casually against a tree, Sven nibbling on the carrot in his hand as he gazed out at Arendell Castle. He and Shae had returned to the town square after The Queen's coronation, and Shae was busy changing out of her weathered and worn black leather armor within a small purple and green tent.

"Confidence, my friend." Shae called out from within the tent. "If you look like you belong somewhere, and you act like you belong somewhere, well… People are likely to believe that you really _do_ belong."

Shae had learned from Kristoff that there was to be a ball within the castle that night. Both The Queen and The Princess would be attending, but, unfortunately, only the nobility and people of high status from Arendell and its surrounding areas had received invitations. However, Shae was still determined to get inside the castle. She had never felt a more powerful and unique magic than she did from Queen Elsa, and she simply _had_ to speak with her.

"Well, what do you think?" Shae asked of Kristoff as she stepped out of the tent.

The vampire had never been one for bright colors, so she had chosen a set of black breeches and a white, cotton shirt. She also purchased a maroon vest, and a long, black coat, accented with colors of maroon and silver, the buttons made of glittering gold. Kristoff, as well as Sven, both looked her up and down, and Sven breathed out a huff through his nostrils.

"Yep, she definitely looks like a stuffy noble." Kristoff said in agreement.

Shae narrowed her eyes at the man and the reindeer, folding her arms across her chest. "I can't tell if that's a compliment, or an insult."

Kristoff gave her a shrug. "Little of column A, little of column B."

Shae rolled her eyes, causing Kristoff to chuckle amusedly. "So, what exactly is your plan here, Shae?" He asked of her.

Shae gave him a shrug of her own. "Not sure, yet. I don't really make plans. I simply… Make things up as I go along."

"That is… Incredibly stupid."

"Maybe, but things always work out in my favor."

Kristoff raised a skeptical eyebrow at her, and Shae breathed out a relenting sigh. "Alright, perhaps not always. But… Most of the time. Seventy-percent of the time, at least."

Kristoff only continued to eye her in disbelief, eyebrow raised. Shae chuckled lightly, clapping the young, blonde haired man on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Kristoff, for all your help." She said with a warm smile. "Perhaps our paths will cross again one day."

Kristoff nodded, and Sven clopped his front hooves happily as Shae gave him an affectionate scratch under his chin. The blonde and the reindeer watched as the vampire set off at a brisk pace toward the castle, whistling an upbeat tune.

"Good luck!" Kristoff called out, chuckling as Sven grunted at him. "You're right, Sven. She's definitely going to need it."

XX

Later that night, Shae was clambering through an open second story window of Castle Arendell. She glanced all around her, and found that she was in some sort of library. She tiptoed carefully forward, pulling the library door open ever so slightly.

"Love is an open doooor!"

Princess Anna slid through the hallway past the library door in her socks, hand in hand with a man with brown hair and bushy sideburns, once again singing merrily with the man beside her. Shae blinked several times, and slowly shook her head in befuddlement.

"What a strange girl…" She muttered quietly.

Once The Princess and her companion were lost from sight, Shae carefully exited the library, and began to make her way toward the bottom floor. She followed the sounds of music and lively chatter, feeling quite proud of herself as she quickly and quietly slipped into the ballroom, completely unnoticed by Arendell's guards. A smile slowly crept across her face when she spotted The Queen, butterflies fluttering wildly in her stomach once again.

"Your Majesty, may I present, the Duke of Weaseltown." The Royal Steward was saying, gesturing to the tiny, gray haired man standing before The Queen.

"It's Weselton!" Snapped The Duke, balling his hands into fists. He then cleared his throat, carefully smoothing out his face. "Your Majesty, may _I_ present my associate, Abraham Van Helsing."

Shae's heart nearly dropped out of her chest. In her wonder filled daze while staring at Queen Elsa, the vampire failed to notice who exactly was standing beside The Duke. The butterflies in her stomach were replaced by a rolling boil of sheer panic as she gazed around the crowded ballroom, spotting over a dozen knights clad in white chainmail, a blazing red sun embroidered on their chest pieces.

"Van Helsing has been travelling kingdom to kingdom." The Duke of Weselton explained to The Queen. "He has been speaking with rulers and monarchs far and wide, making alliances, and gathering men for his army."

"Army?" Asked Queen Elsa, raising an eyebrow at the large, bearded man. "What for?"

"All in due time, Your Majesty." Van Helsing replied, bowing low. "For now, please enjoy the ball. We shall speak more at a later date."

"Son of a whore…" Shae snarled quietly, glaring at the back of Van Helsing's head as he took his leave from The Queen. "How is that bastard always everywhere I go?"

Shae carefully turned her back, resting her hands on the table behind her, trying to quell the panic in her stomach. This was not the time nor the place for Abraham Van Helsing, her old nemesis. If he found out what exactly Arendell's Queen was, that she had magic, there would only be hell to pay for her and her entire kingdom.

The vampire spun back around, and spotted The Queen slowly crossing the dance floor. Shae rushed forward, deftly and carefully dodging her way through the men and women twirling about the ballroom. A soon as she was close enough, Shae took hold of Queen Elsa's arm. Before The Queen could question her, Shae quickly took her by the hand, placed the other on her waist, and twirled both of them out onto the dance floor.

"What? What is this?" Queen Elsa exclaimed, attempting to remove herself from the vampire's grip. "Unhand me at once, you-"

"Shh, it's alright, Your Majesty, just stay calm." Shae said in a quick but gentle rush. "Please, I don't have much time. I need you to listen to me very carefully, for your own safety and your Kingdom's."

Shae wasn't sure if it was out of fear or understanding, but Queen Elsa heeded her words, and fell silent. Shae drew her in closer as they spun about the dancefloor, pressing her cheek to The Queen's, to better scan the ballroom with her eyes. She knew that if Van Helsing spotted her, she would have no time to warn Arendell's Queen about just who and what had entered her Kingdom.

"I know what you are." Shae whispered in Elsa's ear. "I know that you have magic, and that you've been hiding it from your subjects."

Shae felt Elsa's hand begin to tremble within her own, but The Queen otherwise kept her quiet and regal composure. "How could you possibly know that?" She whispered in return. "Who exactly are you?"

"Who I am is not important, neither is how I know." Shae quickly answered. "What _is_ important, is that man you just spoke with, Van Helsing."

"What's so important about him?" Asked The Queen.

Shae chuckled dryly. "Not much, really, he's a great brute of a man." She muttered bitterly in The Queen's ear. "He hates magic, simply despises anyone or anything that has it. And he's powerful, more powerful than anything you've ever seen."

Elsa's hand began to tremble even more, and Shae felt her jaw clench hard from against her cheek. "What should I do?" She asked quietly.

"Refuse him. Get him as far away from here, as fast as you can." Shae whispered in a dark and desperate tone. "If he finds out what you are, he will only bring ruin to you and your Kingdom."

Shae pulled away from Elsa's cheek, and stared deep into her dazzling blue eyes, eyes that were full of fear. "Trust me, Your Majesty." She whispered, her own blood red eyes filled with sorrow. "Trust me when I say, that he will destroy you and everything you hold dear."

Queen Elsa opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again as the mysterious stranger spun her away. When she came to a stop, she whirled back around, and found that the strange woman was gone. She stood rigid in her spot for a moment, searching the crowded dance floor with her eyes. When the stranger was nowhere to be seen, she quickly drew herself up, and calmly made her way toward the back of the ballroom. She pushed through the crowd, nodding curtly at anyone who looked her way, trying to stop her heart from hammering in her chest.

"Elsa!"

Elsa whirled around, and found her sister, Anna, rushing toward her. She was dragging a brown haired man with bushy sideburns forward by the hand, a man finely dressed in white and gold.

"Um, I mean, Your Majesty! Hi! Me again." Anna stammered awkwardly. She then cleared her throat, gesturing toward the young man beside her. "May I present, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles."

"Your Majesty." Said Hans, bowing low.

Elsa gave him a quick curtsey in return, managing a small, nervous smile. Her heart began racing again as she spotted the man named Van Helsing amongst the crowd, chatting merrily with The Duke of Weselton. Though he was a very large man, at first glance, he did not seem overly threatening. But, the longer she gazed upon him, she began to sense something deeply sinister and foreboding.

"We, um… We would like your blessing…" Anna was stammering once again. She paused momentarily, and she and Prince Hans both giggled excitedly. "Of our marriage!"

Elsa tore her eyes away from Van Helsing, once again turning to her sister. She gazed upon both Hans and Anna's grinning and expectant faces, her already spinning mind taking a moment to process what her sister had just said. When it finally did, Elsa's jaw dropped open in complete and utter shock.

"Wait… What?"

XX

Shae stomped across Arendell Castle's drawbridge, pushing her way through the throngs of villagers gathered outside the palace gates. Her clenched fists shook as she walked, her mind reeling. She couldn't believe that Van Helsing had, once again, followed her. The man seemed to have a knack for showing up at exactly the most inopportune time. She only hoped that the warning she had given Arendell's new Queen had been enough.

All that was left to do now, was to put as many leagues between herself and her nemesis as she could, as quickly as she could. As much as she wanted her revenge, she knew that she was no match for him, not alone. She desperately wished that Remus was with her. Together, they at least stood a fighting chance against the brutish, hulking werewolf.

Shae stopped suddenly, whirling around when she felt a great and sudden pulse of magic. There was some sort of commotion going on in front of the palace, and Shae heard shocked and fearful cries from the townsfolk. She hesitated for a moment, glancing quickly behind her toward the town square, the docks just behind it, where a ship likely waited to carry her away from her old nemesis. She turned back toward the castle, and groaned in frustration.

"Son of a _whore_!" She muttered, setting off at a run.

Shae rushed back toward the castle, arming herself with her glittering, blue bladed sword. When she arrived at the palace courtyard, she was met with a frightening and confusing sight. The fountain in the center of the courtyard was completely frozen over, as was the staircase leading down from the castle. The Duke of Weselton and his two armed guards were lying in a heap in the palace doorway, their eyes wide with fear as they stared at The Queen of Arendell. Elsa was standing in front of the fountain, Van Helsing looming before her, sword clutched firmly in his fist, his eyes flashing with rage.

"Stop! Please!" Elsa pleaded with him, putting out her hands in careful surrender, her sparkling blue eyes wild with fear. "Please, I don't- AAH!"

Van Helsing bellowed out a roar of rage, swinging his sword, the tip slicing across one of The Queen's arms. Elsa cried out in pain, clutching her arm as blood spilled from the gash stretching from her elbow down to her wrist. She stumbled and fell backwards onto the ground, and several villagers were knocked off their feet as massive, pointed spikes of ice exploded from the ground around Elsa's hand. At the sight of more magic, Van Helsing roared again, standing over the helpless and frightened Queen, raising his sword in the air.

"NOOO!"

Shae sped forward in a black blur of motion, her sword called Soul Eater flashing through the air. The sound of steel striking steel rang out across the courtyard like a tolling bell, and Van Helsing's eyes grew wide with shock when he saw just who had stopped him from murdering Arendell's new Queen.

"You…" He whispered, his bearded lips curling into a snarl.

"Hello, Van Helsing." Shae said with a broad, devilish grin. "I wish I could say it's nice to see you again, but, well… It _really_ isn't."

"What in the _fucking_ hell are you doing here?" Van Helsing spat at her, his eyes filled with pure malice.

"Stopping you from murdering another innocent woman, looks like." Shae replied, holding her sword out at the ready.

"INNOCENT?" Bellowed Van Helsing. "She's nothing but a wicked sorceress, cursing her newfound kingdom with her dark magic!"

"Gods above…" Shae muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "How can someone so ancient and so powerful be so incredibly stupid?"

Van Helsing bellowed out a roar of rage, charging at the vampire, sword in the air. Shae quickly threw out her arm, and the crowd cried out in fright as Van Helsing was sent hurtling backward by the vampire's blast of magical energy. The townsfolk began rushing away in fear, and, as Van Helsing hit the ground, Shae swiftly turned to The Queen, pulling her up onto her feet.

"Are you alright?" Shae asked her.

Elsa nodded, her whole body trembling, clutching her still bleeding arm. "I-I think so. Thank you, I-"

"More sorcery!" The Duke of Weselton suddenly cried, pointing a quivering finger at both Elsa and Shae. "Monsters, both of them! Kill them! KILL THEM!"

Van Helsing was helped up by his knights, and they all brandished their swords at Shae and The Queen. "With pleasure, my lord." Growled Van Helsing.

"ELSA!"

Princess Anna suddenly came rushing out of the palace doors, followed closely by Prince Hans. Anna clutched her sister's glove in her hand, staring wide eyed at the chaotic scene before her. Shae ignored The Princess, stepping protectively in front of The Queen, sword at the ready as Van Helsing and his knights slowly advanced upon them.

"Go! Run!" Shae commanded over her shoulder. "RUN!"

Elsa hesitated for a moment, glancing over at her sister, who was still standing rooted in her spot, her own blue eyes wide with fear and confusion. Elsa then obeyed the vampire's command, turning and running from her and the man named Van Helsing. Elsa left a glittering, icy trail upon the ground as she sprinted away from the castle, her turquoise blue cape billowing out behind her.

"Elsa!" Anna called out, her and Hans giving chase after The Queen. "Elsa, wait! Please!"

"So, you would protect this… Ice Witch?" Van Helsing snarled at Shae as he and his men slowly began to surround her.

"Yes, I rather think I would." Shae replied, grinning cheekily despite her predicament. "You know what a weakness I have for beautiful, powerful women."

"Then let it be on your head." Growled Van Helsing. "Men, after the sorceress! I'll deal with this parasite myself."

"Oh, are you sure?" Asked Shae, pouting her lips as The Knights of the Sun rushed past her. "Two makes for such a dull party."

"SILENCE!" Van Helsing bellowed furiously. "I grow tired of your incessant wit, bloodsucker!"

Shae chuckled lightly. "You know, you're not the first person to tell me that."

Van Helsing roared again, charging headlong at the vampire, sword at the ready. Shae brought up her own sword just in time to block Van Helsing's blow. The vampire and the werewolf exchanged furious, lightning quick blows, the sounds of steel striking steel ringing out across the now empty courtyard. The Duke of Weselton and several other nobles and dignitaries watched the furious and heated battle from the palace doorway, their eyes wide with fright.

Suddenly, both Shae and Van Helsing stumbled as the ground beneath their feet began to quake. They stopped exchanging blows, whirling quickly around. The two bitter enemies both drew in gasps of shock, and their onlookers cried out in fright, pointing out at the waters surrounding Arendell. The entire fjord was beginning to cake over in ice. The vampire and the werewolf both stumbled backward, shielding their eyes from the rushing gust of icy wind that blew through the courtyard. Suddenly, the nighttime summer sky was covered in rolling white clouds, heavy snowflakes falling to the ground before them.

"My god, what power…" Shae breathed, smiling in wonder as the snowflakes fell upon her cold, pale face. "Amazing… Simply _amazing_!"

"It's The Queen!" Cried The Duke of Weselton, pointing up at the sky in fear. "She's cursed the land! She must be stopped!"

Shae shook herself from her wonder filled stupor, turning to her nemesis, who was still standing beside her, gaping up at the sky. She chuckled lightly once again, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, this certainly has been fun." She said with another cheeky grin. "So long!"

"NO!" Roared Van Helsing.

The werewolf swung his sword through the air, cutting through nothing but a column of blood red smoke.

XX

Elsa sprinted toward the towering mountain in the distance, her chest heaving with part exertion, part fear, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. Her eyes streamed with tears as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. It had finally happened, her worst fear had come true. After spending years and years locked away in careful solitude, hiding away her magic from her kingdom, it was all over. They now knew exactly what their Queen was. Elsa choked out a strangled sob as she remembered the fear she had seen in their eyes, and, most heartbreaking of all, her sister's.

Elsa glanced over her shoulder, panic bubbling wildly in her stomach as she saw the men chasing her growing ever closer. She ran as hard and as fast as she could, but it didn't seem to be enough. Van Helsing's knights would be upon her soon, and she only hoped that they would at least give her a swift death. It was better this way. Anna would make a much better ruler than she ever could. Her sister was The Queen that Arendell truly deserved.

Elsa stumbled and fell, pushing herself weakly up onto her knees as her pursuers quickly surrounded her. She closed her eyes and squared her shoulders, trying to steady her pounding heart. She would not beg for mercy. She would die with quiet dignity, as a Queen should.

"What should we do with her?" She heard one of the men ask. "Take her back to Van Helsing?"

"No, too risky." Answered another. "Better to just bring him her head."

Suddenly, Elsa heard a strange sort of whooshing noise, and several of the men cried out in alarm. Next, she heard a very familiar voice.

"Sorry, boys. Not today."

Elsa snapped her eyes open, and found that the men before her were staring with wide eyes at something behind her. Elsa turned herself around, and gasped when she saw the strange woman from the ballroom, the one who had saved her life only a short while ago.

"It's you!" Elsa breathed, smiling up at her savior in wonder.

The woman smiled down at her, swiftly and gently pulling her to her feet. "On your feet, Your Majesty. A Queen of your caliber should never kneel for anyone."

"Looks like we get to kill two filthy birds with one stone." Snarled one of the knights, pointing the tip of his sword at Elsa and her savior. "We'll bring Van Helsing both of their heads."

The strange woman dressed in maroon and black shrugged at Elsa, grinning in a cheeky and quirky way. "You're certainly welcome to try."

The man who spoke before bellowed out a vicious war cry, and chaos ensued around The Queen of Arendell as he and his fellow knights rushed forward, swords in the air. Elsa watched as her savior sped forward to meet them, exchanging blows with the knights with inhuman speed and strength. She then gasped in fright as two men seized her by both of her arms.

"STOP! Let go of me!" Elsa shouted as they began dragging her away.

"ELSA!"

Her savior rushed toward her just as one of the knights holding her arms used the butt of his sword to strike The Queen over the head. The world spun wildly around Elsa, and the last thing she saw was the ground rushing up toward her. Then, everything went black.

XX

Elsa woke slowly, keeping her eyes shut tight, her head throbbing with pain. She slowly blinked her eyes open, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Somehow, she appeared to be moving, though her legs were not. She quickly realized that she was being carried. She stirred feebly, opening her mouth to question whoever was holding her in their arms. However, no sound was able to escape her lips, and she fell unconscious once again.

When Elsa woke again, she was no longer moving, but lying still on something cold and hard. She heard a strange sort of scraping noise, and she once again peeled her eyes open. It was dark, so dark that Elsa could barely make out her surroundings. Suddenly, a bright orange light sprang to life in front of her, and she quickly realized that it was the light from a campfire. Once her surroundings were illuminated, she found that she was in some sort of cave, lying on the cold, hard ground. She peered through hazy eyes, and saw a figure crouched in front of the fire, tending to the flames.

Elsa slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position, her head throbbing in pain. She took a moment to steady herself, the world spinning all around her, her vision still blurry. She carefully and quietly staggered to her feet, keeping her eyes locked on the person crouched before the fire. She staggered forward a step, her heart hammering in her chest. Her captor whirled around at the sound of her footsteps, and only had time to draw in a startled gasp before Queen Elsa's fist made contact with their face.

"Oh, god! Oh, fuckin' hell! Right in the nose!"

Elsa blinked several times, and realized that she had heard that voice before. She blinked even more, her vision finally starting to clear. She gasped in shock when she realized that the person she had punched in the face, now lying on her back on the ground, was the woman that had saved her life, twice.

"Oh! Oh, it's you!" Elsa cried as her savior staggered back to her feet. "I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"

"Fine, I'm fine." The woman grumbled, rubbing her aching nose. "Though I must say, Your Majesty, you've got one hell of a right hook."

Elsa opened her mouth to respond, but stopped as the world spun dangerously all around her, her head throbbing once again, her arm aching with stinging pain. Her savior rushed forward as Elsa swayed on her feet, gently wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Careful! Here, sit down." The woman said softly, helping Elsa to sit back down on the ground. "You've lost quite a bit of blood."

Elsa winced, glancing down at her aching arm. There was a long, deep gash left by Van Helsing's sword, stretching from her elbow all the way down to her wrist. Her entire arm was caked over with dried blood, more of it slowly leaking out from various parts of the cut.

"Just stay still, Your Majesty." Her savior told her as she knelt down beside her. "I'll get that cleaned up for you straight away."

"Please, call me Elsa." Elsa replied with a weak smile. "And… And you are?"

"Shae." Said Shae, smiling back. "Pleasure to meet you, Your Maj- Er, Elsa."

Elsa nodded, wincing in pain as her head throbbed painfully. She leaned her head back against the cave wall, squeezing her eyes shut. She breathed out a sigh as the pain subsided, and opened her eyes again. Shae was rummaging through a small satchel in her hands, pulling out various items and setting them aside. Elsa's mouth suddenly gaped open in shock. Shae was removing far more items than should be able to fit in her satchel.

"W-What… Is that?" Elsa stammered quietly.

Shae looked confused for a moment, then her eyes shone with understanding when she realized what Elsa meant. "It's called a bag of holding." Shae explained, removing more items from her magical bag. "It's enchanted. I can fit whatever I want in here, including… This."

Elsa gasped in wonder as Shae began to pull a sword out from the tiny satchel, it's blue blade sparkling in the firelight. "Sorry, old friend, but you're entirely in my way." Shae muttered as she set the sword aside.

"That is… Incredible!" Elsa breathed, her bright blue eyes wide with utter shock.

"It's a simple spell, really." Shae replied with a shrug. "You… Really haven't seen much of magic, have you?"

Elsa shook her head, and immediately regretted doing so as the back of her head throbbed in pain once again. "Just relax, alright?" Shae said gently. "You've been through quite an ordeal."

Elsa rested her head back against the wall of the cave, watching quietly as Shae removed a small, iron cooking pot from her satchel. She left the cave momentarily, and returned with a mound of snow in her hands. Shae placed the snow in the pot, and held it over the fire, waiting patiently for it to melt.

"You're not human, are you?" Elsa asked of her quietly.

Shae raised an eyebrow at her curiously. "What makes you say that?"

"Pale gray skin, blood red eyes, and you have magic as well." Elsa answered with a small, knowing smile. "I have… Read about your kind before, seen drawings in my father's library. You're a vampire, aren't you?"

Shae gazed into the fire for a moment, her blood red eyes suddenly very sad. "Yes…" She whispered softly. "Does that frighten you?"

"Not at all."

"Really?"

Elsa gave a shrug of her own. "I'm certain that if you wanted to drain me of my blood, you would have done so already."

Shae chuckled, slowly shaking her head in bewilderment. "You certainly are a clever one, aren't you?" She said with a grin. "So, did your father keep many books about creatures like me?"

"Only a few." Elsa answered with another shrug. "That's how he knew to go to the rock trolls. Their magic… It saved my sister's life once."

"Oh, I see." Shae muttered, looking surprised. "What exactly happened?"

Elsa sighed heavily, glancing away from her vampire savior. "That is… A long story."

"Well, you're certainly not going anywhere in your condition." Shae replied, gesturing toward Elsa's still bleeding arm. "It seems we have the time."

The water inside Shae's cooking pot was now boiling gently, and the vampire removed it from the fire. She once again knelt down next to Elsa, dipping a white cloth into the steaming water. Shae then gently took Elsa's ungloved hand. Elsa gasped in fright, jerking her hand away.

"No! No, don't!" She exclaimed. "It's… It's my magic. I-I don't want to hurt you."

"It's alright." Shae whispered, smiling gently into her eyes. "Here…"

Elsa gasped in alarm as Shae took her hand again. She watched in horror as the vampire's fingertips began to frost over, but, somehow, Shae seemed to be unaffected by her icy powers. She continued to smile at her, and Elsa stared down at her frost covered hand in complete and utter shock.

"Doesn't… Doesn't it hurt?" Elsa breathed quietly, her sparkling blue eyes wide.

Shae shook her head. "The cold never bothered me, anyway."

Elsa laughed, her mouth gaping open in complete but pleasant surprise. She gently brushed her fingertips across the palm of Shae's hand, feeling the vampire's cold, pale skin. Shae watched her silently, smiling again as Elsa laced her fingers in with her own. Elsa glanced away from her hand in Shae's, staring into her deep, blood red eyes. She then removed her hand from Shae's, placing it gently on her cheek. She drew in a soft gasp as more frost began to spread out from her own fingertips and onto the vampire's cheek, but Shae only continued to smile at her.

As blue eyes stared into red, a sudden tension built up between them. Elsa felt her heart beginning to race as she stared into Shae's eyes, her face flushing with heat. She couldn't help but notice what a stunning smile she had. Elsa gently traced her finger along Shae's strong jawline, watching in wonder as a trail of glittering, icy frost followed her fingertip. Suddenly, she found herself leaning forward, staring longingly at the vampire's lips.

Elsa cleared her throat loudly, shaking herself out of her daze. She leaned back against the wall, and dropped her hand back down into her lap, wincing as stinging pain shot up her blood soaked arm.

"I-I'm sorry…" She stammered quietly, glancing away from Shae's piercing, blood red gaze. "It's just… You're the first person I've been able to touch in… A very long time."

"No need to apologize, Your Maj- Er, Elsa." Shae quickly corrected. "Let's take a look at that arm, shall we?"

Elsa nodded, holding out her arm in her lap. Shae once again dipped the white cloth into the hot water, and began dabbing it gently against the dried blood on Elsa's arm.

"Why are you doing this?" Elsa questioned the vampire as she began to clean her wound. "Why did you risk your own life to save me? You… Don't even know me."

Shae bit her lip, hesitating for a moment as she pondered Elsa's question. "Not that long ago, I met a young woman who showed me a great kindness." She replied quietly. "Regina, was her name. I was injured, and she… Helped me. Damn near saved my life. She didn't have to, though. She didn't know me either. But, still… She did, because it was the right thing to do."

Shae paused momentarily, her blood red eyes once again filled with a deep sorrow. "I've spent a lot of my immortal life doing the _wrong_ thing." She went on, her quiet tone laden with sadness. "My past has been very… Grim, dark. I've done a lot of things that I deeply regret. I suppose I'm simply trying to… Turn over a new leaf, as it were. I want to leave all that behind me. This is a new world, so I'm trying to be a new person, a better person."

"New world?" Asked Elsa, eyeing the vampire curiously. "Are you saying… That you're from another world?"

"Yes, I am." Shae replied, smiling another gentle smile. "A world filled with all kinds of magic, and creatures that have it."

"Please, tell me about it."

"I'd much rather hear about your sister."

Elsa gasped in pain as Shae continued to wipe more blood from her aching arm. "Yes, see, this is going to start to hurt." Shae said with a frown. "It's better if you talk through it, if you're distracted."

Elsa breathed out a heavy sigh, and nodded. As her vampire savior continued to gently clean her wound, Elsa proceeded to tell her all about what happened when her and Anna were children. Anna once knew that she had magic, but, after Elsa accidentally struck her in the head with her icy powers, the rock trolls used their own ancient magic to erase Anna's memories of her sister's magic. It saved her life, but at a terrible cost. Because of what she was, both Elsa and her sister were forced into solitude, hidden away from the world within their own castle. Elsa was separated from her sister, spending her days locked away in her bedroom, safely away from Anna, or anyone else she might once again accidentally harm with her ice powers.

The vampire made for a captive audience, listening quietly as the words tumbled from Elsa's lips. Elsa found that it felt good to talk about it, felt good to share what she had gone through with someone who had magic themselves. However, Elsa's story seemed to make Shae incredibly angry.

"Conceal? Don't feel? Don't let it show?" Shae demanded hotly, echoing the words that Elsa's father had taught her. "That's just… That's absurd! Absolutely fucking ridiculous!"

Elsa watched curiously as Shae once again began fumbling around inside her magical satchel, muttering angrily to herself. "'Conceal, don't feel…' What a bloody idiot…"

"He was my father!" Elsa cried indignantly.

"Yes, I understand that." Shae grumbled at her. "It's stories like yours that make me glad that I never had one of those."

"You… Never knew your parents?"

"No." Shae replied with an unconcerned shrug. "All they gave me was a name and a necklace. I was told that it belonged to my mother. I lost the damn thing ages ago."

"Oh…" Elsa muttered sadly. "I am… Very sorry."

"Don't be." Shae replied with a snort. "As I said, I'm very grateful that I never knew them. I've always done what I wanted, when I wanted. There was never anybody to lock me away and tell me to hide what I was. I thank the powers that be for that."

Shae removed a large, clear bottle from her satchel, filled with some sort of brown liquid. She uncorked the bottle, and once again took Elsa's arm, which was now free of blood.

"Right, this is going to sting a bit." Shae told her in an apologetic tone.

Elsa drew in a sharp breath as Shae poured some of the liquid onto her wound, causing stinging, burning pain to shoot up her arm. She breathed out a sigh of relief as the pain subsided, her eyes growing wide as Shae took a swig from the bottle.

"Rum." Shae explained, offering the bottle to Elsa. "To stave off infection when poured onto a wound, and to dull the pain when drunk."

Elsa hesitated for a moment, but then took the bottle from Shae's hand. She took a drink herself, nearly spitting it right out as the strong, bitter alcohol touched her tongue. Shae laughed as Elsa began coughing violently, and gingerly took the bottle from her hand.

"Not your cup of tea, eh?" Shae asked, still laughing.

"No, I suppose not." Replied Elsa, laughing with her.

Shae chuckled again, taking another deep swig before recorking the bottle. She set it aside, and grabbed up some bandages, and began carefully applying them to Elsa's arm.

"I still can't believe your parents treated you the way they did." Shae said quietly, her face falling into a fierce scowl once again. "Magic as powerful and unique as yours isn't a curse, Elsa. It's a goddamn gift."

"A gift?" Elsa exclaimed, eyeing the vampire in shocked disbelief. "How could you possibly say that? You saw what I did!"

"Yes, well, you were obviously frightened, startled." Shae replied with an irritated huff. "Magic of any kind is based on emotion. The more powerful and unpredictable your emotions are-"

"The more unpredictable the magic." Elsa finished for her. "Yes, I understand that all too well."

"What exactly happened, anyway?" Shae asked. "What had you so upset?"

"My sister." Elsa grumbled in reply. "She wanted me to bless her marriage to some Prince that she had just met."

"So, it was some sort of arranged marriage, then? It's quite common with nobility."

"No, she literally just met him. Tonight. Said it was true love."

"What?" Shae exclaimed, jaw dropping open in horror. "No! No, you… You can't marry someone you've just met!"

"That's what I said!" Cried Elsa. "But, she insisted. She was even talking about him moving into our castle, him and his twelve brothers."

"Twelve?" Shae exclaimed again, her blood red eyes wide with horror. "Bloody hell… That is just… That is just too many!"

"I know, I know…" Elsa agreed, breathing out a laugh. "So… I refused, got upset. I told the guards to shut the gates, that the ball was over. And, Anna… Poor Anna… She…"

Elsa's voice suddenly broke with emotion, and Shae paused, bandages still in hand, watching sadly as tears began to well into her sparkling blue eyes.

"She was so happy to have people in the castle, to be at a ball." Elsa went on, her tone soft and heavy with misery. "I watched her dancing and… I've never seen such a smile on her face. And… When I said it was over…"

Elsa's voice broke again, tears now streaming down her face. "She was so angry, so hurt." Elsa whispered, her face twisted in misery. "She said she couldn't live like this anymore, couldn't bare the solitude. So, I… I told her to just… Leave. That hurt her so much, there was so much pain in her eyes. She asked me what she had ever done to make me hate her so much, to shut her out like I have."

Shae watched with a heavy heart as Elsa choked out a sob. "I don't hate her, Shae. She's my sister, I… I love her, more than anything. And… All I've ever done is hurt her, push her away because of what I am. It… It isn't fair."

Elsa sighed heavily, hanging her head in sorrow. Shae continued to watch sadly and silently as she sniffled quietly, wiping the tears from her face with her sleeve.

"I was a fool to think I could continue with this charade." Elsa muttered softly, starting down at her hands folded in her lap. "I was a damn _fool_ to think I could ever be Queen. I… Never wanted to be, not really. But, it's my duty, as the eldest child. And… And now-"

"You're free." Shae whispered, a strange sort of smile on her face.

"Free?" Questioned Elsa, breathing out a small laugh. "How could I ever possibly be free?"

Shae's smile grew even wider. She hastily finished wrapping Elsa's arm with bandages, chucking them aside when she was through. She then leapt to her feet, holding out her hand to Elsa.

"Come with me." She said, still grinning excitedly. "I want to show you something."

Elsa took Shae's hand, and the vampire pulled her swiftly to her feet. Elsa followed her curiously as Shae left the cave, and drew in an audible gasp when she saw where exactly the vampire had brought her. Across the large ravine before them, stood The North Mountain. Elsa stared up at it in absolute wonder, a wide smile stretching across her face as she gazed upon it's tall, towering beauty.

"Just look at where we are!" Shae exclaimed, spreading her arms wide. "Arendell is miles and miles away."

Elsa shook herself from her stupor, and raised a curious eyebrow at the vampire. "What exactly are you saying?"

Shae sighed, gently taking Elsa's hand in hers. "Elsa, your entire life has been nothing but doors being slammed in your face." She answered quietly, staring very seriously into Elsa's eyes. "But here? Well, there's no doors here. You don't want to be Queen? Then don't! To hell with duty! Your only duty is to yourself. Your only duty is to be who you are, and that is a woman with a great and wonderful power."

Elsa bit her lip hesitantly, glancing away from the vampire. "Elsa, all your life you've done nothing but fear your magic." Shae went on, tightly gripping her hand. "There's a saying in my homeland. 'Magic is meant to serve man, not rule over him.' Elsa, now is the time for _you_ to rule over your magic. It's been the other way around your whole life, backwards. Now is the time to set it right. Now is the time to… Let it go!"

"Let it go?" Asked Elsa, raising another eyebrow. "Let what go?"

"All of it! Everything!" Shae cried, throwing her arms up in the air. "All your fear, your anger, your pain! You need to let it all go!"

"How?"

"Your magic, of course!" Shae replied, another excited grin spreading across her face. "Use it, set it free! You've already seen that you can't hurt _me_ with it, and I'm certain Sir Mountain over there will be just fine."

When Elsa fell into hesitant silence once again, Shae sighed in frustration, tightly gripping her shoulders. "Elsa, your magic is not something to be feared. _You_ are not something to be feared." Shae told her sternly. "You are a woman of uncommon strength and magnificent beauty, and-"

"'Magnificent beauty?'" Asked Elsa, smirking as she raised an eyebrow at the vampire.

Shae hesitated for a moment, her mouth still hanging open. "Really? _That's_ what you're going to focus on?" She then groaned in frustration, running her hands through her messy black hair. "Elsa, listen to me. You do _not_ have to be the person that your bloody parents wanted. All you have to be is who you are, and who you are is a smart, powerful, and talented sorceress. You need to let the rest go."

"Let it go…" Elsa whispered quietly, staring down at the snow covered ground.

"Yes, that's right." Shae whispered back, grinning once again, her blood red eyes shining with excitement. "You need to show the world who you are. You need to rise like the break of _fucking_ dawn!"

"Let it go…" Elsa whispered again, slowly grinning herself.

"Yes! Exactly!" Shae exclaimed in agreement, pointing joyfully at her. "What was it your father said? Don't let it show? Don't let them know? Well, now they know. And you don't care what they're going to say, right?"

"No." Elsa replied, her tone still quiet, her grin growing wider. "No, I-I don't."

Shae laughed loudly, spreading her arms wide. "Of course you fucking don't! Tell them, 'Here I stand in the light of day!' There's no right, no wrong, no rules out here for you, Elsa. You're free!"

Elsa laughed too, her heart beginning to race with wild, gleeful excitement within her chest. She pulled off the turquoise glove that still remained on her hand, and tossed it aside.

"Let it go…" Elsa whispered once again, watching as the swirling wind carried her glove away into the night.

Shae watched in wonder as Elsa waved her hand over the snow covered ground before her. A small cyclone of wind and snow formed beneath her hand, and Shae laughed as she created a snowman with her ice powers, complete with stick arms and pebble eyes.

"Well, not quite what I had in mind." Shae said, laughing still. "But, it's certainly a start!"

Elsa laughed too, grabbing the vampire by the hand. "Come on!"

Elsa ran forward toward The North Mountain, pulling Shae along with her. She stopped just at the edge of the ravine, and threw out both her hands. Shae's eyes were filled with astonished wonder as a bridge made of snow formed across the ravine. Before the vampire could say anything, Elsa rushed off across the bridge. She placed her hands on the snowy railings of the bridge as she ran, and Shae continued to watch in absolute wonder as the bridge turned to smooth, shimmering ice beneath her feet.

"HERE I STAND!" Elsa bellowed up at the mountain as she stepped off of the bridge. She then turned to Shae, her bright blue eyes sparkling with exhilaration. "And here I'll stay!"

Elsa stomped her foot upon the ground, and Shae's blood red eyes grew wide as a massive circle of ice shot out from around her boot. Within the ice, was a large, glittering snowflake.

"Amazing!" Shae cried, laughing loudly once again. "Elsa, this is simply amazing! You are- WOAH!"

Shae stumbled, swaying on her feet as the ground began to quake beneath her. Elsa slowly drew up both her arms, and Shae gasped as the circle of ice they were standing on began to rise into the air.

"Elsa!" Shae exclaimed, watching fearfully as the icy platform began rising higher and higher. "Y-You should know, I'm not overly fond of heights!"

Elsa didn't seem to be listening. Shae stood rooted in her spot, watching as she began throwing out her arms this way and that, twirling around in a strange sort of dance, creating walls made of ice around them. Shae's jaw hung open in absolute shock and wonder as she realized what exactly Elsa was doing, what she was creating: A castle. Flurries of snow and ice shot forth from her hands, and she used her magic to form intricate and decorative doors, windows, pillars, archways, and even a grand, glistening chandelier.

When she was finished, Elsa stood still and quiet on the top floor of her mighty ice palace. Shae stared all around her in silent shock and awe, marveling at the grandness of the palace that Elsa had created. She then turned her eyes back onto Elsa, who was still standing with her back to Shae, her chest heaving with exertion.

"Elsa…" Shae said, taking a careful step toward her. "Elsa, are you alright?"

Elsa turned slowly around, and Shae saw that there were tears in her eyes. "Yes. I am." She replied with a content, gentle smile. "You're right, I'm free. For the first time in my life, I finally feel… Free."

Arendell's former Queen then removed the golden tiara that still sat upon her head. "I'm never going back." She whispered as she stared down at the tiara in her hands. She then chucked it across the icy room, laughing loudly. "The past is in the past!"

Shae remained in shocked and bewildered silence as Elsa closed her eyes, spreading her arms wide. Shae gasped as the dress she had been wearing while being crowned Queen magically faded away, replaced by another of bright shining blue, a sparkling, glittering cape billowing out behind her. Elsa laughed as she stared down at her new dress, and quickly let down her hair that had been wound around her head in a tight braid. She tousled it lightly, and it fell over her shoulder in one single braid. Shae gaped at her in complete and utter wonder, her stunning and dazzling beauty leaving the vampire, for once, utterly speechless.

Shae followed along behind the long, glittering train of Elsa's cape as she stepped out onto the balcony of her grand, glistening ice palace. They stood in silence together for a moment, watching as the morning sun began to rise over the horizon. Now atop the tall, towering mountain, they were well above the clouds. The rising sun cast a burnt orange glow atop the fluffy white clouds, the view leaving Shae just as speechless as Elsa's dress had.

"Here I stand in the light of day!" Elsa shouted out from her balcony, drawing herself up and spreading her arms wide. "Let the storm rage on!"

Elsa then turned to Shae, grinning up at her, her dazzling blue eyes sparkling with a powerful resolve. "The cold never bothered me anyway…"

Shae laughed, following once again as Elsa left the balcony, back into her palace. She then waved her arm casually over her shoulder, and the balcony doors slammed shut behind them. Elsa took a moment to observe the palace that she had created. She breathed out a small laugh as she turned in her spot, seemingly surprised by what her magic had done.

"So, you've built yourself a mighty ice fortress. Which is just… Brilliant, by the way." Shae said, grinning broadly. "What do you plan on doing now?"

Elsa stared down at the ground, biting her lip as she thought. After a few moments of silence, she lifted her head, a smile slowly creeping across her face as she gazed upon the vampire. She then crossed the room and stepped up to Shae, placing her hands gently on her chest.

"I know exactly what I want to do." Elsa whispered, gazing deep into Shae's blood red eyes, her own filled with longing.

Arendell's former Queen then gripped the front of Shae's black and maroon coat, pulled her in close, and kissed her.

XX

As Elsa dragged the shocked and startled vampire along by her hand, Shae couldn't help but stare all around her, taking in the wondrous, icy beauty of Elsa's creation. She was positively shocked to find that, not only had Elsa created an entire castle with her magic, she had created an entirely _furnished_ castle. She gaped in absolute astonishment at the ornate, velvet cushioned throne as Elsa pulled her through the throne room, then at the long, wooden table and chairs as they rushed through the dining hall. There was even a plush canopy bed in The Ice Queen's own bedchamber.

"Elsa… Elsa, wait." Shae stammered, pushing Elsa back as she made to kiss her again. "A-Are you sure about this?"

Elsa nodded slowly, gently running her fingers through Shae's soft, messy black hair. "The old Elsa would have never done anything like this, would have been too afraid." She whispered, smiling into the vampire's blood red eyes. "But, the new Elsa? Well…"

Shae smiled back against Elsa's lips as she kissed her. They stood locked in their embrace for a few moments, then Elsa pulled away slightly. She watched the frost on Shae's lips dissipate as she removed her own lips from her's.

"Let it go, right?" Elsa whispered, wrapping hers around Shae's neck. "I'm letting go of everything, all my fear. I've always been so afraid of being close to someone like this." Elsa smiled, watching the trail of icy frost following her fingertips as she brushed them across Shae's cheek. "But… With you, Shae, I don't have to be afraid. I can touch you, kiss you, feel you, and you aren't harmed by my magic."

Elsa paused momentarily, placing another kiss on Shae's lips. "I have dreamt about this for so long." She went on, her face falling into a frown. "But, I'm afraid I'm… Not exactly experienced."

Shae laughed, cupping her hand under Elsa's chin. "Well, then… It's a good thing that I am _very_ experienced."

Elsa laughed too, drawing Shae in even closer. "Good." She whispered against the vampire's lips.

They kissed again, and a soft moan escaped Elsa's lips at the deep and powerful passion in Shae's kiss. She quickly removed Shae's coat, and then her maroon, velvet vest. Shae stood still in her spot, her lips locked with Elsa's, allowing her to gently explore her body with her hands. When Elsa slipped her hands underneath Shae's white, cotton shirt, she pulled away from their embrace, frowning in a confused way when she felt the deep, knotted scars on Shae's chest.

"Right, um… I-I suppose I should have warned you." Shae stammered. She then removed Elsa's hands from under shirt, breathing out a sad, heavy sigh. "Long ago, I was the victim of a vicious attack. It left me scarred, deformed, quite… Grotesquely."

"Is that where you got these?" Elsa asked in a whisper, and Shae nodded when she lightly touched the scars on her face. "I want to see."

"Elsa, I'm afraid it's not a pleasant sight." Shae replied with a grimace. "I don't think you-"

Shae's words were cut off as Elsa kissed her again. Their lips parted slowly, gently, and Shae held still once again as Elsa pulled her shirt off over her head. As it fell to the floor, Elsa drew in a soft gasp, clapping a hand over her mouth at the sight of Shae's mangled torso.

"What… Happened?" Elsa breathed slowly, her blue eyes wide with shock.

"Van Helsing." Shae snarled, balling her hands into fists. "He's a werewolf, a very powerful one. Usually werewolf attacks are fatal for a vampire, and vice versa. I managed to survive, but was left with… This."

Shae gestured to her dozens and dozens of scars, and her arm fell limply back to her side. When Elsa remained in shocked silence, Shae breathed out a bitter laugh. "Yes, hideous, I know." She muttered, lips still curled into a snarl. "I'm sorry, Elsa, we should just-"

Shae was cut off mid sentence once again as Elsa placed a slow, deep kiss on the indent just above her heart. Elsa snaked her arms up the vampire's bare back, and Shae sighed as she began to press gentle kisses along the many scars on her chest. Elsa then removed her lips from Shae's chest, and smiled up into her blood red eyes.

"I think you're stunning." She whispered, once again placing her arms around Shae's neck.

Shae breathed out a surprised laugh, gazing back into Elsa's dazzling blue eyes. "As are you."

Shae placed her hands on Elsa's hips, slowly and gently turning her around. Elsa bit her lip, grinning broadly as Shae kissed her neck, her hands now working on the buttons on the back of her glittering blue dress. Once finished, Shae gently drew her dress down off her shoulders. Shae spun her slowly back around, and her jaw dropped open in sheer wonder, the sight of Elsa's slender, naked body leaving her, once again, utterly speechless.

"My god…" Shae whispered, finally finding her voice. "Elsa, you are… Breathtaking."

Elsa grinned again, turning her eyes onto the floor as her face flushed with heat. "No one has ever called me that before."

"Well, that is just a travesty." Shae said with a laugh. "A woman of your caliber should be told she's beautiful several times a day, at least."

Elsa smiled against Shae's lips as the vampire kissed her. As Shae gently explored her naked body, she was delighted to find that Elsa did not recoil at the coldness of her touch. She drew back from Elsa's lips, breathing out a shocked laugh as she stared down at her hands touching the bare flesh of Elsa's sides.

"What is it?" Elsa asked, looking concerned.

"It's… It's nothing, It's just…" Shae stammered, quickly shaking her head. "I… I just…"

Once again at a loss for words, Shae wrapped her arms around Elsa, pulling her in close, their lips crashing together again. Elsa gripped a fistful of Shae's hair, moaning softly as her tongue brushed against hers. Elsa then gasped in shock, which turned into a laugh as Shae lifted her into the air by her hips. She wrapped her legs around Shae's waist, kissing her again as the vampire carried her over to the canopy bed.

"You are… Exceptionally strong." Elsa observed as Shae gently and carefully laid her down onto the silken sheets.

"Yes, well, being a vampire comes with certain perks." Shae replied with a grin, lightly tracing a finger along Elsa's collarbone. "Inhuman strength is one of them, also speed, telekinetic powers. We are also more pleasing to the eye. You humans find us more attractive than your fellow mortals, more enticing. You all positively swoon over our scent."

Shae placed a feather light kiss on Elsa's lips, and smiled into her eyes. "Tell me… What do I smell like to you?"

Elsa wrapped her arms around the vampire, drawing her in closer. She placed a kiss on her neck, drawing in a deep breath through her nose. "Like… A warm, fresh summer rain." Elsa replied quietly, her face then falling into a confused frown. "And… Chocolate? How? How is it that you smell like both of those things?"

Shae laughed lightly, placing another quick kiss on her lips. "It's part of being a vampire. Our scent is different for each person we encounter." She explained with a grin. "We smell like the things that particular person enjoys most. I've heard that I smell like the sea, daffodils, lavender, a whole host of different herbs and spices. One woman even told me I smelled like her father, which was… Unsettling."

Elsa laughed at the disturbed grimace on the vampire's face. "So, you're saying that I'm only attracted to you so because of your magic?"

Shae shrugged. "Perhaps. But I know for a fact that I was just as equally stunning when I was human."

Elsa laughed again, grinning against Shae's lips as she kissed her. Elsa wrapped her arms tightly around her, relishing the feeling of Shae's body against her own. Urgent, passionate desire began to swell between them as their lips parted again and again, their tongues brushing against each other in their mouths. Elsa began running her hands up and down Shae's body, and Shae continued to kiss her passionately, allowing Elsa to explore freely. Shae suddenly broke away from Elsa's lips, drawing in a sharp breath as her hand slipped down her breeches.

"Oh, Shae…" Elsa whispered, smiling as she gazed up into Shae's blood red eyes. "Shae, you feel… Wonderful."

Shae gasped again, a wide grin spreading across her face as Elsa's fingers began exploring between her legs. "You seem to be more experience than you think."

Elsa bit her lip, giving Shae an innocent shrug. "I'm simply following my intuition."

"Well your intuition is certainly accurate." Shae muttered in reply.

They found each other's lips again, and Elsa ran her fingers through Shae's messy black hair as they kissed, leaving the other down her pants. Shae moaned softly against Elsa's lips as she began to slowly fondle her. Elsa stopped suddenly as Shae drew back from their embrace, watching Elsa's face as she slipped two fingers inside her.

"Oh… Oh, Shae…" Elsa whispered, gasping in delight as Shae began slowly pumping her fingers. "Oh, that feels… That feels nice."

In the past, Shae had been much more vigorous and forceful in her lovemaking. However, the vampire knew that Elsa required a soft and gentle touch. She tenderly kissed her lips as she continued to thrust her fingers slowly and gently deeper inside her. She could feel Elsa growing wetter and wetter, her breaths coming quicker and quicker. As her moans of pleasure began to swell with volume, Shae began thrusting faster, harder.

The quiet stillness of Elsa's magnificent ice palace was broken by her own cries and moans of pure pleasure. She dug her nails into Shae's back, moaning into her mouth as Shae pumped her fingers harder, faster, deeper. Shae pulled away from Elsa's lips as she felt her womanhood clench around her fingers. She buried her face in Elsa's neck, and Elsa tightly gripped a fistful of her hair, digging her nails into the vampire's shoulder. Her back arched arched high into the air, and she let out one last loud, quavering cry as she reached her climax. Shae moaned with her, slowly and gently pumping her fingers as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her.

Elsa collapsed back onto the bed, her breaths ragged, her heart racing with exertion. Shae removed her fingers from Elsa's folds, and gently took one of her firm, pink nipples in her mouth. Elsa moaned softly, running her fingers through Shae's hair.

"Oh, Shae… That was wonderful." Elsa whispered breathlessly. "I've… I've never felt anything quite like that before."

"Yes, it's exhilarating, isn't it?" Shae whispered back, placing a gentle kiss on her neck, then her cheek. "And the best part is that you can bring a woman to climax an indefinite number of times. That is, if you know what you're doing."

"And you certainly know what you're doing." Elsa observed with a laugh.

"Indeed, I do." Shae agreed.

Elsa laughed again as Shae rolled over onto her back, pulling Elsa on top of her. Shae snaked her arms up Elsa's back as they kissed, and the vampire and The Ice Queen continued to make urgent, passionate love, the world outside Elsa's ice palace completely and utterly forgotten.

Several hours later, Elsa was finally and totally spent. She lie on her stomach, one arm dangling over the side of the bed, breathing out a content and satisfied sigh. She smiled as Shae pressed slow and gentle kisses along her back and shoulders. She then rolled over and pulled Shae into her arms, placing a deep, tender kiss on her lips.

"Mmm… Oh, Shae… I don't think I ever want to leave this bed." Elsa cooed softly.

Shae chuckled, kissing her again. "Well, unfortunately you'll have to at some point for food and water and… Whatever else you humans require for survival." She replied with a shrug. "But, otherwise, you don't have to. I told you, Elsa, you're free now. You are free to do what you want, when you want."

Elsa nodded, smiling as Shae kissed her lips again. "Thank you." She whispered, gently caressing the vampire's cheek. "You helped me realize who I am, accept it, even. If it wasn't for you… Well, I suppose Van Helsing would have had me killed."

Shae sighed heavily, and slowly shook her head. "I'm afraid you shouldn't thank me just yet." She quietly replied. "He will come for you, for both of us, I'm certain of it. But, I will be here to do whatever I can to protect you from him."

"So… You'll stay here with me?" Elsa asked, another smile slowly stretching across her face.

"If you'd like." Shae replied with a nod. "I know a great deal about magic, and I'm sure I can help you with yours. And, possibly, a few other things."

Elsa giggled as Shae gently nibbled on the tender skin of her neck. "Yes, I think I'd like that very much."

"Good." Shae said, smiling down at her. "I only have one rule: No falling in love."

Elsa propped herself up on her elbow, raising an eyebrow curiously at the vampire. "And why exactly are you so opposed to love?"

Shae didn't respond right away. She rolled off of Elsa and sat forward upon the bed, breathing out a heavy sigh. Elsa sat up as well, brow furrowed in confusion at the sudden, immense sorrow in the vampire's blood red eyes.

"Because, love is nothing but pain." Shae finally replied, her tone quiet and sad. "I loved someone once, with my whole heart, my whole soul. And she was torn away from me, murdered by Van Helsing. Her brother was my best friend, I loved him too, very dearly. And now he's… Gone. No, love is nothing but pain, misery, and heartache."

"Yes, I suppose you're right." Elsa muttered quietly.

Shae raised an eyebrow at her in surprise. "Really?"

Elsa nodded slowly, giving her a sad smile. "I love my sister very much, I always have, I always will. And, well… You saw yourself what my love has brought her, what it's done to her."

Shae nodded too, and they both sat in silence for a while, both their hearts heavy with sadness. Elsa then cleared her throat, turning back to Shae with a smile. "Perhaps we should talk about other things." She suggested.

"I was thinking we should stop talking altogether." Shae replied with a devious grin.

Elsa cried out in shock as Shae tackled her back down onto the bed. She laughed, wrapping herself tightly around the vampire as she kissed her. Shae began to slide her hand down between Elsa's legs, stopping suddenly when her sensitive hearing picked up a strange sound. It sounded like someone was knocking on the palace door.

"Hello?" She heard a woman's voice call out. "Elsa? Are you here?"

"There's someone here." Shae said to Elsa. "A woman."

Elsa gasped, her bright blue eyes growing wide with fright. "Anna!"

XX

Shae sat on the edge of Elsa's plush, canopy bed, once again fully dressed. She thought Elsa needed to have a moment alone with her sister, so she waited quietly in The Ice Queen's bedchamber, her head spinning over the events of the last few hours. Her head swam with memories of making love to Elsa, what it had felt like to hold her, kiss her, touch her. She hadn't felt anything quite like it in a very long time.

She remembered how her unbeating heart had fluttered wildly within her ribcage the first time she laid eyes on Elsa, being crowned Queen inside Arendell's grand chapel. Fear began to bubble in her stomach as she thought about Elsa's beautiful, dazzling blue eyes. She remembered gazing into Nadia's eyes, remembered the agony as she watched the light of life fading from them. She quickly shook herself, rising slowly to her feet.

"No falling in love." Shae muttered as she left the bedroom. "No falling in love…"

When Shae arrived in The Ice Palace's grand and glittering foyer, she was met with a very curious and startling sight. Elsa was standing at the top of the icy staircase, Princess Anna at the bottom. Standing next to her, was a tiny snowman, the very snowman that Elsa had created with her ice powers the night before, now complete with a carrot nose and stubby, snowball legs. The snowman appeared to have come to life, and was now walking and talking. When he saw Shae, his snowy, glistening face lit up with joy.

"Hi, I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs!"

Shae's jaw hung open as she stood next to Elsa atop the staircase, staring down at the snowman named Olaf. Shae slowly turned to Elsa, who looked to be just as bewildered as the vampire was. Shae stared between Elsa and Olaf for a moment in completely befuddled silence. She then breathed out a shocked and excited laugh, and began racing down the icy steps. Once at the bottom, Shae knelt down in front of Olaf, laughing loudly once again.

"My god… Look at you!" She whispered in wonder, looking the snowman up and down.

"Look at me!" Olaf exclaimed with an excited giggle, throwing his stick arms up in the air.

Shae laughed again, turning back and grinning excitedly up at Elsa. "Elsa, just… Just look at this! This is absolutely amazing!"

"I'm amazing!" Echoed Olaf.

"Fascinating, simply _fascinating_!" Shae cried, laughing even more. "How does this- OH! Oh no!"

Shae took hold of one of Olaf's stick arms to examine it further, only to have it come away from his torso in her hand. Shae gasped as Olaf's severed arm hit her in the face.

"Excuse me!" Olaf chided irritably. "Put that back, please!"

"Oh! Oh god! Oh, I-I'm so sorry!" Shae stammered, gingerly reattaching the snowman's arm.

"Ah, that's better." Olaf sighed in relief. "Right, let's start this thing over. Hi, I'm Olaf. And you are?"

"Oh! Yes! Right." Shae stammered again, getting to her feet as she finally noticed Anna staring down at her. "Shae. I'm Shae. Pleasure to meet you. Er… Both of you."

"Hey, I remember you." Anna said as she shook Shae's outstretched hand. "You were at the castle, with that guy, Van Helsing. He's so big, and scary, and… A-And mean. Why? Why is he so mean?"

Shae chuckled dryly. "I'm afraid that's quite a loaded question."

"Oh, ok, right…" Anna muttered, glancing up at her sister. "So, um… What exactly are you doing here with my sister?"

"Shae is… My friend." Elsa answered from atop the staircase, though a bit uncertainly. "She's a vampire, and she knows a lot about magic. She's been… Helping me."

Anna gasped, her blue eyes growing wide as she turned back to Shae. "You're a vampire?" When Shae nodded, she gasped again, smiling excitedly. "Wow! Oh, _wow_! Oh, I… I have so many questions! Um… Oh! Can you turn into a bat? Can you fly? Do you sleep in a coffin? Are vampires really afraid of garlic?"

Shae's mouth hung open, her blood red eyes shifting all around her as she thought. "Um… No." She replied slowly. "To… All of those things."

"Aw, even the bat thing?" Olaf asked with a disappointed frown. "Cuz, I would just… I would _love_ to see that."

"Oh, me too!" Anna said excitedly. "That would be amazing! Also, a little weird, and kinda scary. But mostly amazing!"

"Anna, please…" Elsa said pleadingly, breathing out a heavy sigh. "Please, you… You need to go."

"But… I just got here." Anna replied, brow furrowed in confusion. She then smiled a warm, gentle smile up at her sister. "Elsa, it's alright, you don't have to be afraid. We used to be so close, remember? We can be like that again, I promise."

Elsa bit her lip, glancing away from her beloved sister. She fought back tears as she remembered what she had done to her when they were children, how being struck by her icy powers had almost taken her life. She then slowly shook her head, and turned her back on Anna.

"No, we can't." She said quietly, her tone heavy with sorrow. "Goodbye, Anna."

Anna's jaw dropped open in shock, her eyes full of pain as Elsa began climbing the steps behind her, leading up to the second story of her ice palace. Anna hurried after her, leaving the vampire and the snowman alone in the foyer. Shae watched curiously as Olaf began climbing the steps, struggling to lift his small, round body over the edges.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Shae asked with an amused chuckle.

"Going after them, of course!" Olaf cried in an obvious tone. "What's it look like I'm doing?"

Shae sighed, folding her arms across her chest. "Perhaps we should let them talk alone."

"Not. A. Chance." Olaf grunted in reply, straining to pull himself up over another icy step.

Olaf then gave up on his fruitless attempt to climb the staircase. He sat down on one of the steps, huffing and puffing in exertion. He then glanced over at Shae, narrowing his black, beady eyes at her.

"Hey, bat girl, a little help here would be nice!" He commanded irritably.

Shae rolled her eyes, chuckling once again. She carefully lifted the snowman up by his torso, and set him on her shoulder. Olaf giggled excitedly as Shae began climbing the steps after Elsa and Anna, holding onto the snowman perched on her shoulder.

"I already told you, I can't turn into a bat." Shae said to Olaf.

Olaf sighed, patting Shae on the head. "Yeah, yeah, I know." He muttered quietly. "Which is, like, _really_ disappointing. I mean, what even _can_ you do?"

"Lots of things!" Shae cried indignantly.

"Except turn into a bat. Or fly."

"Yes, well, but I can- Oh no…"

Shae found Elsa and Anna in the room where she and Elsa had been when she first created her Ice Palace, the massive, glittering snowflake sparkling on the floor beneath their feet. Elsa had her back to them, holding her head in her hands, flurries of snow and ice swirling dangerously around the room.

"Oh god… Oh, I'm such a fool…" Elsa muttered, her whole body quivering. "I can't be free. I can't ever be free of this."

"What's going on here?" Shae asked, carefully setting Olaf back down on the ground.

Anna ignored Shae, taking a careful step toward her sister. "Elsa, it's alright, you don't have to be afraid any more!"

"No… No, there's no escape." Elsa whispered shakily. "No escape from the storm inside of me."

Shae stared wide eyed around the room, panic starting to bubble in her stomach as the snow storm around Elsa began to grow and grow. "Elsa, it's alright." Shae said gently. "Just stay calm."

"NO!" Elsa shouted, rounding on Shae, her sparkling blue eyes streaming with tears. "No, I can't! I can't control it! I was a damn _fool_ to think that I could!"

"Elsa, please-" Shae began, taking a step toward her, Olaf clinging fearfully to her leg.

"It's alright, don't panic." Anna said gently, also stepping toward her sister. "We can reverse it, bring back summer, make the sun shine bright again!"

Elsa shook her head vigorously, once again turning her back on her sister. "Anna, please, you'll only make it worse!"

"Elsa!" Shae shouted over the rushing wind, shielding her eyes as a full on blizzard began to swirl around the room. "Elsa, please! You need to calm down!"

"We can fix this!"Anna cried desperately, her body lost from Shae's sight within the swirling snow. "I know we can, I know _you_ can!"

Elsa choked out a strangled sob, clutching the sides of her head, her whole body shaking with fear. "Please! Please, you need to go, you both do! You're not safe here!"

"No, I'm not leaving you!" Anna shouted back. "For the first time in forever, I finally understand!"

"Elsa! Elsa, it's ok!" Shae called out, peering out at Elsa's hazy form through the whirling blizzard. "It's alright! You just need to stay calm!"

"We can face all this together!" Cried Anna.

Shae and Anna both stumbled as the whirling, rushing blizzard was suddenly sucked back into Elsa's own body. For a moment, just a moment, the room was once again calm and quiet. Shae glanced over at Anna, who was smiling excitedly, her blue eyes shining with hope.

"I CAN'T!"

A pulsewave of icy energy exploded out of Elsa's body, shaking the entire castle. The pulsewave hit both Shae and Anna in the chest, and they were both knocked off their feet. Olaf cried out in alarm, rushing to Anna's side. Shae groaned, lifting her head up from the floor as Olaf helped Anna to sit up. Shae noticed that Anna was clutching the left side of her chest, her face twisted in pain.

"ANNA!"

Shae jumped, startled as a man rushed into the room, sliding to his knees next to Anna. He quickly helped her up onto her feet, and Shae was shocked to realize that she recognized him.

"Kristoff?"

Kristoff whirled around, his eyes growing wide as he spotted the vampire. "Shae?"

"You… Know this man?" Elsa asked quietly, her eyes wide with fear, her whole body trembling. She then shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut, more tears spilling down her face. "No… I-It doesn't matter. You need to go, all of you."

"No!" Anna cried, taking a shaky step forward. "No, I know we can figure this out together-"

"HOW?" Elsa screamed, her face twisting in desperate sorrow. "What power do you have to stop this winter? To stop _me_?"

Shae gasped, whirling around as she heard a strange crackling sound. Her eyes grew wide with fright as she saw dark, pointed shadows of ice spreading down the walls, turning an angry shade of bright, glowing red.

"Anna… I think we should go." Kristoff muttered fearfully.

"No!" Anna cried, her own eyes streaming with tears. "No, I'm not going anywhere!"

"Nor am I." Shae said sternly.

Shae quickly crossed the room toward Elsa, who began to back away in fright. Shae gently took both Elsa's hands in hers, and Elsa choked out another sob as the vampire's hands began to cake over with frost.

"It's alright. You can't hurt me, remember?" Shae said gently, smiling into her eyes.

Elsa shook her head, wrenching her hands out of Shae's grip. "You don't know that for sure." She whispered, her voice quavering with emotion. "I _could_ hurt you. I know I could."

Shae took another step forward, placing her hand on Elsa's cheek. "It doesn't matter." She whispered softly. "I said I was going to help you, and I meant it. Please, Elsa, let me help you."

"Let _us_ help you." Anna pleaded desperately.

"We're not going anywhere." Said Olaf, placing his stick hands firmly on his hips. "Not without you."

For a moment, Elsa stood in rigid silence, staring between her sister, Olaf, and back into Shae's blood red gaze. She then squeezed her eyes shut, more and more tears streaming down her face. She removed Shae's hand from her cheek, and turned away from her, hugging her arms around her torso.

"Yes, you are." She whispered.

Elsa threw her arm out to the side, a blue, icy beam of magic shooting from her hand and into the ground. The others all gasped as swirling flurries of snow began to rise from the floor. Shae slowly backed away, watching with wide eyes as the snow began to take shape. First came two, massive, hulking legs, then an equally large torso to match. Two beefy arms formed next, broad, bulging shoulders, and, finally a head, with two holes carved into the snow for eyes. Elsa had created a snow monster, standing as tall as two fully grown men, his limbs the size of icy tree trunks.

"My god…" Shae breathed in wonder, backing straight into Kristoff and Anna. "Amazing… Just… Amazing!"

"Not really the word I'd use." Muttered Kristoff, his eyes wide with fear. "But, well, you know-"

The rest of Kristoff's sentence was drowned out as Elsa's snow monster let out a fearsome roar. He rushed forward, and Shae, Anna, and Kristoff only had time to let out startled gasps as he suddenly scooped them up in his massive, icy fist. Olaf cried out in fright, running as fast as his stubby snowball legs could carry him toward the staircase. He made it to the landing just as the snow monster swept him up in his free hand. Shae caught a glimpse of Elsa as her creation carried them from the room, and saw nothing but pain and terror in her sparkling blue eyes.

"Stop! Put us down!" Anna shouted, struggling furiously against the monster's iron grip.

"Sir, you are a lot stronger than I think you realize!" Olaf said from the snow monster's other hand.

The snow monster kicked through the doors of Elsa's ice palace, and chucked Anna, Shae, and Kristoff from his hand. The three of them rolled, tumbled, and slid down the icy staircase leading down the mountain. They tumbled past Sven the reindeer, who was sitting and waiting patiently at the bottom of the stairs, finally rolling to a stop when they hit a rocky snow bank.

"GO AWAY!" The monster bellowed in a deep, gravelly voice, hurling Olaf toward them.

Shae, Kristoff, and Anna had made it to their feet, and they watched as Olaf's head, torso, and back side separated from each other as he sailed through the air.

"Heads up!" Cried Olaf.

Anna and Kristoff threw themselves back down to the ground, and Shae grunted, catching Olaf's head as it collided with her chest. "Watch out for my butt!" Said Olaf's head.

Shae grunted again, falling flat on her back as Olaf's hindquarters smacked her in the face. She groaned, sitting forward with Olaf's head still in her hands. "Bloody snowman…" She muttered irritably.

Anna, back on her feet again, snarled in incensed fury, marching back toward the snow monster, who was lumbering back into the castle. "It is _not_ nice to throw people!" She shouted angrily.

"Woah! Easy there, feisty-pants!" Kristoff exclaimed, grabbing on to Anna's arm. "Just calm down. Leave the very big and scary snow monster be."

"Right, right, calm, I'm calm." Anna replied, smoothing out her face and nodding in agreement.

Anna turned away from the snow monster, and Kristoff breathed out a sigh of relief. She then scooped up a snowball, and immediately whirled back around. Before either Kristoff or Shae could do anything to stop her, Anna chucked the snowball at the massive snow monster. They watched as it sailed through the air, exploding into soft flurries of snowflakes as it struck the monster's back.

"Uh oh…" Olaf muttered from between Shae's hands.

The snow monster stopped in his tracks momentarily, and they all stood frozen in fearful anticipation. He then whirled around, bellowing out a roar of rage. They all cried out in alarm as massive, pointed, icy spikes shot out from his body.

"Now you made him mad!" Kristoff exclaimed, his eyes wide with fear.

"You guys go, bat girl and I will hold him off!" Olaf's severed head commanded.

Kristoff grabbed onto Anna's arm, pulling her quickly away from the infuriated snow monster that was now charging toward them. Sven galloped off in the opposite direction, and Olaf's midsection and torso raced off after him.

"Wait, no, not you guys!" Cried Olaf.

Shae groaned in frustration, rushing off after Olaf's fleeing body parts. She scooped up his bottom and torso with her free arm, and quickly shoved him back together, though quite haphazardly. She then hurled the mess of a snowman from her arms, turning around just as Elsa's snow monster was upon her. She quickly threw out her arm, blasting him backward with telekinetic force.

"GO!" Shae shouted at Olaf. "RUN!"

Olaf obeyed without another word, turning and fleeing down the mountain after Anna and Kristoff. Shae turned back to the now infuriated snow monster, who was getting back to his feet. Suddenly, something caught her eye, and she spotted Elsa watching from the balcony of her ice palace.

"ELSA!" Shae shouted up at her. "Stop this! I won't just leave you here!"

"You have to!" Elsa shouted back, her voice full of painful desperation. "I'm sorry! Goodbye, Shae!"

"NO!" Shae screamed as Elsa turned her back on her. "ELSA!"

Shae breathed out another frustrated groan, once again turning back to face the hulking snow monster. He bellowed out another enraged roar, the ground shaking under his massive feet as he charged at the vampire. Shae bent her knees, falling back into a battle ready stance. She let out a furious war cry herself, punching her fist straight through the monster's arm as he swung it at her. The monster stumbled backward, roaring and howling with pain as his arm exploded into flurries of snow and ice.

"HA!" Shae shouted triumphantly. "How do you like that, you fat old marshmallow? I think-"

Shae stopped mid sentence, her mouth gaping open as the snow monster's arm began to reshape itself right before her eyes. The monster drew himself up to his full height, looming dangerously over the vampire, his arm now fully restored.

"Oh dear…" Was all Shae had time to say, before the snow monster swung his arm, and sent the vampire sailing through the air.

XX

"Ok, you tell me when… I'm ready… I'm ready to GO!"

Anna stood at the edge of the cliff, a rope tied around her waist. Kristoff had another part of the rope tied around his own waist, the end of it anchored into the snow behind them. With nowhere else to go to escape Elsa's terrifying snow monster, they stood ready at the edge of the cliff, ready to jump into the deep, icy abyss back down the north mountain.

"One…" Kristoff began to count slowly. "Two…"

"Right, let's do this…" Anna muttered to herself, nodding in determination. "I'm ready. I was _born_ ready!"

"That's great, just… Calm down." Kristoff said with a sigh.

"LOOK OUT!" Anna shouted.

Kristoff whirled around, and gasped as the rushing black shape of a person came hurtling through the air straight toward them. "JUMP!"

Anna and Kristoff both leapt from the cliff, just as Shae collided with the ground where they had been standing. Her head smacked painfully against the ground, and she herself went skidding over the edge of the cliff. Kristoff and Anna both watched, dangling safely from their rope as the dazed and momentarily senseless vampire sunk like a rock straight past them, her body lost from their sight as she fell straight down the mountain.

Shae's world was a hazy white blur, her head throbbing painfully. She tried to lift her limbs, but found that they were strangely heavy, as if something was weighing them down. She heard strange sounds all around her, and realized that something was sitting on her chest.

"My legs! I can't feel my legs!"

Shae sat forward with a groan, and found Olaf sitting in her lap, patting her boots that were sticking up out of the snow. She sighed heavily, rubbing her aching head.

"Those are _my_ legs, you dolt." She muttered.

Olaf suddenly gasped as his backside went scurrying by on its stubby, snowball legs. "Oh, quick! Grab my butt!"

Shae sighed again, and reached out her arm, quickly seizing Olaf's backside. She then placed the snowman's head and torso back onto the rest of his body, and Olaf breathed out a sigh of relief. Shae got to her feet, and took a moment to observe her surroundings. She was now at the bottom of the tall, towering mountain, Anna and Kristoff both lying in the snow beside her. Kristoff was sitting up, rubbing his blonde haired head, and Anna was attempting to free her lower half from the thick, powdery snow. Both looked to be a bit shaken after their fall from the mountain, but otherwise unharmed.

"Here you go." Shae said as she seized both of Anna's arms, and pulled her free from the snow.

"Thanks." Anna replied with a grateful smile.

Shae then helped Kristoff to his feet, who smiled at her as well. "Uh… Hi! Again." He stammered, a bit awkwardly. "Good to see you again, Shae."

"You as well, my friend." Shae replied, clapping him on the shoulder. "Though, I have to say, falling from a mountain was not how I expected us to meet again."

"Wait… You two know each other?" Anna asked, raising an eyebrow at the two of them.

"Uh, yeah. I met Shae when she first arrived in Arendell." Kristoff said in reply, then turned to Shae. "Looks like you actually managed to get into the castle and talk to Elsa."

"Talk to Elsa?" Anna echoed, now looking even more confused. "What exactly did you want to talk to Elsa about?"

"Well, initially, her magic." Shae replied with a small shrug. "I could sense it the moment I first saw her. It was… Unlike anything I had ever felt before. I could tell it was very powerful, and very… Unique. I've never seen powers quite like hers, and I was simply intrigued."

Shae's face then fell into a dark scowl, and she balled her hands into fists. "Then I saw Van Helsing in your palace. I tried to warn her about him, that if he found out about her powers all of Arenell would be in danger. And, well… You know the rest."

Anna sighed heavily, her blue eyes full of sadness. "Yeah, that was all my fault." She muttered quietly. "So… Elsa said that you've been helping her. Helping her how?"

Shae bit her lip, pondering how exactly to respond to the young Princess's question. Suddenly, Sven the reindeer came galloping toward them, and Shae was immensely grateful for the distraction.

"Sven! He found us!" Olaf exclaimed, giggling excitedly. He giggled even more as Sven made to bite at his carrot nose, and he patted the reindeer affectionately on his head. "Aw, look at him, trying to kiss my nose! What a cute little reindeer. I love you too!"

Kristoff breathed out an amused chuckle, and slowly shook his head. He then cleared his throat, and turned to Anna and Shae. "So… Now what?" He asked of them.

Anna suddenly gasped, and she clapped her mittened hands over her mouth. "Now what?" She exclaimed, her eyes full of panic. "Oh no! Oh, she threw us out! I… I can't go back to Arendell with the weather like this!"

"What do you mean?" Asked Shae, brow furrowed in confusion.

"When Elsa ran off, she froze the entire fjord, the entire kingdom!" Anna explained, still looking panicked. "Arendell is stuck in some kind of… Eternal winter!"

"Oh dear…" Shae muttered, her blood red eyes growing wide. "Oh… That's not good."

"We have to go back." Anna said, urgently grabbing on to Shae's arm. "Can't you just… I dunno, fly us back up the mountain or something?"

"No, I told you, I can't fly." Shae replied with a quick shake of her head. "I could teleport us back, but… Well, I won't."

"I'm sorry, what's going on here?" Asked Kristoff, looking immensely confused.

"Shae's a vampire." Anna hastily replied, waving her hand dismissively at him. "So, wait, you can-"

"Woah, woah, woah!" Kristoff exclaimed, staring wide eyed at Shae. "You're a vampire?"

"Yes, of course." Shae replied in an obvious tone. "You really didn't think the pale skin and the blood red eyes were strange?"

"Well, I dunno, I just thought you hated the sun or something." Kristoff said with a shrug. "So, can you like… Turn into a bat?"

Shae sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "No."

"Oh." Said Kristoff, frowning slightly. "That is… Really disappointing."

"I know, right?" Cried Olaf.

"Guys, come on, let's focus here!" Anna interjected, waving her arms frustratedly. "Shae, please, I need to go back, I need to talk to Elsa."

"Well, it seems you've already tried that." Shae said with chuckle, folding her arms across her chest. "Then she promptly created a snow monster that chased us all down the mountain."

"Yeah, I know, but-" Anna began to retort.

"Woah!" Kristoff suddenly exclaimed, pointing at Anna's head. "Look at your hair!"

Anna scoffed indignantly. "Hey, I just fell off a cliff! You should see _your_ hair!"

Kristoff quickly shook his head. "No, I mean, it's turning… White!"

Shae drew in a startled gasp, watching with wide, baffled eyes as a strand of Anna's red, braided hair began to turn white right before their eyes. Anna examined one of her own pigtails, gasping herself as she saw the tendril of white.

"Does it… Look bad?" Anna asked them quietly.

Silence fell over them all for a moment as Shae and Kristoff both exchanged an uncertain glace. "No." They replied in unison.

Olaf popped his head off of his body, holding it up in the air to better join the conversation. "You hesitated." He said, glancing between Kristoff and Shae.

Shae rolled her eyes, placing a hand on Olaf's head and shoving it back down onto his body. "It must be because Elsa struck you with her magic." Shae muttered, stepping closer to Anna and examining her strand of white hair. "Do you… Feel alright? Are you in any pain?"

Anna hesitated for a moment, staring down at her own body. "Um… No, I-I don't think so." She stammered. "Shouldn't your hair be turning white too? You got hit with it too, right?"

"Yes, but it seems I'm immune to Elsa's ice powers." Shae replied, shrugging slightly.

"And you're not." Said Kristoff, eyeing Anna with grave concern. "I've seen this kind of thing before. You need help, Anna, and I know just who to go to."

"Who?" Asked Anna, raising an eyebrow at Kristoff.

"Some, uh… Friends of mine." Kristoff replied, a bit hesitantly. "Well, they're really more like family. But… Trust me, they can fix this, I know they can. I've seen them do it."

Shae nodded, and placed a hand on both Anna and Kristoff's shoulders. "Excellent! Sounds like an excellent plan." She said, smiling at both of them. "Well, it was lovely meeting all of you. Goodbye!"

Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and also Sven, watched with their mouths gaping open as the vampire promptly turned on her heel, and began marching off away from them. "Wait!" Anna cried. "W-Where are you going? Are you going back to Elsa?"

Shae sighed, stopping in her tracks and slowly turning back around. "No, quite the opposite, in fact." She answered with a shrug. "Elsa is more than powerful enough to keep Van Helsing at bay, should he decide to come looking for her. It is in her best interest if I leave this place far behind, the sooner the better."

"'In her best interest?'" Kristoff questioned, crossing his arms over his chest. "What exactly does that mean?"

Shae sighed again, slowly rubbing her forehead. "All it means is that it is better for her if I leave Arendell, never to return. Anyone I've ever cared about has had nothing but trouble befall them, therefore, I must-"

"Woah, wait a minute!" Anna exclaimed, smiling slightly as she stared wide eyed at Shae. "You… Care about Elsa?"

Shae's eyes grew just as wide as Anna's when she realized what she had just said. "No!" She cried indignantly. "Well, I mean… Yes, I do, but… I-I don't…"

Shae stopped her stammering, and groaned in frustration, running her hands through her messy black hair. "It just… It doesn't matter, alright?" She snapped irritably. "Now… Goodbye, and good luck."

The vampire began stomping away from them once again, and Anna breathed out a sad, heavy sigh. Suddenly, Sven galloped off after the vampire, planting himself firmly in her path. Shae drew back a step, eyeing the reindeer curiously as he grunted and snorted at her furiously, shaking his antlered head.

"What? What is this?" Shae exclaimed, glancing over her shoulder at Kristoff. "What the bloody hell is he doing?"

Kristoff sighed, stomping through the snow and over to his reindeer friend. "Easy, Sven, it's alright." He said soothingly, gently patting him on the head. "All he's trying to say is that you can't just leave. We need your help."

Shae raised an eyebrow curiously at both the reindeer and the blonde. "Help? Help with what?"

"Well, we've got a long journey ahead of us, and it could be dangerous." Kristoff replied with a small shrug. "Look, if you don't want to go back to Elsa, that's fine. But, if you really do care about her, then you'll help me get her sister the help she needs. Please, we… We need you."

Shae bit her lip, staring into Kristoff's eyes for a moment. She then glanced over at Anna, who was giving her a hopeful, pleading smile. She continued to hesitate, staring from Anna, Olaf, Sven, then back at Kristoff. The vampire then breathed out a heavy, relenting sigh, and nodded.

"Fine." She muttered, though a bit begrudgingly. "I will see you safely on your journey. But, as soon as we're done, I'm leaving. Alright?"

"Deal." Kristoff said with a nod.

"Oh boy!" Olaf exclaimed, giggling excitedly as they all set off on their journey. "Five best friends on an adventure together! It's so exciting!"

"You know, I think, 'best friends,' is a bit premature." Kristoff said with a chuckle.

Anna laughed as well, but Shae was too deep in thought to be amused. She trailed along behind the others, her head spinning with everything that had transpired since she had set foot in Arendell. Most of all, her thoughts were on Elsa. She thought about their brief, passionate engagement, her dazzling blue eyes, her smile. Even though she had just met Elsa, she somehow felt that she had known her all her life, that she could share anything and everything with her. She so desperately wanted to return to her, to hold her, kiss her, tell her that she was safe in her arms. She hadn't felt anything so intense since Nadia, and, even after all the years that had passed, the pain of her death was still a deep, aching wound in the vampire's heart and soul.

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, running a shaky hand through her hair. Coming to Arendell, meeting Elsa, everything that had happened between them afterwards, it had all been a terrible mistake. As terribly as she wanted to go back, she knew that it was best to leave as soon as Anna was safe, for her own sake, and for Elsa's. She stopped for a moment, turning back to gaze up at the mountain, at the tall, pointed spires of Elsa's ice palace that was still visible, sparkling in the moonlight. Her heart ached with sorrow, with yearning, with deep regret, and she whispered softly into the night air.

"Let it go…"

XX


	16. Chapter 16, A Frozen Tale, Part II

CHAPTER 16

Shae sprinted up The North Mountain, her mind reeling with panic, her body a black blur of motion as she rushed toward the staircase leading up to Elsa's ice palace. She stopped momentarily to observe the strange scene before her at the base of the stairs. There were several sets of human sized footprints in the snow, along with massive, gaping holes, which Shae assumed had belonged to Elsa's hulking snow monster. It seemed that some sort of scuffle had taken place, footprints of both man and monster strewn haphazardly among the layer of snow on the ground.

Shae drew in a startled gasp as she gazed at the staircase leading up to the palace. One side of the icy railing was partially demolished, and it looked like Elsa's snow monster had taken a tumble over the side, into the deep, rocky ravine below. Shae followed two sets of footprints leading up the icy staircase, where they disappeared within the palace doorway. Shae gasped again, her blood red eyes wide with horror as she stepped inside the palace. There were large spikes of pointed ice spread all over the floors and walls, all of them a shade of sinister, glowing red. Shae knew that Elsa's own fear was the cause, just as it had been before. The rock trolls had been right after all. Shae had to find Elsa, had to save her, before it was too late.

Kristoff, just as he had promised, had taken Anna to see his friends, the ones that he was sure would be able to help her. It just so happened that Kristoff's friends were the ancient and magical rock trolls that Elsa had spoken about to Shae. The trolls, who had adopted both Kristoff and Sven when they were very young, were very much intrigued by both Shae, a vampire, and Olaf, a snowman brought to life by magic. In their excitement over meeting two magical creatures, they failed to notice the young Princess. Once they did, utter chaos ensued as they began to fuss over Anna, every single one of them positively delighted that Kristoff had brought a girl home. Kristoff attempted to explain to his troll family that he and Anna were not together, but his words fell on deaf ears. The trolls continued to delight over Anna, insisting that she was perfect for their Kristoff. They were about to perform a wedding ceremony right then and there, when Anna suddenly collapsed, more of her red, braided hair turning white.

It was in that moment that a rock troll named Grand Pabbie made his appearance. He looked to be the oldest troll of them all, and Shae could sense an ancient and powerful magic from him. He told Anna that there was ice in her heart, put there by her sister. If it was not removed in time, the ice would consume her, and she would die. When Kristoff asked him to remove it, Grand Pabbie explained that, sadly, he could not. Only an act of true love could melt the ice in her heart, and Kristoff quickly deduced that they needed to return Anna to Hans, so he could perform true love's kiss, and save his fiancee's life.

"Thank you, Shae. For everything." Kristoff said as he ushered a shivering Anna over to Sven. "Good luck on your trip to… Uh… Where was it you said you were going?"

"I'm… Not quite sure, actually." Shae replied hesitantly. "I suppose I'll return to The Enchanted Forest."

"No!" Grand Pabbie suddenly exclaimed, his eyes wide with fear. "You cannot leave, you musn't! You must return to Elsa. Only you can be the one to save her."

"Save her?" Shae asked of the troll, brow furrowed in confusion. "Save her from who? Van Helsing?"

"Perhaps." Grand Pabbie replied with a solemn nod. "I know the man you speak of. He is indeed a great danger to Elsa, to us all. However, Elsa is in far more danger from herself."

"Herself?" Shae echoed, now more confused than ever. "I don't understand."

Grand Pabbie gestured for Shae to come closer, and the vampire obliged by kneeling down in front of him, so she was closer to his miniscule height. Kristoff, Anna, Olaf, Sven, and the rest of the rock trolls all gathered around, watching quietly as Grand Pabbie took Shae's hand, staring sorrowfully into her blood red eyes.

"I sense much fear in you, Shae." Grand Pabbie said quietly. "Just as I once did Elsa. I warned her about her fear, but it seems she has forgotten."

Grand Pabbie then released Shae's hand, and turned away from her. He raised his arms into the air, and the crowd of trolls all gasped as a glowing ball of bright blue light appeared in the air above him. Shae watched in astonished wonder as the ball of light took the shape of a person, a person that appeared to be Elsa herself. On either side of the light that was Elsa, appeared more shapes, turning into crowds of people, watching with glee as Elsa magically produced snow flurries, then a large, glittering snowflake.

"There is much beauty in Elsa's magic." Grand Pabbie explained, staring sadly up at the scene he had magically summoned before them. "But also great danger."

There was another collective gasp of shock from the trolls, and Shae, as the snowflake suddenly turned red, bursting into dangerous icy spikes. The crowds of delighted onlookers turned red as well, and the figure of Elsa began to back away in fright as the crowd advanced furiously upon her.

"I warned her that fear would be her enemy." Grand Pabbie went on, his tone sad and quiet. "As it is yours, Shae. It was not by chance that you arrived in Arendell when you did. You and Elsa found each other when you both needed each other most."

Shae watched with her mouth gaping open as the angry red crowds disappeared, and another figure appeared beside Elsa's, a figure that looked just like herself. The glowing blue shape of light that was Shae took both of Elsa's hands in her own, and flurries of snowflakes began to form around their fingers. The two figures both appeared to be laugh merrily, then they wrapped their arms around each other, and kissed.

"Woah…" Anna breathed quietly from behind Shae. "You and… And Elsa?"

Shae remained where she was still kneeling upon the ground, watching as a softly glowing pink heart began to form between the two kissing figures of herself and Elsa. Shae glanced over her shoulder back at Anna, and was slightly relieved to find that she was smiling.

"You believe that meeting Elsa was a mistake." Said Grand Pabbie, causing Shae to turn back around. "But it was not. Your mistake, Shae, would be to leave. Your mistake _was_ to leave."

More gasps of shock resonated around the rocky clearing as the figures of Elsa and Shae broke apart, as did the heart that had formed between them. Their shapes of light then turned an angry and sinister shade of red, and they both placed their hands on either sides of their heads, their figures quivering, struggling against some sort of powerful emotion.

"There is a great and powerful fear in both you and Elsa." Grand Pabbie explained in the same sad and quiet tone. "And if you give into that fear, either of you, it will lead to nothing but pain, nothing but darkness."

They all watched in horror as more figures of light appeared around those of Elsa and Shae. Elsa used her ice powers to destroy any in her path, and Shae her brute strength. As the shapes of red, angry light that were Elsa and Shae decimated more and more figures that came before them, their own figures grew and grew, rising high into the air, looming sinisterly over the gathered and captive crowd. Grand Pabbie then waved his hands, and the figures of light dissipated. He turned slowly back to face Shae, leaning heavily on his walking stick, as if the magical effort had exhausted the ancient troll.

"Only you can save her, Shae." Grand Pabbie whispered, a small smile creeping across his gray, stone face. "Only you and Elsa can save each other."

"How?" Shae whispered back, her bottom lip trembling as her mouth gaped open.

Grand Pabbie took Shae's hand in his once again, and stared very intensely into her eyes. "You must go to Elsa. She is dangerously close to giving in to her fear. You must stop her, before it's too late. Do not let her become the monster that those who fear her think she is."

Suddenly, Anna emitted a painful groan from behind the vampire. Shae leapt to her feet and whirled around, gasping in shock as Anna collapsed feebly into Kristoff's arms, even more of her hair starting to turn white.

"Come on, we've gotta get you to Hans." Kristoff muttered fearfully, ushering Anna over to Sven.

Anna pushed away from Kristoff and stumbled over to Shae. She grabbed on tightly to the vampire's arms, her blue eyes shining with tears. "P-Please…" She said in a strangled whisper. "Go to Elsa… Help her… Please."

Shae stared into Anna's bright blue eyes, eyes that were nearly identical to her sister's. Shae opened and closed her mouth several times, unsure of how to respond, her head spinning with everything Grand Pabbie had said and shown her. Kristoff then stepped forward, and wrapped an arm around Anna's waist, drawing her away from Shae. He then quickly and gently helped her up onto Sven's back. Kristoff climbed up onto the reindeer behind Anna, and held out his hand to Olaf. Once the Princess, the blonde, and the snowman were safely upon his back, Sven turned around, and took off at a full gallop away from Shae and the trolls, back toward Arendell.

"Let's go kiss Hans!" Olaf exclaimed, throwing his stick arms up into the air. His face then fell into a confused frown. "Who is this Hans?"

Shae watched them go for a moment, her jaw still dangling open in silent shock. Once Anna and the others were lost from sight, she turned slowly back to Grand Pabbie. The ancient troll stared up at her, a small, wistful smile spread across his round, rocky face.

"You have a choice to make, Shae." He said, giving her another slow, solemn nod. "Either give in to your fear, or let it go. Whatever you decide, know that your actions in this near future will set you on a path toward your destiny. The choice is yours."

With that, Grand Pabbie rolled himself forward, curling himself into a round ball of stone. The other trolls parted for him as he rolled away, and he was gone. The rest of the rock trolls turned back to Shae, waiting and watching expectantly. Shae turned her back on them, breathing out a shaky sigh.

"Right…" She muttered, drawing herself up, and nodding determinedly. "Let it go…"

XX

Shae raced up the stairs within Elsa's ice palace, dodging and weaving around more and more dangerous and pointed spikes of ice, all of them glowing a bright, angry red. When she reached the top of the stairs, she was met with an alarming sight. Elsa was in the center of the room, surrounded on all sides by more icy spikes. Both her arms were outstretched at two armed men, whom Shae recognized to be The Duke of Weselton's guards. One of them was pinned to the wall by more spikes of ice, the tip of one poking dangerously against his throat. The other was trapped behind a wall of ice, which Elsa was slowly moving forward with her magic. Shae watched in horror as the ice wall burst through the doors of the balcony, the unfortunate man screaming and howling with panic as he was pushed closer and closer toward the edge.

"ELSA, STOP!"

Elsa gasped, the icy beam of magic that was shooting from her hand dissipating as she was startled by a voice. She searched all around her, her sparkling blue eyes growing wide when she finally spotted Shae.

"Shae?" She whispered, a smile slowly creeping across her face. As soon as it came, it went, and she vigorously shook her head. "No… No, you shouldn't be here. You need to leave. NOW!"

The Duke of Weselton's guard, who had momentarily fallen silent in relief, cried out in alarm once again as another beam of icy magic shot from Elsa's hand, and she resumed pushing the wall of ice slowly forward.

"NO! Elsa, don't!" Shae cried out.

"They tried to kill me!" Elsa exclaimed, glaring viciously at both the guards.

"I know, I know they did." Shae said gently, taking a careful step forward. "But, Elsa… Killing them is not the answer. An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind!"

"I don't care about the whole world!" Elsa shouted, pushing her ice wall ever forward.

The Duke's guard fell backward onto the ground, attempting to scramble away from the edge of the balcony, his feet dangling out over the deep, rocky abyss. Shae rushed forward, and grabbed on to Elsa's wrist, stopping the beam of magic that was shooting from her hand.

"Elsa, please, don't do this." Shae whispered desperately. "Don't become the monster they think you are."

As Elsa stared up at Shae, the vampire was horrified to see the pure malice that was in her dazzling blue eyes. Slowly, it faded, and her face softened. Her features then twisted in misery, and she collapsed in Shae's arms. Shae went down with her as Elsa fell to her knees, wrapping her arms tightly around her as she began to sob bitterly.

"Shh… It's alright, I'm here, I've got you." Shae whispered soothingly.

"Oh, Shae… Shae, I was so scared!" Elsa said in a strangled sob.

"I know, I know…" Shae whispered, gently rubbing her back. "It's alright, it's over. You're safe now. I won't let them hurt you."

Elsa lifted her head away from Shae's chest, wiping at the tears streaming down her face. She then smiled, and placed her hand gently on Shae's cheek. She laughed, and Shae laughed with her as she felt the frost spreading out from under Elsa's hand.

"You came back." Elsa whispered, brushing a strand of Shae's messy black hair off her forehead.

"Yes." Shae whispered back, smiling into her bright blue eyes. "Yes, of course."

Elsa laughed again, and threw her arms around Shae's neck. Shae sighed, holding her close as she kissed her. Suddenly, neither of them cared that The Duke of Weselton's guards were still in the room. The entire rest of the world melted away as Shae and Elsa kissed slowly, passionately, gratefully. As she held Elsa in her arms, as she kissed her, Shae felt her unbeating heart flutter within her chest. It was something she had felt only once before, and, in that moment, she finally knew, finally accepted what it was: Love. She was madly in love with the powerful and beautiful Ice Queen, she had been from the moment she laid eyes on her. She only hoped that Elsa felt the same way.

"Well, well, well…"

Shae and Elsa both gasped, staring wide eyed at each other as they heard a very familiar voice. They both leapt to their feet, and were horrified to find who exactly had intruded on their passionate and grateful reunion: Van Helsing. Next to him stood Prince Hans, and behind them both were a score of Van Helsing's own knights, all armed with swords.

"I should have known you would be consorting with The Ice Witch." Van Helsing sneered at Shae. "All the better for me. I get to kill you both at once."

"You stay away from her, Van Helsing!" Shae snarled, stepping protectively in front of Elsa.

Van Helsing chuckled darkly, grinning sinisterly at both Elsa and Shae as he removed a crossbow from where it was strapped to his back. He pointed the tip of the silver arrow straight at Shae's heart, his eyes wide and wild with excitement.

"Wait!" Cried Prince Hans, grabbing on to Van Helsing's arm. "We agreed that Queen Elsa was not to be harmed!"

Van Helsing emitted another dark and amused chuckle, and slowly shook his head. "Oh no, Your Highness. I never agreed to anything of the sort."

"NO!" Hans shouted as Van Helsing pulled the trigger of his crossbow.

Just before the arrow was let loose, Hans threw himself in front of Van Helsing, smacking his crossbow upward with his hand. The arrow sailed high into the air, shooting straight through the icy chain of the chandelier hanging above Shae and Elsa's heads. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and they both watched in horror as the massive, glittering chandelier came crashing down toward them.

Elsa cried out in alarm as Shae sent her shooting across the room with a blast of magic. Just before the chandelier came down upon her, Shae was able to catch a glimpse of Elsa smacking into the wall and crashing to the ground, out of harm's way. Then, all she heard was the sound of ice shattering all around her, all she felt was a shooting, stabbing pain in the top of her head. Next, she heard Van Helsing's triumphant roar of laughter, then nothing, and everything went black.

XX

Shae began to wake slowly, her head throbbing painfully. She realized that she was lying on something hard and flat, which seemed to be rumbling beneath her. She slowly blinked her eyes open, peering through her foggy vision, trying decipher her new and strange surroundings. She blinked several times, her vision slowly beginning to clear. She sat forward, and found that she was staring at metal bars. She quickly leapt to her feet, turning in her spot, panic bubbling in her stomach when she realized that she was in a cage. Her cage was sitting atop a wooden cart, which was being pulled forward by a horse.

"No… No, no, no…" Shae muttered.

She rushed forward within her tiny metal cage, gripping the bars tight. She immediately released them, howling with pain as her hands burned with shooting, white hot pain. The skin on her palms began to sizzle, emitting wisps of whirling black smoke.

"Careful, now. I wouldn't touch those, if I were you."

Shae jumped, snapping her head to the side, her blood red eyes growing wide with horror. Van Helsing was strolling along beside her cage, grinning deviously up at her.

"That's all silver, by the way." He said, gesturing toward the cage. "Had it made just especially for you."

"Van Helsing…" Shae snarled, her hands shaking as she balled them into fists. "You let me out of here. You let me out RIGHT NOW!"

Van Helsing barked out a mocking laugh. "Or what? What exactly are you planning to do from in there?"

Shae glared silently at her nemesis as he barked out another laugh. "Why? Why are you doing this?" She demanded. "Why not just kill me and get it over with?"

"Oh no, my friend, I'm not going to kill you." Van Helsing replied, sporting another dark and devilish grin. "Not just yet, anyway."

"And why not?" Shae snarled fiercely. "You've been trying to kill me for years, even followed me to a whole different world to do it."

"Well, you see, I've been having a bit of trouble convincing the nobility of this world to join my cause." Van Helsing explained, giving Shae a casual shrug. "I know for a fact that if you don't get the blood you need, you'll go into a frenzy. You'll become a rabid, mindless, drooling animal, ready to slaughter anyone or anything that crosses your path."

Van Helsing chuckled deviously, tapping the side of his head with a finger. "Now, I think, once people get a good look at what exactly my men and I are trying to protect them from, then they'll be positively hurling soldiers my way."

Shae growled in frustration, running her hands through her messy black hair. "Dammit, Van Helsing. What have you done with Elsa? Where is she?"

"Locked up tight in her own dungeon, by my guess." Van Helsing replied with another shrug. "I told that Prince Hans to just bloody kill her right then, but, well, he's got a plan, you see. He needs her alive, but only for the moment."

"Hans?" Shae asked, brow furrowed in confusion. "But… He's Anna's fiancee. Why would he want Elsa dead?"

Van Helsing laughed mockingly once again. "Oh, no, that was all a very clever ruse." He said, waving his hand dismissively. "I have to say, the boy may be wet behind the ears, but he certainly is clever."

"What the fucking hell are you talking about, Van Helsing?" Shae snarled.

"See, once the people of Arendell learn that dear Princess Anna was murdered by her own sister, they'll be calling for The Queen's head." Van Helsing explained, grinning all the while. "Prince Hans plans on giving it to them, and he will take over as Arendell's King. A damn good plan, I must say. Don't you agree?"

"No…" Shae whispered in horror as Van Helsing meandered away from her cage, laughing mockingly at her once again. "NO! ELSA!"

Shae reached her hand through the bars of her silver cage, grabbing onto to the lock that was hanging from the door. She cried out in pain once again, her hand sizzling and smoking. She collapsed back against the bars, sliding down onto the ground, sobbing bitterly. It had happened all over again, the very thing that the vampire had feared since the start. The woman she loved had been taken away from her once again, and would soon be dead, murdered in cold blood, just like before.

"Elsa…" Shae whispered, tears pouring from her eyes. "Elsa, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

XX

The silver cage atop the cart rumbled ever forward, and the vampire held captive within sat in miserable, heartbroken, destitute silence. Shae's tears had finally subsided, and all that was left was a deep, gaping void of numbness inside her heart and soul. Van Helsing stopped by her cage every so often to taunt her, but Shae was too broken to make any sort of reply. She curled herself up in a ball on the floor of her cage, her eyes shut tight as the horrible, aching misery began to consume her. She felt her cage roll to a sudden stop, but she didn't even bother to open her eyes, too miserable to even care.

"What's going on here?" She heard Van Helsing bellowing to his knights.

"Sorry, sir, but there's… Rocks."

Shae's eyes suddenly snapped open. "Rocks?" Asked Van Helsing. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"Look, sir, there's rocks!" The knight atop the horse said again. "Dozens of them, right in the road!"

Shae sat bolt upright, her blood red eyes growing wide with shock when she saw, just as the knight had said, dozens and dozens of perfectly round, moss covered rocks lying strewn about the road before them, rocks that looked very, very familiar.

"Well, don't just stand there you idiots!" Van Helsing bellowed at his men. "Start moving them! Get them out of the way!"

Shae scrambled up to her feet, watching as one of Van Helsing's knights picked up one of the smaller rocks, grunting in exertion as he did. Suddenly, the rock sprang to life in the knight's hands, into the form of a tiny, childlike rock troll.

"Hehehe! That tickles!"

"AAHH!"

The knight cried out in alarm, dropping the child troll from his hands. The troll giggled again, scampered forward between the knight's legs, knocking him off his feet. The rest of Van Helsing's knights emitted cries and gasps of startled fright, drawing their swords as the rest of trolls unrolled themselves from their boulder like forms.

"What the hell are they?" One of the knights exclaimed.

"We're the rock trolls!" One of the trolls shouted back. "And we're not going to let you take our friend!"

A female troll leapt on top of the other that had just spoken, and Shae recognized her as the troll named Unda, the one who had adopted young Sven and Kristoff years and years ago. Unda drew herself up to her full but miniscule height, pointing a determined, stony finger at Van Helsing and his Knights of the Sun.

"TROLLS ATTACK!"

Chaos ensued upon the road as the rocks trolls all bellowed out fearsome and courageous war cries, charging at Van Helsing and his knights. Shae couldn't help but laugh as she watched the knights swinging their swords at the trolls, only to have them bounce harmlessly off of their dense, stone bodies. The vampire laughed even more as the child trolls rolled themselves back into balls, and were sent sailing through the air by their elders, knocking out knights one right after the other.

"Hello, Shae!"

Shae whirled around, grinning from ear to ear when she found Unda standing atop another troll's shoulders before the door to her silver cage. "You… Came to rescue me?" Shae breathed in wonder.

"Of course we did, honey!" Unda replied, grinning back at the vampire. "Grand Pabbie said you were in trouble, so we came as soon as we could. Now, stand back!"

Shae obeyed, drawing back a step as Unda raised her rocky fist, narrowing her eyes determinedly at the silver padlock of Shae's cage. Unda wound up her arm, spinning it in circles several times. Shae jumped, her blood red eyes wide as saucers as the troll brought her fist down upon the lock, shattering it to tiny pieces.

"Hurry, honey, hurry!" Cried Unda, throwing the cage door open.

The troll beneath Unda stepped back, allowing Shae to leap down from the cage. "Quick, you've gotta get to the castle!" Unda said, grabbing on to Shae's arm. "You've gotta get to Elsa!"

"Elsa?" Shae breathed, her eyes growing wide once again. "She's… She's alive?"

Unda nodded hastily, her stony face grave. "Yes, but she's in terrible danger, Anna too. You've gotta hurry!"

"The bloodsucker's escaping!" Van Helsing bellowed from amongst the fray. "Stop her! STOP HER!"

"Go! We'll hold them off!" Unda commanded to Shae.

Shae nodded, gently squeezing the rock trolls hand. "Thank you."

Unda nodded back, and quickly leapt down from the other's trolls back. Shae remained where she stood for a moment, watching as Unda and her friend threw themselves upon Van Helsing, promptly stopping him in his tracks as he gave chase after the vampire. Shae chuckled as her long time nemesis hit the ground hard, besieged by even more of the rock trolls. She then turned around and sprinted away from the heated battle, her body disappearing in a black blur motion. Her heart soared as she ran toward Arendell Castle as fast as her superhuman speed would carry her. Elsa, the woman that Shae had fallen so deeply and abruptly in love with, was still alive.

XX

With her powers of superhuman speed, it didn't take Shae long to reach Arendell Castle. She skidded to a stop as she reached the top of a snow covered hill, and her heart sunk deep into the pit of her stomach as she gazed upon the castle below. A fearsome, roaring blizzard was swirling about the kingdom of Arendell, the towering castle walls slowly being encased by shimmering blue ice. Shae raced down the hill, her mind reeling with panic. She had no idea what exactly was happening to Elsa, but she knew it was nothing good. The Ice Queen's fear was now greater than it had ever been before.

Shae sprinted out onto the frozen waters of the fjord, slowing to a stop as she entered the eye of the storm. All she could hear was the wind rushing through her ears, and even her heightened sense of sight was useless amongst the roaring blizzard. She walked slowly forward, peering through the ice and snow, shielding her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Dammit!" She snarled, stumbling back a step as the wind whirled furiously all around her. "Elsa? ELSA!"

"Kristoff!"

The voice was barely a whisper within the roaring wind, but Shae was able to hear it all the same. She turned toward the sound, and recognized the voice as Anna's, weak, feeble, and desperate.

"Anna!"

Shae spun around, peering through the snow and ice toward the sound of Kristoff's voice. She staggered toward it, struggling as she pushed against the powerful force of Elsa's icy blizzard. An exceptionally strong gust of wind blew her off of her feet, and she fell sideways onto the ground. She groaned, propping herself up on her elbow, trying in vain to spot someone, anyone within the storm.

"Your sister is dead!" She heard another familiar voice call out. "Because of YOU!"

Suddenly, the blizzard stopped. The frozen fjord surrounding the kingdom of Arendell was once again calm and still. Shae remained where she sat upon the frozen waters, gazing all around her in wonder. The once swirling flakes of snow had stopped, and hung frozen in mid air, completely still. A few yards to her left, Shae finally spotted Kristoff, blinking dazedly as he too stared at the snowflakes hovering before his eyes. A few yards ahead of _him_ , was Anna. The young Princess's entire body was caked over in frost, her red, braided hair now almost entirely white. She stumbled forward, and Shae smiled as Kristoff sprinted toward her. She now knew that it wasn't Hans who could save Anna with true love's kiss, but Kristoff.

The sound of a sword being drawn from a scabbard rang out across the fjord. Shae turned her head toward the sound, her blood red eyes growing wide with horror at what she now saw. Hans, standing over Elsa as she sobbed upon the ground, sword raised in the air.

"ELSA!" Shae screamed.

Shae scrambled to her feet, sprinting forward as fast as she possibly could. The corners of her vision turned black, tunneling in on Elsa's huddled and broken form. She was mere inches away as Hans' sword cut through the air.

"NO!"

Suddenly, Shae was thrown backward by a powerful, magical force, and she crashed to the ground on her back. Hans grunted in pain as he landed beside her, where he remained motionless, knocked senseless by the blast. Shae sat forward, and her eyes were filled with horror once again. Anna was standing before her, her arm outstretched into the air, her entire body encased in blue, shimmering, glistening ice. Elsa drew in a startled gasp, her own sparkling blue eyes filled with fear as she gazed upon her sister.

"No…" Elsa whispered, scrambling up onto her feet. She choked out a strangled sob, placing her hands gently on Anna's frozen face. "Anna? ANNA!"

Shae slowly rose to her feet, watching in silent shock and horror as Elsa threw her arms around the icy statue that was now her sister, her whole body shaking with violent sobs. Shae jumped slightly, startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Kristoff, followed closely by Sven, and the snowman Olaf. Kristoff placed his other hand over his mouth, staring at Anna's frozen form with tears in his eyes. Olaf carefully stepped up to Anna, gingerly touching her frozen leg with his stick hand.

"Anna?" He whispered, his snowy features frightened and confused.

Shae slowly stepped forward, placing a quivering hand on Elsa's back. "Elsa… Elsa, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

Elsa gasped, whirling around when she felt the vampire's touch. "Shae?" She whispered, her bottom lip trembling. "Shae… Oh god… Oh, what have I done?"

Elsa buried her face in her hands, and Shae quickly drew her into her arms, holding her tight as she began to sob bitterly once again. Shae buried her face in the top of Elsa's head, squeezing her eyes shut as tears leaked down her face. Those that were gathered around Anna's frozen body, the ones that cared about her most, stood in destitute and horrified silence, their hearts aching with sheer misery. After everything that had happened, after all that they had done, it had all been in vain. They were too late, and Anna was gone.

Suddenly, the sound of a harsh, startled gasp broke through the sounds of Elsa's sobs. It was Olaf, gazing up at Anna's frozen body, his eyes gaping wide. Shae picked her head up, gasping herself as she saw what was happening. A small circle of ice around Anna's heart had melted, and it was slowly spreading outward, the rest of her torso starting to thaw. Kristoff breathed out an astonished, hopeful laugh, and Sven brayed excitedly, clopping his front hooves.

"Elsa…" Shae whispered, smiling as she shook Elsa's shoulder. "Elsa, look!"

Elsa whirled around, drawing in a gasp of her own. They all stood in silent wonder, watching closely as the ice covering Anna's body melted away. Finally, miraculously, the ice was gone, and the young Princess was restored to bright, colorful life once again. Anna blinked confusedly for a moment, then a smile slowly crept across her now rosy cheeked face as she saw her sister standing before her.

"Elsa?" She whispered.

"Anna!" Elsa cried.

Elsa threw herself into her sister's arms, and Anna laughed, hugging her tightly, gratefully. Shae laughed too, and so did Kristoff, both of them grinning at each other from ear to ear. Sven clopped his front hooves excitedly once again, braying happily into the air. Olaf giggled joyfully, clapping his tiny, stick hands.

"Anna…" Elsa whispered, holding her sister's face in her hands, tears of joy streaming out of her eyes. "You… Sacrificed yourself… For me?"

Anna shrugged sheepishly. "You're my sister. I… I love you."

Elsa sobbed with pure joy, throwing her arms around her sister once again. "Oh, Anna… I love you too. I love you so much."

Suddenly, Shae's arms were pinned to her sides as Kristoff wrapped her in a tight, joyful hug. "Dammit… Kristoff!" Shae grumbled, grimacing in disgust. "Stop… Stop this!"

"No!" Kristoff said stubbornly, squeezing the vampire even tighter.

"Group hug!" Exclaimed Olaf, throwing his arms around Shae's legs.

"Oh! Yes!" Anna said excitedly. "Here we go, comin' in!"

Anna threw her arms around both Kristoff and Shae, as did Elsa, both of them laughing joyfully. Shae began to protest loudly, but stopped when Elsa placed a kiss on her cheek. As Elsa smiled up into her blood red eyes, Shae suddenly no longer cared that Kristoff's blonde haired head was nestled in her shoulder.

"I love all of you!" Olaf cried happily. "Every single one of you!"

Suddenly, Elsa drew in a sharp gasp, pulling away from their group embrace. Shae and Anna both exchanged a curious glance, eyeing Elsa confusedly as a strange smile slowly crept across her face.

"That's it…" Elsa whispered, her bright blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "Love!"

XX

Through the power of the true, unyielding love that she shared with her sister, Elsa was finally able to let go of her fear. She undid the icy spell that she had unwillingly cast upon her kingdom, restoring the bright, warm summer once again. This caused problems for poor Olaf, who immediately began to melt. Elsa quickly remedied the situation by creating a perpetually snowing cloud over Olaf's head. Olaf absolutely loved it, and was overjoyed to have his own personal snow flurry.

Elsa returned to her castle, hand in hand with her sister, and once again donned her crown, now ready and willing to take on her responsibility as Queen. Her first royal act was to ban Prince Hans from her kingdom, as well as The Duke of Weselton. She declared that Arendell would never do business of any sort with Weselton or The Southern Isles, and the Prince and the Duke were to leave Arendell immediately, never to return again. Her second royal decree was to make Kristoff Arendell's Official Ice Master and Deliverer. He and Sven were both provided with a brand new sled, which was top of the line, sturdily built and polished to perfection. Kristoff graciously accepted, simply grateful that Anna was safe and sound. The two of them shared a quick, sweet, and slightly awkward kiss, their own true love slowly beginning to blossom.

The Kingdom of Arendell gathered together once again for another coronation ceremony, this time with a little twist. Elsa used her magic to create a beautiful, shimmering ice rink in the courtyard of her castle. The townsfolk were overjoyed, and quick to forgive and accept their powerful, magical Queen. They spent the day skating upon the ice rink, and gathered inside the castle that night. Elsa and Anna quickly threw together another ball, this time inviting the entire kingdom. The gates of Arendell Castle were thrown open, never to be closed again.

Shae stood at the back of the ballroom, trying her best to ignore the prying and fearful eyes that gazed upon her. Though the people of Arendell were quick to accept their Queen, Shae, however, was a different story. During his brief time spent amongst them, Van Helsing had spouted nothing but fear, malice, and hatred toward the vampire. Creatures like Shae were merely a legend in Arendell, and Van Helsing toldeven more stories about things that Shae had done in their homeland, horrors that he himself had seen her and others of her kind commit. Both Elsa and Anna assured their subjects that Shae was their friend, that she had saved both their lives, and would never harm any of them. Most seemed to accept their Queen and Princess' words, but others still looked at Shae with fear in their eyes.

Unable to bare the wary glances any more, Shae quickly and quietly slipped out of the ballroom. She stepped out onto the balcony, grateful to find it quiet and empty. She sank down onto one of the marble benches, and buried her face in her hands. She knew that she loved Elsa, and all she wanted was to stay by her side, to tell her how she felt. But, as the fearful, accusing faces of the people of Arendell swam before her eyes, she knew that it was best to leave, for her own sake, and, more importantly, for Elsa's.

Something that Remus had said to her long ago kept repeating itself inside the vampire's head. It had been years after Nadia's death, and Shae had remained desperately searching for some kind of magic, some way, any way to bring back the woman that she loved. Remus had humored her, and remained by her side as she searched and searched, always coming up with nothing, continually failing. Finally, Remus sat her down, and told her that the only way she would be able to have any peace in her mind and heart was to let Nadia go.

"Sometimes, when you love someone, the best thing to do is… Let them go."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, tears leaking down her cold, pale face. As she remembered Remus's words, she knew what she had to do. All was right in Arendell now, and Elsa was finally at peace, finally able to let go of her fear. Shae knew that for Elsa to remain at peace, for her kingdom to have peace, she would need to let her go.

"There you are!"

Shae snapped her head up, and found Elsa herself stepping out onto the balcony. She rose to her feet, hastily wiping away the tears from her cheeks.

"I've been looking all over for you." Elsa told her with a smile. "I'm glad we're alone. There's something I've been wanting to do all day."

Elsa crossed the balcony in three long strides, gripped the front of Shae's black and maroon coat, and placed a deep, gentle kiss on her lips. Shae stood rigid in her spot for a moment, silently battling with the confliction in her heart. Unable to resist, unable to fight off the deep, unyielding love she felt for Elsa, she sighed, and wrapped her up in her arms. They stood locked in their embrace for several long, passionate moments, their lips parting slowly, gently, their tongues brushing lightly against each other.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of this." Elsa whispered, her cheeks flushed with heat.

"Me either." Shae whispered back.

They kissed again, and, for a moment, all of Shae's worries, all of her fears melted away as she held Elsa in her arms. She was deeply, desperately, irrevocably in love with her, and it terrified the vampire right down to her very core.

"Anna told me that you had been planning on leaving before." Elsa said quietly as she drew away from Shae's lips. "But, if you'd want, I would… Like for you to stay. I would like to offer you a position here at my castle, at my side."

"Position?" Shae asked, brow furrowed in confusion. "What kind of position."

Elsa smiled, gently adjusting Shae's black and maroon jacket. "I would like to make you my… Royal Protector."

Shae breathed out a surprised laugh. "'Royal Protector?'" She echoed, raising a skeptical eyebrow at Elsa. "That's not a real thing."

"Well, I'm making it a thing." Elsa said with a determined nod. "I am The Queen, after all."

Shae laughed again, slowly shaking her head. She then fell silent, and stared down at the ground, avoiding Elsa's piercing blue gaze as she once again wrestled with the confliction in her mind and heart.

"Shae, I… I want you to stay." Elsa went on quietly, smiling into Shae's blood red eyes. "I… _Need_ you to stay. I need you by my side while I rule my kingdom."

Shae stared into Elsa's sparkling blue eyes, her unbeating heart fluttering inside her ribcage as she gazed upon her smile. She then breathed out a sad, heavy sigh, and took both Elsa's hands in her own.

"Elsa, your people are very kind, and very… Forgiving." She whispered softly. "They have accepted you with open arms. But, I see the way some of them look at you, the way they look at _me_. You are… Different, unique, and… Powerful. There will always be people that fear you because of what you are, people that will hate you."

Shae paused for a moment, fighting back the tears that were welling into her eyes. "And… A-And with me by your side, that fear, that hate… Elsa, I'll only make it worse for you, make it that much harder."

"I don't care about that." Elsa whispered, placing her hand gently on Shae's cheek. "I don't care what my people think of you, of me. You're the one that insisted that I shouldn't, remember?"

Shae sighed again, biting her lip as more tears threatened to leak out of her eyes. "Well, it's not like you need me to protect you, anyway." She muttered, once again refusing to meet Elsa's gaze. "You're in full control of your powers now. You're more than capable of protecting yourself, and then some."

"Yes, I know… That's… Not why I want you to stay." Elsa replied slowly, hesitantly. Her smile then faded, and she suddenly looked quite anxious. "I… I want you to stay, because… I… I love you."

Shae's blood red eyes grew wide, and her mouth gaped open in utter shock. Tears began to well into her eyes again, and a smile slowly crept across her pale face. Elsa, the woman that Shae had fallen so deeply and madly in love with, loved her too.

"I am so very deeply in love with you, Shae." Elsa whispered, her own eyes shining with tears as well. "I know you said not to fall in love, but… I couldn't help it."

Elsa placed her hand on Shae's cheek once again, wiping away the tears that had leaked onto her face with her thumb. "You are so kind, and smart, and funny, and… And absolutely gorgeous." She went on, smiling gently into Shae's eyes. "I just… Couldn't help falling in love with you."

Elsa cleared her throat, glancing away from Shae's eyes, fiddling with the front of her coat. "What I want to know, what I _need_ to know…" She began slowly. "Is… Is if you love me too."

Shae stood in silence for a few moments, wrestling with the storm of emotion that was swirling within her heart and soul. Her heart ached as Elsa gazed back into her eyes. She so desperately wanted to kiss her again, to tell her that she loved her too. She thought back to what Remus had said, remembered the agony of losing his sister, the woman that she had loved so very much. She remembered what Grand Pabbie had said, that she either needed to give in to her fear, or let it go. She thought she had already let it go, just as Elsa had. But, in that moment, she knew that she hadn't, that she just couldn't.

"No."

Shae stepped away from Elsa, turning her back on her, unable to bare the sight of the sorrow in her dazzling blue eyes. She could almost hear the sound of The Ice Queen's heart shattering to pieces.

"What?" Elsa breathed in shock.

"I don't love you, Elsa." Shae whispered, balling her hands into fists, trying to stop them from shaking. "What I wanted from you was purely physical, nothing more."

"W-What? No!" Elsa cried, grabbing on to Shae's arm. "No, you do love me, I know you do! Shae, I could see it in your eyes, I could-"

Shae rounded on Elsa, wrenching her arm out of her grip. "I don't know what it is you thought you saw." She snarled scathingly. "But it certainly wasn't love."

Elsa's mouth gaped open in horror, her sparkling blue eyes streaming with tears. Shae turned her back on her once again, furiously fighting back against the tears that were threatening to leak out of her own eyes.

"Now, I need to leave." She said quietly. "I can't stay here, not if this is how you feel."

"No!" Elsa sobbed, desperately gripping Shae's arm. "No, please, don't go!"

Shae hung her head, placing her quivering hand on top of Elsa's. "I'm sorry, Elsa." She whispered, her heart aching with misery. "I told you… I… I tried to tell you."

Elsa choked out another strangled sob, and Shae slowly turned around to face her. She gazed deep into Elsa's miserable, tear stained, dazzling blue eyes one last time, and whispered softly to her before disappearing in a cloud of blood red smoke.

"Love is nothing but pain…"

XX

For the next several days, Shae wandered aimlessly through the forests and mountains that surrounded the kingdom of Arendell, unable to actually summon the will to leave. She suffered alone, fighting and wrestling with the tumultuous storm of pain and confliction within her mind and heart. She knew that she had broken Elsa's heart, and all she wanted to do was go back and tell her how she really felt, that it was all a lie, a mistake. But, she also knew that she shouldn't, that she just couldn't. Elsa was Queen now, and she was much better off without a dark and dangerous creature like Shae at her side.

Shae had happened upon a small fishing village at the edge of Arendell's border, and decided to drown her sorrows in rum at the local tavern. The villagers were all wary of her, but the inkeep took her coin and provided her with drink all the same. She was on her third bottle when the door to the tavern swung open, and the townsfolk within all began gasping and crying out in alarm. Next, Shae heard a very familiar voice.

"Hi, I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs!"

Shae nearly spat out her mouthful of rum. She whirled around on her barstool, and found the snowman Olaf standing in the tavern's doorway, the tiny cloud above his head snowing as perpetually as ever. He smiled gleefully at all the startled villagers, and gasped excitedly when he spotted Shae.

"Shae! There you are!" He exclaimed. "I can't believe I actually found you!"

Shae breathed out a frustrated groan, and vacacted her barstool, stomping angrily over to the snowman. Olaf continued talking, seemingly unbothered as Shae lifted him into the air, tucking him under her arm as she stomped out the door.

"Hi! How are you? I'm doing great, by the way. Summer is so much fun! With all the sunshine, and the flowers, and the bees buzzing, and the children playing, and-"

"Dammit, Olaf…" Shae grumbled, setting the snowman back down on the ground once they were a safe distance away from the tavern. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Well, looking for you, of course!" Olaf exclaimed in an obvious tone. "I've come to bring you back to the castle."

Shae sighed heavily, folding her arms across her chest. "Did Elsa send you?"

Olaf hesitated to respond for a moment, swinging his stick arms back and forth as he stared at the ground. "Um… Well, no. Anna did." He slowly replied. "She's really worried about Elsa, we all are. Shae, she really misses you. She's… She's miserable without you."

Shae sighed again, her blood red eyes filled with sorrow. "I know." She muttered quietly. "But… Trust me, Olaf, it's for the best."

Olaf's snow covered brow furrowed in confusion. "How is Elsa being sad for the best?"

"Because… It just is!" Shae exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air. "Trust me, Elsa is far better off being sad than… Than being with someone like me."

"Well, what's wrong with you?" Olaf asked, looking Shae up and down. "I mean, sure, you dress kinda funny, and your haircut is kinda weird, but-"

"No, no, no! That's not what I meant!" Shae cried, vigorously shaking her head. "What I meant was- Wait a minute, you think my haircut is weird?"

"I mean, have you ever tried brushing it?" Olaf whispered, eyeing the vampire with concern.

Shae groaned in frustration, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Olaf, listen, I can't go back with you. Elsa is already branded as different, and many of her subjects still fear her, and they certainly fear me. Being with me would only make ruling her kingdom that much harder."

"So?" Olaf demanded, folding his stick arms across his round, snowy chest. "It doesn't matter what other people think. All that matters is how you and Elsa feel about each other. You… Do love her, don't you? Because I know that she loves you."

Shae sighed, hanging her head in sorrow. "Yes, of course I do." She whispered, her heart aching with misery. "I have since the moment I saw her. But… But that doesn't matter. Someone once told me that, if you love someone, sometimes the best thing you can do for them is… Let them go."

"What? No! That's wrong!" Olaf cried in indignant shock. "Love is… Is… Standing by someone through the good times and the bad. It's… Being there for each other no matter how hard things get. Love is never giving up. Ever."

Shae bit her lip, fighting back the tears that were welling into her eyes. "Olaf, you're just a snowman." She muttered bitterly. "What could you possibly know about love?"

"It looks like I know a lot more about it than you do, bat girl." Olaf replied haughtily.

Shae narrowed her eyes irritably at the snowman. "Well, now you're just being rude. Goodbye."

"Shae, wait!" Olaf cried out as Shae turned away from him, stomping back toward the tavern. "I can't leave without you! Elsa needs you! Arendell needs you!"

Shae barked out a laugh, turning back to Olaf. "Arendell? What could Arendell possibly need me for?"

Olaf hesitated for a moment, staring down at the ground, swinging his stick arms back and forth once again. When he finally glanced back up, when he finally replied, the snowman's normal carefree and jovial demeanor was utterly gone.

"Um, well, you see… Arendell is sort of, uh… Under attack."

XX

"ELSA, GO! RUN!"

Anna stood in Arendell Castle's throne room, side by side with Kristoff, Elsa standing at the bottom of the staircase just behind them. They were surrounded on all sides by soldiers armed to the teeth with swords, shields, spears, and axes. Among them stood The Duke of Weselton, accompanied once again by Abraham Van Helsing and his Knights of the Sun. Elsa hesitated for a moment, but then turned and ran up the stairs, fleeing from the men who had come to take her life.

"After her!" Van Helsing commanded to his knights.

"Men, with me!" Shouted The Duke of Weselton. "Bring that sorceress to justice!"

As Van Helsing, The Duke, and their soldiers gave chase after Elsa, Anna stood defiantly in their way. The soldiers continued their charge regardless, and Anna was quickly pulled out of harm's way by Kristoff.

"Anna, no! Elsa can take care of herself!" Kristoff exclaimed as Anna struggled to free herself from his grip. "I think we need to worry more about our own lives right now."

A dozen or so soldiers remained in the throne room, and they slowly advanced upon both Anna and Kristoff. Anna marched over to the suits of armor that stood along the wall, retrieving two swords from the grip of their empty gauntlets. She shoved one into Kristoff's hand, and brandished her own at the men surrounding them.

"You sure you know how to use that thing?" Kristoff asked her warily.

Anna chuckled, nodding determinedly. "Come on, dirtbags!" She bellowed at the soldiers. "Come and get me, you sons of-"

Anna stopped mid sentence as Sven the reindeer came barrelling into the throne room. He brayed furiously into the air, head bowed, his antlers pointed outward. Anna and Kristoff both watched in stunned silence as he galloped straight into the unfortunate soldiers, bowling over nearly half of them. He reared up on his hind legs, clocking another in the face with his front hoof. He kicked out his back legs, and two more men fell to the ground, the wind knocked out of them as Sven's back hooves made contact with their stomachs.

"Good boy, Sven!" Kristoff exclaimed.

Sven threw back his antlered head, braying triumphantly into the night air. He then dropped his head, and once again charged at more of the soldiers that were staggering back to their feet. Kristoff and Anna both entered the fray, and the sounds of steel striking steel echoed off the walls of the throne room. Kristoff was clumsy with his sword, but still managed to hold off the soldiers that set upon them. Anna, however, had been trained to fight with a sword by the soldiers that protected Arendell ever since she was a young girl. She deftly and gracefully swung her blade through the air, cutting down any and every soldier in her path.

Suddenly, Anna lost her footing, tripping over the body of one of The Duke's soldiers. She fell backwards onto the ground, her sword sliding across the marble floor. She scrambled backwards, her heart hammering in her chest as one of Van Helsing's knights stood over her. The knight raised his sword in the air, and Anna threw her arms over her head, squeezing her eyes shut. She held her breath, waiting for the pain to come. But it never did. Instead, she heard a very familiar voice.

"Sorry, my friend. Not today."

Anna snapped her eyes open, and gasped when she found Shae standing before her, the blade of the knight's sword clutched firmly in her hand. Shae threw out her free hand, blasting the knight backward with her telekinetic magic. She then turned around, smiling warmly at Anna as she helped her back to her feet.

"Anna!"

Anna spun around, and found Olaf scurrying toward her. Following behind him was a group of Arendell soldiers, who promptly set upon The Duke and Van Helsing's men. Anna knelt down, laughing with relieved and grateful joy as Olaf threw himself into her arms.

"Olaf, you did it!" She exclaimed, smiling up at Shae. "You found Shae!"

"Of course I did!" Olaf said, looking quite proud of himself. "I promised you I would, didn't I?"

"Shae! Thank god you're here." Said Kristoff, panting heavily as he placed a hand on the vampire's shoulder. "It's The Duke of Weselton, and your friend Van Helsing. They came back and attacked the castle and-"

"Yes, yes, I know, Olaf told me." Shae said quickly. "Where is Elsa? Is she alright? Is she safe?"

Anna gasped in alarm, urgently grabbing Shae's arm. "Oh no! Elsa!" She exclaimed, her bright blue eyes full of panic. "I told her to run, but Van Helsing and The Duke ran after her. Come on, we gotta hurry!"

Shae nodded, and hurried after Anna as she raced toward the staircase, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf upon Sven's back hot on their heels. As they began climbing the stairs, several of Van Helsing's knights broke away from their fight with the Arendell soldiers. They gave chase after Shae and the others, climbing the stairs two and three at a time.

"Dammit!" Shae snarled, pausing on the staircase. "Go, hurry! I'm right behind you!"

Shae threw herself upon Van Helsing's knights, and the others continued on up the stairs. When they reached the top, they were all startled to find bodies of soldiers strewn all over the long hallway, along with pointed spikes of ice. Anna gasped in alarm, and sprinted off down the hallway. They followed the bodies and the ice, bursting through the doors of the library. More soldiers and Van Helsing's knights were gathered inside the room, along with The Duke of Weselton, watching as Van Helsing himself slowly advanced upon Elsa. She backed away from the hulking, bearded man, shooting beams of icy magic from her hands. Van Helsing swung his sword with inhuman speed, effortlessly knocking away Elsa's magic. Elsa backed out onto the balcony, her sparkling blue eyes wide with fear. Suddenly, she stopped, gasping in alarm as her back hit the railing.

"ELSA!" Anna cried.

Elsa gasped again, turning her head toward the sound of her sister's voice. Van Helsing used the distraction to his advantage, and swung his free fist at Elsa, hitting her squarely in the side of the head. Anna cried out in alarm as Elsa slumped to the ground, knocked senseless by the blow.

"NO!" Cried Kristoff.

"ELSA!" Anna screamed.

Anna and Kristoff both rushed forward, only to be stopped by The Duke of Weselton's soldiers. They seized both of them by their arms, and Sven emitted a fearful whine as more soldiers pointed their swords at him and Olaf.

"Kill her, Van Helsing!" Shrieked The Duke of Weselton, pointing a bony finger at Elsa. "Bring me that witch's head!"

Van Helsing chuckled darkly, grinning from ear to ear. "With pleasure, my lord."

Anna screamed, struggling furiously against the man holding her arms behind her back. Van Helsing held his sword in both his hands, raising it slowly into the air, the tip pointing straight down at Elsa's heart.

"NOOO!"

Anna, Kristoff, and the men around them were suddenly knocked off their feet by a rushing black blur. Anna hit the ground hard, and picked her head up just in time to see the black blur taking the form of Shae. Van Helsing spun around just as the vampire reached him, and only had time to gasp in alarm before Shae slammed her shoulder into his chest. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as they watched Van Helsing soar through the air, straight over the edge of the balcony. He screamed in terror, the sound growing fainter and fainter as he fell, and fell, and fell. There was a faint splash as he plunged into the fjord far below Arendell Castle.

"Elsa!" Anna exclaimed, scrambling back onto her feet.

Anna rushed to her sister's side, closely followed by Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven. As the soldiers and knights in the room staggered back to their feet, Shae stepped forward, standing defiantly before them. The Duke of Weselton was helped up by one of his guards, and he eyed Shae fearfully.

"You…" He whispered, his beady, watery eyes wide. "Who exactly are you?"

"Me?" Shae asked, placing a hand over her heart.

Shae paused for a moment and glanced back at Anna, who smiled at her as she held her sister's limp body in her arms. Shae smiled back at her, and slowly turned back to The Duke. She chuckled lightly, grinning from ear to ear. In that moment, she made a decision, and she now knew exactly who she was, who she wanted to be.

"I'm the Protector of the Queen." She stated determinedly, proudly squaring her shoulders. " _And_ The Princess. And… Them."

Shae gestured toward Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven. Suddenly, her eyes began to glow a bright, burning red. She slowly raised her arms, and the soldiers and knights all gasped, drawing back in fear as their fallen swords hovered magically into the air. They cried out in alarm as Shae shoved her arms forward, the swords all shooting out toward their owners, stopping just before their startled and fearful faces.

"Leave now, and you leave with your lives." Shae commanded in a clear, ringing voice. "Should you ever return, I will not be so merciful. Now, go… NOW."

The Duke, the soldiers, and the knights all turned tail and ran, shoving each other as they fled from The Queen's powerful vampire protector. As soon as they were gone, Shae dropped her hands back to her sides, her eyes fading back to their normal blood red as the swords clattered back to the ground. Shae rushed over to Elsa's side, who was still lying unconscious in the arms of her sister.

"Elsa? Elsa!" Shae exclaimed, taking one of Elsa's hands in both her own. "Oh, Elsa… Elsa, please… Please wake up."

As if she were obeying the vampire's command, Elsa emitted a feeble groan, and her eyes slowly fluttered open. She blinked dazedly for a few moments, her sparkling blue eyes hazy and unfocused. Suddenly, her eyes focused, and they grew wide when she saw Shae kneeling before her.

"Shae?" She whispered, a smile slowly creeping across her face. "You… Came back."

"Yes." Shae whispered back, grateful tears spilling down her pale cheeks. "Oh, Elsa… Elsa, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I left, sorry that I turned you away. I… I do love you."

Elsa's smile grew wider, and tears began to well into her own eyes. "You… You do?"

Shae nodded, squeezing Elsa's hand tight, more tears streaming down her face as she placed a kiss on Elsa's fingers. "Yes, with all my heart. I… I have since the very beginning. Elsa, it was love at first sight. I… I was just… Afraid."

Shae paused for a moment, squeezing her eyes shut. "I was so afraid." She whispered shakily. She then opened her eyes, and smiled at both Anna and Kristoff. "But, I finally understand what Grand Pabbie meant. I finally… Let it go."

Elsa laughed, placing her hand gently on Shae's cheek. "Let it go." She whispered, smiling into Shae's blood red eyes. "Oh, Shae… Shae, I love you."

"I love you too, Elsa." Shae whispered back.

Elsa sat forward, and threw her arms around Shae's neck. Anna smiled at Kristoff, tears leaking out of her own eyes as Shae and Elsa kissed. Shae sighed, burying her face in Elsa's neck, wrapping her arms tightly around her.

"Group hug!" Kristoff suddenly exclaimed.

"What? No!" Cried Shae.

Shae groaned in protest as Kristoff, Anna, and Olaf all threw their arms around both her and Elsa, squeezing them tight. Sven brayed happily, nuzzling his brown, fuzzy muzzle into the top of their heads. Elsa laughed, placing another kiss on Shae's lips.

"Promise me you won't leave again." Elsa whispered, running her fingers through Shae's messy black hair.

"I promise." Shae whispered back, smiling into her dazzling blue eyes. "I will never leave you again, Elsa. Ever."

XX

After Arendell's soldiers dispatched both The Duke of Weselton and Van Helsing and his Knights of the Sun, Arendell was at peace once again. The next day, Elsa gathered her subjects inside the castle once again, this time for a knighting ceremony. Shae spent most of the morning with Elsa's servants, as they tailored for her a brand new set of fine clothes, in the traditional style of Arendell's royalty. The navy blue coat was ornately adorned with red and gold, the gray pants made of the finest cotton. Shae was not overly fond of the golden shoulder cuffs, but otherwise did not make a fuss. After Shae was knighted by her Queen, Elsa pinned a bronze badge to her coat, Arendell's royal sigil engraved into the metal. Shae the vampire was now, 'Shae of Arendell,' The Queen's Royal Protector.

Shae wore her badge proudly, and spent the next several years standing faithfully by Elsa's side, as did her sister, as well as Kristoff. The snowman Olaf, however, had his own plans. Not long after Shae's knighting ceremony, Olaf announced that he wanted to see more of the world that he had been brought to life in, and promptly set off on his own grand adventure. He would send letters to Arendell Castle from time to time, but due to his tiny stick arms and general lack of knowledge of how to read and write, Olaf's letters were mostly indescifrable. Still, though, they were all grateful to at least know that their snowman friend was safe and sound.

Though neither The Duke of Weselton nor Shae's old nemesis, Van Helsing, were ever seen in Arendell again, Prince Hans was still determined to win Arendell's crown. He and his twelve brothers gathered a small army, and made several attempts to storm the kingdom. With Shae now at the command of Arendell's own army, Hans and his men never got far. The vampire had a surprisingly brilliant tactical mind, and Hans' forces were always quickly and carefully dispatched, with little to no harm coming to the kingdom of Arendell. Queen Elsa was unbothered by the young Prince from the Southern Isles, and she slept peacefully every night, cradled in the loving arms of her Protector.

While Shae and Elsa's love bloomed and blossomed, so did Anna and Kristoff's. Elsa was very fond of Kristoff, and thought he and Anna were simply perfect for each other. However, Elsa was still very protective of her little sister, and gave Kristoff a very stern talking to after he proposed to Anna. Shae was certain it was the first time that Elsa had ever made someone sweat. Nevertheless, Elsa gave Kristoff and Anna her blessing. She and Anna, with Shae's help, quickly began to make plans for the wedding. It all came to a screeching halt one day, however, after Elsa made a shocking and disturbing discovery.

Elsa had found her mother's old wedding dress in a dusty attic, and Anna was simply overjoyed. While Anna was trying on the dress, Elsa found their mother's diary within one of the cabinets. In it, Gerda wrote about Elsa's magic, about how terrifyingly powerful it was. She and her husband, Elsa and Anna's father, had embarked on a voyage to seek out a way to strip Elsa of her powers, a voyage from which they never returned. Elsa was absolutely distraught, horrified to learn that her parents had feared her magic, and sought to remove the very thing that made their daughter special. What made it all worse, was knowing that they had died trying.

Anna couldn't bare to see her beloved sister so upset, and was determined to find some answers, to help Elsa to cope with this new and startling information. She immediately set out on her own voyage, unbeknownst to her sister. She quickly and quietly boarded a ship bound for the land that her parents had sought to travel to. It was called Misthaven, better known to its inhabitants as The Enchanted Forest.

"Shae, that's the land you came here from, isn't it?" Elsa asked as she, Kristoff, and Shae were arguing inside her throne room.

"Um… Well, yes, it is." Shae replied hesitantly.

"Then you have to go back, you have to find her!"

Shae exchanged a quick glance with Kristoff, who simply shrugged at her. "No, I don't think I will."

Elsa scoffed indignantly. "Excuse me?"

Shae sighed, gently taking her lover's hand. "Elsa, please, she'll be fine." She said pleadingly. "She's smart and she's tough, and damn good with a sword."

"What if I command you to go?" Elsa replied, folding her arms stubbornly across her chest. "I am your Queen, after all."

This time, Shae was the one that scoffed. "Oh, so we're playing the Queen card now, are we?"

"Elsa, come on, Shae's right." Kristoff said gently. "Anna can take care of herself. She'll be just fine."

"I don't care!" Elsa cried heatedly. "She's my sister, and she could be in danger. You have to go, you have to bring her back."

Shae groaned in frustration, rolling her eyes at the woman she loved. "Look, even if I do find her, there's absolutely no chance I'd be able to convince her to come back with me. She's nearly as stubborn as you are!"

"Actually, I'd say she's more stubborn." Kristoff said with a shrug.

"I don't know about that." Shae replied, chuckling lightly. "It's a bit hard to tell, really."

"Enough!" Elsa exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air. She then breathed out an irritated sigh, rubbing her aching forehead. "Honestly, you two…"

Shae and Kristoff both grinned cheekily at each other, causing Elsa to roll her own eyes. She then stepped up to Shae, taking her lover's hands in both of hers and staring pleadingly into her eyes.

"Shae, please." She whispered desperately. "It's bad enough knowing that my parents died on their voyage to this… Misthaven. If something happened to Anna, I… I couldn't bare it."

Shae sighed, placing her hand on Elsa's cheek. "I understand, Elsa. Really, I do." She said gently. "But do you really want me to… To… Kidnap your sister, and bring her back here against her will?"

Elsa bit her lip, hesitating as she pondered Shae's words. "Well… No, I suppose not." She muttered in defeat. "But… But I at least need to know that she's safe."

Elsa cupped Shae's face in her hands, smiling into her blood red eyes. "Please, Shae." She whispered softly. "Please. For me."

Shae hesitated for a moment as well, staring into the dazzling blue eyes of the woman she loved. She then breathed out a relenting sigh, and nodded. "For you, my love?" She whispered, pressing her forehead to Elsa's. "Anything."

Elsa smiled, and wrapped her arms around Shae's neck. Kristoff emitted a disgusted groan as Shae and Elsa kissed, which turned into a laugh as Shae reached out and shoved his shoulder, keeping her lips locked with Elsa's. Kristoff then quietly and respectfully removed himself from the room, leaving Elsa to say goodbye to her lover and Protector. The two lovers kissed slowly, gently, passionately, and Shae began to explore Elsa's body with her hands. Elsa gasped, grinning against her lover's lips as Shae ran her hands over the curves of her backside.

"I know what you're doing, Shae." Elsa whispered as Shae gently nibbled on her neck. "You're trying to distract me."

Shae pulled away from her neck, grinning cheekily into her eyes. "Is it working?"

Elsa laughed, leaning in toward her lips again. "Mmm… Just a little."

Shae laughed too, and Elsa hummed happily against her lips as Shae kissed her again. "Perhaps you could leave in the morning." Elsa muttered with a grin of her own.

"Perhaps I could." Shae replied, grinning back.

Elsa laughed again as Shae lifted her into the air by her hips. Elsa wrapped her legs around Shae's waist, and Shae carried her effortlessly to her bedchamber. After several rounds of vigorous and passionate lovemaking, Elsa fell asleep peacefully in her Protector's arms, just as she did every night. As Shae held her tight, she reflected on her life over the past few years, her life with her Queen. She was grateful that she had finally been able to let go of her fear over her love for Elsa. She truly couldn't remember the last time she had been so happy, so content. Elsa was everything to her, her entire world. She had no idea that, one day soon, her world was going to fall apart.

XX

Just as she had promised her Queen, Shae returned to the land of Misthaven, aka The Enchanted Forest. It took some time, but she was eventually able to track Anna down. She found her at a small inn, where the young Princess had stopped for food and drink after leaving the farm of an old friend of Kristoff's, a young man named David. David's mother, Ruth, had given Anna the name of a powerful wizard, Rumplestiltskin. Ruth insisted that this wizard would have the knowledge and information she sought, and Anna was determined to find him, to find answers about what it was exactly that her parents had come to The Enchanted Forest to find.

Just as Shae had suspected, Anna completely refused to return to Arendell with her. Shae begged and pleaded, but her words fell on deaf and stubborn ears. Anna was determined to help her beloved sister, and Shae couldn't help but admire her passionate resolve. The vampire was forced to relent, and she left Anna with a warning. She had heard the name Rumplestiltskin whispered amongst the inhabitants of The Enchanted Forest. The whispers and rumors were nothing at all pleasant, and Shae begged Anna to be careful. Anna promised that she would, and Shae returned to the ship that had carried her to the land of Misthaven, not at all aware of how dire things had become in Arendell in the weeks that she had been gone.

Hans and his brothers once again returned to Arendell, this time with a much larger force than ever before. Kristoff, against Elsa's orders, snuck in to their camp one night, and overheard Hans talking about a magical urn that was hidden away in a cave within Arendell's mountains. The urn was said to be able to trap someone with magic inside, and Hans planned to find it, and use it on Elsa. Kristoff returned to Elsa with this information, and the two of them immediately set off to find the urn themselves, before Hans and his brothers did. They managed to make it to the cave just before Hans arrived, and were startled to find the urn already occupied. Inside was a woman with light blonde hair, the same shade as Elsa's. She also shared Elsa's icy powers, and promptly froze Hans into a statue made of ice.

The strange woman from the urn's name was Ingrid, Elsa and Anna's aunt. Elsa was delighted to find someone with magic like her own, even more so to find out that she was family. However, she was quite confused, since her mother had never spoken about a sister. Ingrid didn't say much on the matter, only that some things are much too painful to talk about. Elsa didn't spend much time worrying about her mother's secrets, and quickly began to grow very close to her new found aunt. In the weeks that Shae was gone, Elsa took to spending her free time with Ingrid, and learned much from her about her own icy powers. She spoke to Ingrid about Shae often, and couldn't wait for her Royal Protector to return, so she could be back in her loving arms again, and introduce her to the new member of her family.

"Shae!" Elsa exclaimed, throwing herself into her Protector's arms the instant she saw her. "You're here! You're back!"

Shae laughed loudly, lifting Elsa into the air and spinning her around in circles. Elsa laughed as she did, and sighed happily as Shae placed a grateful, gentle kiss on her lips.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Shae asked her, grinning in the cheeky way that she so often did.

"Never." Elsa whispered, smiling into her lover's blood red eyes. "I knew you'd come back."

Shae smiled back at her, drawing her in closer, kissing her deeply once again. The two lovers stood locked in their passionate embrace for several long moments, both of them grateful to be back in each other's arms once again.

"Oh, Shae… I missed you." Elsa whispered against Shae's lips. She then drew back suddenly, her dazzling blue eyes full of worry. "What about Anna? Did you find her? Is she alright, is she safe? Is she-"

"Fine, she's fine." Shae cut in gently. "Safe and sound, I promise. All out refused to come back with me, just as I said. You know, Kristoff might be right. She just might be even more stubborn than you are."

Elsa laughed once again, curling her arms around Shae's neck and leaning back in toward her lips. "And you both love us for it."

Shae laughed too, slowly nodding her head. "Indeed, we do."

Shae kissed her once again, sighing contentedly as she held the woman she loved in her arms. She was so happy to back, so content with her life by Elsa's side. She truly could never remember a time when she had been happier.

"Elsa?"

Shae and Elsa broke apart, startled by the sudden voice. Shae whirled around, and found a strange looking woman standing in the doorway to the throne room. She had light blonde hair that was almost identical to Elsa's, pulled back into a tightly braided bun, and was garbed in a high collared, glittering white dress. Elsa gasped excitedly when she saw her, and quickly pulled Shae toward her by the hand.

"There's someone I'd like you to meet." Elsa told Shae, grinning from ear to ear. "This is Ingrid. She's… My aunt."

Shae's blood red eyes grew wide with shock. "Your… Your aunt? I didn't know you had an aunt."

"Neither did I, until a few weeks ago." Elsa admitted with a laugh. She then cleared her throat, and placed her hand gently on Shae's arm, smiling affectionately at her. "Ingrid, this is Shae. My love, my Protector."

"Oh, right, yes…" Shae stammered, holding her hand out to Ingrid. "Pleasure to meet you, Ingrid."

Ingrid made no move to shake the vampire's hand, and merely stood rooted in her spot. Shae's heart sunk when she saw the look on her face. It was one she was all to familiar with, one of disgust, of loathing, of fear. Ingrid then slowly turned her eyes onto Elsa, staring at her with utter disbelief.

" _This_ … Is Shae?" She asked her niece quietly.

Elsa bit her lip as Shae's hand fell limply back to her side. "Um… Yes. I'm sorry, I guess I forgot to mention that she's-"

"I know exactly what she is." Ingrid whispered, her lips curling into a disgusted snarl. "A vampire."

Shae swallowed the hard lump that had suddenly formed in her throat, and stared down at the ground. "Um… Well, yes." She muttered quietly. "Yes, I am."

"It's alright, she's a good vampire." Said Elsa, and Shae smiled at her as she placed her hand gently on her cheek. "A _very_ good one."

"Oh, I have a _very_ hard time believing that."

Elsa dropped her hand back to her side, eyeing her aunt with absolute and indignant shock. "Excuse me?"

"There's no such thing as a good vampire." Ingrid replied, glaring at Shae with malice in her eyes. "Elsa, she's a monster! A detestable creature of darkness and death!"

Shae clenched her fists, fighting back hard against the rage that was bubbling in her stomach. When Elsa remained silent, too stunned for words, Ingrid breathed out a laugh, shaking her head slowly in disbelief.

"Elsa, please tell me that this is all some sort of joke." She said with another laugh, placing her hand gently on Elsa's shoulder. " _Please_ tell me that you're not really with this… This… Thing!"

Elsa scoffed indignantly, stepping back out of her aunt's grip. "No, it is not a joke!" She cried heatedly. "And you will _not_ speak to her like that! This is the woman that I love, the woman that I intend to marry!"

Ingrid's jaw dropped open in shock, and so did Shae's. "What?" Shae breathed quietly.

Elsa's bright blue eyes grew wide, and she opened and closed her mouth several times, not quite sure what to say. She loved Shae with all her heart, and Shae loved her, but marriage had not been something that they had ever talked about. However, unbeknownst to each other, it was something that was on both their minds mind quite often.

"No! Absolutely not!" Ingrid exclaimed, once again looking Shae up and down with pure and total disgust. "Elsa, you cannot marry her! You already have a brand upon you, one that sets you apart from everyone else, one that some still fear. You are Queen now, and this creature will only be a dark and dirty stain upon your already sullied reputation."

"I told you, do not speak to her like that!" Elsa shouted furiously. "Shae? Shae!"

Shae had heard enough. Unable to bare Ingrid's stinging, biting words any longer, she turned on her heel, and stomped furiously away from her and Elsa. Her clenched fists shook with rage as she quickly left the throne room, blood pulsing in her ears. She climbed the castle steps two at a time, and threw open the door of Elsa's bedchamber, the one that she shared with her Queen every night. She stepped out onto the balcony, leaning her hands on the railing, hanging her head in misery. Tears began to leak from her eyes, and her whole body began to tremble. Ingrid had spoken of the very fears that had kept Shae from admitting her feelings for Elsa years ago, the fears that still held a tight grip upon the vampire's heart and soul. After she was knighted, the people of Arendell began to accept their Queen's vampire Protector, but Shae continued to live in constant fear and worry that, one day, they would turn on her, just as humans so often did.

Shae stood rooted in her spot for a long while, unable to move, her body shaking with quiet, miserable sobs. After a while, she heard the bedchamber door open, and footsteps drawing closer. She then felt arms around her waist, and the familiar feeling of Elsa's body pressed against her back, her head resting in between her shoulder blades. Elsa held her tight, and they stood in silence for a time, Shae's sobbing slowly beginning to subside as the woman she loved held her in her arms.

"Oh, Shae…" Elsa whispered, her voice quavering with emotion. "Shae, I'm so sorry."

Shae shook her head, placing her hand on top of Elsa's that were resting on her chest. "Don't be." She whispered softly back. "I'm the one that should be sorry."

"What for?" Asked Elsa, lifting her head off of Shae's back.

"You're a remarkable woman, Elsa." Shae replied quietly, her tone heavy with sorrow. "You… You deserve better than me."

Elsa grabbed on to Shae's arm, and quickly spun her around to face her. She sighed heavily, and reached out, gently wiping away the tears on Shae's face. "I do deserve you, Shae." She told her lover with a smile. "I deserve you because _you're_ remarkable. You're kind, and patient, and loving. You're everything I could ever want in a partner."

When Shae continued to stare at the ground, refusing to meet Elsa's gaze, Elsa heaved another sad, heavy sigh. "Ingrid just doesn't know you, not like I do, not like Anna and Kristoff do." She went on quietly. "I am quite furious with her over the things she said, but… She's still my aunt, she's still family."

Elsa draped her arms around Shae's neck, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "She'll come around, you'll see." She whispered, smiling gently into her lover's eyes. "She'll come to love you just as much as I do, in time."

Shae chuckled lightly, wiping more tears off of her face. "Well, I certainly hope not. She's not exactly my type. I prefer brunettes, to be perfectly honest."

Elsa rolled her eyes, playfully shoving Shae's shoulder. Shae laughed, and wrapped her arms around Elsa's waist, drawing her back in for another kiss. Elsa smiled against Shae's lips, and, for a moment, Shae forgot all about the pain of Ingrid's harsh and insulting words. She suddenly no longer cared about her lover's angry and bitter aunt. All she cared about was Elsa's love. All that mattered was that Elsa loved her for who she was, and nothing else.

"Oh, Elsa…" Shae whispered, smiling as she kept her forehead pressed against Elsa's. "Elsa, I… I need to thank you."

Elsa leaned back, raising an eyebrow curiously at Shae. "For what?"

Shae removed Elsa's arms from around her neck, and took both of her hands in her own. "Before I met you, if someone had said to me the things that Ingrid did, I would have… Reacted much differently." She told her quietly, her blood red eyes suddenly very sad. "Honestly, I most likely would have killed them, simply for making me angry. But… But now… Things are much different. You've… Changed me."

Shae sighed, hanging her head in regretful sorrow. "For years and years, my mind, my heart, my very soul… They were filled so much darkness, so much evil. But… Elsa, you've saved me from all of that. Your love, _our_ love, it's… It's saved me."

Shae smiled into Elsa's dazzling blue eyes, her own welling with tears. "You are everything to me, Elsa." She whispered softly, gently caressing Elsa's cheek. "I would be nothing but the dark and dangerous creature that Ingrid thinks I am without you. And… And if you really meant what you said earlier, I… I would very much love to marry you."

Elsa smiled too, her own eyes shining with tears. "Really?"

Shae nodded, and Elsa laughed, throwing her arms around her neck. Shae laughed too, wrapping her arms tightly around the woman she loved as she kissed her. They stood locked in their passionate embrace, their lips parting slowly, gently, their tears mingling together upon their faces. Both their hearts soared with joy, full to bursting with their unyielding love for one another. Neither Elsa nor Shae could remember a time when they had been happier.

Unbeknownst to the two lovers, Ingrid had been quietly listening just outside the door. Slowly, a devious grin spread across her face, and she had to stifle a laugh. No niece of her's would ever marry a dark and detestable creature like Shae. A plan had slowly begun to form in her mind as she listened to their hushed conversation, and, suddenly, she knew exactly how to get rid of the loathsome vampire. All she had to do was wait for the opportune moment.

XX

The next several days were uncomfortable for Shae. It seemed that every time she saw Elsa, Ingrid was right by her side, glaring at her with malice in her eyes. If the army from The Southern Isles nearly at their doorstep hadn't posed such a threat to the kingdom of Arendell, Shae likely would have been grateful. She spent her days with the officers of Arendell's army, able to distract herself by formulating battle plans for the upcoming war that Hans' brothers were likely to start. Thankfully, she was able to spend her nights alone with Elsa, who quickly began to formulate plans of her own, for a joint wedding with Anna and Kristoff as soon as her sister returned from the land of Misthaven.

Shae knew that Ingrid was a part of Elsa's family, and would soon be part of _her_ family, but she couldn't quite shake the feeling that Elsa's newfound aunt was up to something. In her free time, Shae took to reading through Arendell's royal records, and found absolutely no mention of Gerda, Elsa and Anna's mother, having a sister. She was completely befuddled, and, one day, decided to voice her concerns to Kristoff. Kristoff offered a solution by way of Grand Pabbie, the ancient and powerful rock troll that had been nearly like a father to him. Grand Pabbie appeared to be as old as the earth itself, and was likely around when Gerda and, supposedly, Ingrid, were children. Kristoff told her that, if anyone would know anything at all about Elsa and Anna's aunt, it would be Grand Pabbie.

Shae was in her and Elsa's bedchamber, preparing for her journey to see the rock trolls by changing into her old black leather armor, which was much more suitable for travel. She had decided not to tell Elsa about her plan, and begged Kristoff to keep her trip a secret from The Queen. She was just about to head out the door, but stopped in her tracks when Elsa herself walked in.

"Going somewhere?" Elsa asked of her, raising a knowing eyebrow at Shae.

"Elsa! My god, you look just lovely today!" Shae exclaimed, placing a quick kiss on her lover's cheek. "Is that a new dress? You look just… Absolutely stunning!"

Elsa chuckled, shaking her head amusedly. "I know what you're doing, Shae. Kristoff told me everything."

Shae sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Dammit, Kristoff…" She grumbled. "I should have known. The man is so damn terrified of you."

"As he should be." Elsa said, regally drawing herself up and nodding in affirmation. She then chuckled again, and placed her hand gently on Shae's arm. "It's alright, I'm not angry."

Shae raised a skeptical eyebrow at her lover. "You're not?"

Elsa smiled, and slowly shook her head. "I know you're only doing it for me." She said gently. "Besides, I too have been… Curious as to why there is no mention of Ingrid in the royal records, and why my mother never spoke of her. Ingrid has been… Particularly elusive about it all."

Shae nodded, and took Elsa by the hand. "Grand Pabbie will have answers, I know he will." She told her determinedly. "I won't be gone long, I promise. I know how hard it's been without Anna here, and how much you worry when I'm gone."

Elsa nodded too, smiling as she placed her hand on Shae's cheek. "I know, it's alright." She whispered softly. "I know that… That you always come back."

Shae smiled into the sparkling blue eyes of the woman she loved. She gently drew Elsa into her arms, and Elsa sighed contentedly as she kissed her. They wrapped their arms around each other, holding each other tight, not at all knowing that this kiss would be their last.

"That's right." Shae whispered, gently caressing her lover's cheek. "I always come back."

XX

The rock trolls of Arendell were positively overjoyed to see their old vampire friend again, and Shae was bombarded by many joyful, and slightly painful, hugs and embraces. Once the other trolls had finally calmed down, Grand Pabbie made his appearance. The ancient and powerful troll somehow already knew why Shae had come to see him. He told the vampire that he did indeed have the answers she sought, and Shae was shocked to learn that, not only did Elsa's mother have a sister, she had two.

"Gerda was the youngest of three." Grand Pabbie explained. "Then there was Helga, and Ingrid was the oldest. As children, the three girls were quite close, often seen playing together in the royal gardens. But then, one day, Helga and Ingrid vanished. No one ever knew what happened to them. It was a tragedy the royal family wanted to their kingdom to forget. And they did, with my help."

Shae's jaw dropped open in utter shock, and she gaped silently at the old troll for several moments. "You… You took the memories of everyone in Arendell?" She asked once she finally found her voice.

Grand Pabbie nodded slowly, gravely. "Yes, and Gerda had every mention of Helga and Ingrid erased from every book and record she could find in our realm."

"My god…" Shae breathed, her blood red eyes wide. "What exactly happened to them? Is Helga trapped in some sort of magical urn as well?"

"No." Grand Pabbie answered quietly. "Helga was killed… By Ingrid."

Shae's jaw dropped open once again. "What? Y-You're… You're not serious, are you?"

"Sadly, I am." Replied Grand Pabbie, heaving a sad, heavy sigh. "It was quite by accident, as Ingrid did not have control over her powers, just as Elsa once did not. When Gerda saw what Ingrid had done, she trapped her sister inside the urn. She then came to me, and begged me to erase all memory of her sisters. She loved her sister, both of them, and did not want the kingdom to know what Ingrid had done."

Shae opened and closed her mouth several times, staring silently down at the ground, running a shaky hand through her messy black hair as she processed everything Grand Pabbie had just told her. Her eyes then grew wide once again, and she turned her gaze back onto the troll.

"If Ingrid is keeping secrets like this, then who knows what else she could be hiding." She muttered fearfully. "I… I have to go… I have to warn Elsa!"

Shae turned to leave, but stopped when Grand Pabbie grabbed her by the hand. She turned back to him, and Grand Pabbie beckoned her to come closer. Shae hesitated uncertainly for a moment, but then knelt down in front of the ancient troll. Grand Pabbie heaved another heavy sigh, hanging his head in apparent sorrow.

"Years ago, when we first met, I told you that your actions then would set you on a path to your destiny." He said quietly. He then lifted his head, and Shae saw an immense sorrow in his stony gray eyes. "I'm sorry, Shae… It appears that I was wrong."

"Wrong?" Shae asked, brow furrowed in confusion. "Wrong about what?"

Grand Pabbie sighed again, gently patting Shae's hand. "Your destiny has already been written, you have already started down it's path. I am… Very sorry, Shae."

"Sorry?" Asked Shae, shaking her head bewilderedly. "Sorry for what? How… How is it you know of such things?"

Grand Pabbie hung his head once again, his tone very quiet, and very sad. "It is my great and heavy burden to know of things that have been, will be, and could be. It is also my burden to know when such things are better left unsaid."

Grand Pabbie lifted his gaze back onto Shae, and smiled, gently squeezing her hand. "Just know that you have my thanks for everything that you have done for Elsa, and for Arendell."

Suddenly, the ancient troll's smile faded. He slowly reached out, and placed a stony hand on the vampire's pale gray cheek. As Shae stared into Grand Pabbie's eyes, a sudden chill took hold of her. She had never seen such a painful sorrow in another creature's eyes.

"Know that you have my thanks." The troll whispered softly. "And my sympathy."

XX

Grand Pabbie's cryptic message left behind an icy chill in Shae's very soul as she returned to Arendell Castle. The look in his eyes, the way he spoke, it all sent a fear unlike anything she had felt before shivering through her bones. She climbed the steps within the castle two at a time, her mind reeling. When she entered Elsa's bedchamber, she did not find Elsa within, but Ingrid.

"You…" Shae whispered quietly, her blood red eyes wide. "W-What… What are you doing in here?"

Ingrid slowly turned around from where she was standing upon the balcony, and smiled a warm, gentle smile at the vampire. Somehow, Ingrid's inviting smile gave Shae even more chills.

"I was simply admiring what Elsa has done with the room." Ingrid answered, gesturing around the bedchamber. "This was all to be mine, once. But, I always knew that it would go to one of my sisters, and my niece or nephew after them, as would my throne."

"Fascinating." Shae replied sharply, sarcastically. "Now, where is Elsa? I need to speak with her."

Ingrid smiled again in the way that Shae did not like one bit. "Yes, I imagine you do." She said quietly. "But, as it turns out, _I_ need to speak with _you_."

Shae folded her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes at Ingrid. "Is that so?"

"Indeed it is." Ingrid replied with solemn nod. "I wish to… Apologize, for the other day. You seem to care for Elsa a great deal, and she certainly cares for you. Perhaps I was… Too quick to judge you. I am very sorry."

Shae stood in shocked silence for a moment, eyeing Ingrid with complete and utter disbelief. "Oh, I… I-I see." She stammered, once she found her voice. "That is… Refreshing to hear, thank you."

Ingrid nodded once again, smiling another warm, gentle smile. She then slowly sauntered over to the end table that sat against the far wall, and retrieved two small glasses filled with wine. She stepped up to Shae, and handed her a glass. Shae took it, and smiled back at her with grateful relief. Though everything Grand Pabbie had told her about Ingrid still made the vampire nervous, she was starting to think that perhaps she had judged Elsa's newfound aunt a bit too harshly as well. Ingrid would one day soon be a part of her family, which was something that Shae had never had, but always so desperately wanted.

"To Elsa." Ingrid stated with a smile, raising her glass into the air. "Long may she reign."

Shae smiled back at her, and nodded, gently clinking her glass against Ingrid's. As Shae drained her glass in one gulp, Ingrid brought her own up to her lips, watching the vampire carefully. Shae completely failed to notice that Ingrid had not drank any of the wine herself.

"What sort of wine is this?" Shae asked, grimacing at the strange taste.

Ingrid chuckled lightly, gingerly taking the glass out of Shae's hand. "Oh, it's a very, _very_ special vintage."

Ingrid slowly sauntered back over to the table, speaking quietly as she did. "Elsa told me a very interesting story while you were away." She said to Shae. "She said that, back when she was unable to control her magic, _you_ were the very first person she was able to touch. And, when she struck Anna with her powers, she told me that you were struck with the same blast, but were unharmed, unlike poor Anna."

Ingrid set the glasses back down on the table, keeping her back to Shae, so the vampire could not see the dark and devious grin that was stretching across her face. "It appears that you are immune to her magic, as well as my own, correct?"

Shae's opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again, her brow furrowed in confusion over Ingrid's strange question. "Um… Well, yes." She slowly replied. "Yes, it would appear so."

Ingrid emitted a low, menacing chuckle. "We shall see about that."

Ingrid quickly spun around, and threw out her arm, a bright white, icy beam of magic shooting out of her hand. Too shocked to react in time, Shae grunted as the beam of magic hit her straight in the chest, right over her heart. She stumbled back a step, and, for a moment, nothing seemed to happen. She stared down at her own chest, her blood red eyes wide with shock. She then turned her gaze back onto Ingrid, and took an angry step forward, her face falling into a furious snarl. Suddenly, she stopped, drawing in a startled gasp as she felt a horrible, icy chill deep within her chest.

"W-What… What is this?" Shae breathed in horror, clutching her heart as the chill slowly began to spread. "What have you done to me?"

Ingrid chuckled once again, grinning in a dark and dangerous way that made the chill within Shae's heart all the more worse. "A simple spell." Ingrid replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I knew my magic would not be able to harm you outwardly. But, within… Well…"

Shae stared down at her own hands, which had suddenly begun to tingle, like dozens of tiny pinpricks. She gasped in horror, watching as frost began to form on her fingertips, slowly spreading farther down her hands.

"It… It was all a trick." She whispered shakily, staring wide eyed at Ingrid.

Ingrid laughed loudly this time, her grin growing even wider. "Yes, one that you fell for quite spectacularly." She replied, quite mockingly. "There is ice in your heart now, Shae, and soon it will consume you. Though it will not kill a creature such as yourself, it will still turn you into a statue of ice, just like it did Anna."

"Elsa… Elsa will stop this." Shae muttered fearfully, watching the frost from Ingrid's spell working it's way up to her wrists. "She can break the spell with-"

"True love's kiss?" Ingrid finished for her. She then laughed again, and slowly shook her head. "No, I'm afraid Elsa will no longer love you, not after she learns of what you've done."

Shae opened her mouth to question, but all that came out was a startled gasp as Ingrid waved her hand, engulfing the vampire in a whirl of white snow flurries. Shae blinked dazedly for a moment, realizing that she was no longer in Elsa's bedchamber, but the castle kitchens. She slowly turned in her spot, and cried out in horror at what she saw. Three people, two women, one man, lying dead upon the ground, their heads twisted grotesquely all the way around. Shae recognized their still and lifeless faces. They were the servants that had taken care of both Elsa and Anna since they were children, and were all dearly beloved by both The Queen and The Princess.

"No…" Shae whispered, turning her horrified gaze onto Ingrid, who had appeared beside her. "W-Why?"

"It is truly tragic, what happened to these poor servants." Ingrid replied quietly, solemnly hanging her head. "You see, when the rock trolls told you all about what happened to my sister, you were so terribly angry. You attacked me, and these three were only trying to protect their Queen's beloved aunt. When they got in your way, you cut them down where they stood, without even a second thought."

Shae started to panic, watching as the frost that had been upon her hands began to turn into ice, the very kind that she had once seen on Anna's body. She glanced down at her feet, and found that her boots were beginning to cake over with ice as well. She winced, clutching her chest as her heart ached with icy, stabbing pains.

"No… I… I-I didn't do this." She stammered quietly, her whole body trembling. "Elsa will never believe you!"

"Perhaps not, but she _will_ believe the soldiers that saw the whole thing." Ingrid replied with an unconcerned shrug.

When Shae only gaped silently at her in complete shock and confusion, Ingrid chuckled darkly once again, and waved her hand in the air. A rushing whirl of snow flurries appeared beside her, and Shae's blood red eyes grew even wider. Standing beside Ingrid, was herself, a complete and perfect doppelganger. It was as if Shae were merely staring into a mirror.

"What?" Shae breathed, staring fearfully into the grinning, blood red eyes of her doppelganger. "What… Is this?"

Ingrid chuckled amusedly again, waving her hand once more. The doppelganger's body slowly faded away with more flurries of snow, and all that was left behind was a statue in the shape of a human body, made entirely of ice.

"An ice wraith." Ingrid explained, sporting another dark and devious grin. "Another simple spell, but ever so convincing, don't you think?"

Ingrid waved her hand one last time, and the ice wraith shattered to pieces, leaving behind nothing but a small puddle of water on the floor. Shae stood in shocked and horrified silence, staring at the bodies of Elsa's beloved servants. She stared into the gaping, lifeless eyes of the man, whose name had been Kai, Elsa's royal steward. He had been a kind and gentle man, and had been almost like a father to both Elsa and Anna after The King's death. Perhaps it was only the vampire's imagination, but it seemed that Kai's dead eyes were filled with fearful accusation.

Suddenly, Shae cried out in pain, collapsing onto her knees. Her whole body shook violently, riddled with shooting, frigid pains. Her arms and legs were completely consumed by ice now, and it was slowly creeping past her shoulders and up her torso, honing in on her heart. She cried out again, falling forward with one hand on the ground, the other clutching her chest as the icy pain stabbed into her heart.

"Stop… P-Please…" Shae whispered shakily, trying in vain to stop the tremors raking her body. "S-Stop this!"

Ingrid knelt down in front of Shae, watching with a morbid sort of glee as her icy spell spread ever nearer toward the vampire's heart. She then cupped her hand under Shae's chin, tilting her head up, forcing her to stare into her hateful, malicious eyes.

"As you wish." Ingrid whispered, smiling another warm, gentle smile. "I will show you exactly how to free yourself from my spell."

Shae's vision went stark white as she was engulfed in other rush of snow flurries. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling herself once again being lifted into the air as Ingrid transported the both of them out of the castle kitchens. Suddenly, Shae's knees hit solid ground again. Ingrid rose to her feet, stepping back as the ice encasing Shae's body shattered to pieces. Shae remained where she was kneeling upon the ground, staring down at her hands, which were now free of ice. She slowly got back to her feet, the pain and the tremors now gone. She stared all around her, and suddenly realized that she was surrounded by tall, towering trees, trees that looked all too familiar.

"Is… I-Is this-"

"The Enchanted Forest." Ingrid finished for her, grinning from ear to ear. "Also known as Misthaven. You will notice that, here, you are no longer plagued by my spell. However, the moment you set foot in Arendell, the spell will take hold of you once again."

Shae stood in shocked silence, her mouth gaping open, her blood red eyes filled with horror. "You can never return to Arendell, Shae." Ingrid went on, still grinning triumphantly. "You will never see my Elsa again. She is free of the parasite that has been plaguing her, free to find someone who is worthy of her affections."

Shae remained rooted in her spot, unable to move, unable to even speak. Suddenly, her vision went red, and she balled her hands into fists. A terrible, vicious rage began to boil within her, a rage that the vampire had not felt in years. Suddenly, she found herself rushing forward, fist raised in the air, her vision tunneling in on Ingrid's grinning face.

Ingrid was shockingly, impossibly fast, and grabbed on to Shae's arm just before the vampire's fist made contact with her face. Shae struggled against her for a moment, finding that Ingrid was also shockingly strong. She then gasped in alarm, watching in horror as her arm began to cake over in ice around Ingrid's fingers. Shae made to step back, but Ingrid swiftly reached out, grabbing on to Shae's other arm, which also began to ice over.

"Stop! STOP IT!" Shae shouted, her eyes streaming with tears. "Why? Why the hell are you doing this?"

"Because, I finally have the chance to get what I've always wanted." Ingrid replied quietly, glaring into Shae's blood red eyes. "The perfect family, a family that loves me. You are nothing like me, nothing like Elsa, you don't even deserve her. You are nothing but a monster."

Ingrid sent Shae careening backward with a blast of icy energy. Shae cried out in pain as her back smacked into a tree, and she fell face first onto the ground, the ice on her arms once again shattering to pieces. Ingrid reamined where she stood, watching silently as the vampire sobbed loudly, bitterly, her entire body quivering. Shae slowly pushed herself onto her knees, turning her tear stained face onto Ingrid.

"Please…" Shae pleaded desperately, choking out another strangled sob. "Please… Don't do this. I… I love her!"

Ingrid sighed heavily, smiling sadly down at the broken vampire. "I know you do, Shae." She whispered softly. "But, it's like you and Elsa always say. You have to… Let it go."

"No… NO!"

Shae's desperate shouting rang out through the empty forest as Ingrid disappeared in rushing whirl of snow. Shae staggered to her feet, her heart aching, her head spinning wildly.

"NO!" She screamed into the air. "ELSA!"

XX

Shae tried in vain to return to Arendell, to return to the woman that she loved so deeply. But, just as Ingrid had said, her body immediately began to frost over the moment she she crossed over Arendell's border. With little other choice, Shae finally gave up her futile attempts to return to Elsa. Ingrid had won. She would never see Elsa again.

Miserable, destitute, and broken, Shae returned to The Enchanted Forest, and decided to drown her sorrows in as much alcohol as she could buy. She was in a tiny, mostly empty tavern, already working on her fifth bottle of rum when a mob of villagers bust through the door, all of them armed with shovels, axes, pitchforks, and torches.

"You there!" One of the men called out, pointing a finger at Shae. "You need to leave this place!"

Shae chuckled amusedly, taking another deep swig from her bottle. "Do I now?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at the man. "And why exactly is that, eh?"

"We know what you are!" Another man cried, also pointing a shaky finger at the vampire. "We've heard stories about your kind!"

"Leave, now!" Shouted another. "You're not welcome here! You're nothing but a blood sucking MONSTER!"

Suddenly, something snapped within Shae the vampire's mind. The fearful and angry cries from the mob were drowned out by the ringing in her hears, and the horrible, boiling, white hot fury within her began to rise, burning with the force of a thousand suns. She slowly rose from her seat at the bar, and turned toward the mob, her clenched fists shaking with pure, unadulterated rage.

"You want a monster?" She whispered quietly. Her lips then curled into a dark and dangerous grin, and she breathed out a low, sinister chuckle. "Fine… Then that's exactly what you'll get."

The mob cried out in alarm, and all anyone saw was a black blur of motion. Suddenly, Shae appeared before them, and she plunged her hand straight into a man's chest, tearing out his still beating heart. As she crushed the man's heart in her hand, another jabbed her in the chest with his pitchfork. Shae barked out a laugh, wrenching the pitchfork from her flesh. The mob cried out again, and began fleeing in fear as Shae stabbed the pitchfork straight into its owner's eyes.

The villagers fled for their lives from the raging vampire, but not a single one of them was fast enough. As Shae set upon them, blood and guts spilling out onto the ground like a flowing faucet, she started to laugh. The sound of her laughter rose high above the screams and cries of the unfortunate townsfolk as Shae decimated men, women, and children alike. Once she was finished, the demon of rage that dwelled within her finally sated, Shae set the town ablaze. She watched with a smile on her face as the tiny huts that the townsfolk had lived in caught fire one right after the other.

Suddenly, Shae's sensitive hearing picked up on a fearful whimpering from somewhere nearby. She spun around, and spotted a young boy cowering behind a broken cart. The boy turned to flee when Shae saw him, but stopped in his tracks when the vampire appeared before him in a cloud of blood red smoke. He cried out in fear as Shae seized him by the front of his shirt, lifting him into the air. Shae laughed in the boy's face, her own sprayed and spattered with blood.

"Always leave one alive to tell the tale." She muttered quietly, grinning wickedly, the flames from the burning homes reflected in her blood red eyes. "And you will tell this tale well, boy. Tell them all, every single person you meet."

Shae jerked the boy closer, her eyes wild, wide with a deranged sort of glee. "Tell everyone you can about what you saw here today." She whispered softly to him. "Tell them that I am nothing but a monster to be feared."

Shae released the poor boy, who promptly turned tail and ran. The vampire's crazed, maniacal laughter mingled with the sounds of the roaring flames. Shae stood and watched for a while, her heart soaring with a morbid sense of delight that she had not felt in a very long time. She then turned away from the tiny, decimated, burning village, and set off into the night. She knew exactly what she wanted to do next.

Unable to enact vengeance upon Ingrid, the person who had taken away the woman that she loved, Shae sought after revenge on the next closest person, someone who had also taken love away from her: Van Helsing. It took her several weeks, but she finally managed to track him down. He and his knights had stopped for food and drink in another tiny village, a village very similar to the one that Shae had decimated just a few short weeks before. With nothing else to lose, nothing else left to live for, Shae attacked her old nemesis. She fought bitterly, brutally, but was quickly overpowered by the hulking werewolf's strength. Once again, the enemy had won.

Van Helsing and his knights tied Shae to a stake, shoving dozens of their silver swords through her body to hold her in place. The silver poisoning left her weak, powerless, and utterly broken, and she watched helplessly as The Knights of the Sun began piling sticks and logs around the wooden platform they had put her on. Shae dropped her head deep into her chest, Van Helsing's words lost amid the ringing in her ears as he addressed the crowd that had gathered to watch the vampire being burned alive. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears spilling down her face as she thought about Elsa. She hoped that, one day, she might get to see the woman she loved again, that they might be reunited in the after life. She knew, however, that wherever she was going after her death, Elsa would likely be going to a much better place. Elsa was kind, gentle, and fair, and Shae was nothing but a monster.

"Isn't that right, Shae?"

Shae picked her head up as a woman's voice spoke her name, a voice that she recognized, a voice that she hadn't heard in a very long time. She blinked several times, peering through her hazy and foggy vision. Suddenly, her vision cleared, and her eyes grew wide as she realized who exactly was standing before her.

"Regina?"

XX


	17. Chapter 17, An Act of True Love

CHAPTER 17

The people gathered inside the cabin in the woods sat in shocked silence as Shae finished her harrowing and heartbreaking tale. They gaped silently at the vampire, every single one of them utterly lost for words. They watched with heavy hearts as Shae drank deep from her bottle of whiskey, and wiped away a few stray tears that had leaked onto her cold, pale cheeks. She stared quietly down at the table, not wanting to meet anyone's pitying gaze, waiting for someone to say something, anything. After several long, quiet, agonizing moments, Captain Hook was the first to finally speak.

"Bloody hell, mate." He muttered, breathing out an astonished laugh. "The Ice Queen, The Evil Queen, The Savior… How exactly do you get all these powerful women to fall in love with you?"

"Dammit, Hook…" David groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"No, no, it's a fair question." Shae said with an earnest nod. "Now let me see, here… Well, I'm smart, funny, charming, ridiculously good looking. Oh, and most importantly, _ridiculously_ good in bed."

Hook chuckled amusedly. "Perhaps I should ask you for some pointers some time."

"Oh, yeah, I'll teach a class!" Shae replied, grinning broadly. "I'll call it… 'How To Turn Emma On, 101!'"

"Dammit, Shae!" Emma exclaimed, groaning in frustration. She then turned to Regina, who had been staring silently down at the table. "Regina… You really didn't know about any of this?"

Regina breathed out a heavy sigh, and slowly shook her head. "I had always wondered what exactly happened to you." She replied, turning her gaze onto Shae. "You seemed to be a totally different person than when we first met, just as I was."

Shae took another swig of her whiskey, sighing heavily herself. "Yeah, well… Now you know."

"I just… I don't understand." Emma muttered quietly. "Shae, why did you hide all of this?"

"You weren't really hiding it, were you?" Mary Margaret asked of Shae, her eyes full of pity. "It was just… Too painful to talk about."

Shae didn't respond right away. She stared down at the table they were all seated at, her blood red eyes suddenly worlds away. When she finally replied, her voice was quiet, and full of immense sorrow.

"I… I haven't even so much as spoken her name." She whispered, her eyes shining with tears. "Not since… Since…"

"Since the damned Snow Queen sent you away." Hook finished for her.

Shae nodded slowly, and the others fell silent for a moment, watching with heavy hearts as Shae wiped away more tears. "Shae, you have to go talk to Elsa." David said gently. "She may not remember Ingrid, but she definitely remembers _you_. She obviously still thinks that you were the one that killed her servants, and then… Disappeared."

Shae shook her head vigorously. "No… No, no, no… I… I can't." She stammered, her blood red eyes wide. "She… She won't want to talk to me."

"Of course she will." Mary Margaret said with a gentle smile. "Look, we'll go with you. We'll explain to her what happened, tell her everything you just told us."

When Shae continued shaking her head, Emma reached across the table and gripped her hand tight. "She's right, Shae. After everything that happened between you two, I think you owe it to Elsa to at least go talk to her." Emma paused for a moment, glancing anxiously at Regina, then back at Shae. "You… You owe it to yourself."

Shae chewed on her lip ring nervously, staring deep into Emma's hazel green eyes. After a few moments of hesitant silence, she breathed out a relenting sigh, and nodded. A few moments later, they all piled into their various vehicles, and headed to the library, where they had left Elsa with Belle. Emma, her parents, and Hook went in first, to explain to Elsa what had really happened all those years ago. Regina, however, remained outside with Shae. She stood in hesitant silence, watching as Shae leaned her back against the wall, and slowly slid down onto the ground.

"That was… Quite the love story you just told." Regina said with a weak smile.

Shae chuckled dryly as she lit a cigarette. "Yeah, uh… Did you miss the part where I was almost turned into a popsicle and sent away, never to see her again?"

Regina bit her lip, clearing her throat awkwardly. "Um… No, I… I heard all of that." She stammered quietly. "I'm sorry for what happened to you, Shae. Really, I am."

Shae took a long drag off of her cigarette, breathing out the smoke as she sighed. "Yeah… Me too."

Regina bit her lip again, standing in awkward silence beside Shae, unsure of what to say. She then breathed out her own sad, heavy sigh, and sat down on the ground next to her. Shae eyed Regina curiously as she took the cigarette out of her hand, and took a drag off of it herself.

"You hate cigarettes." She muttered, her blood red eyes wide with shock.

Regina shrugged, handing the cigarette back to Shae. "I only hated them because it made kissing you like-"

"Like licking an ashtray." Shae finished for her, breathing out a low chuckle. "Yeah, I remember."

They sat in silence for a long while, passing the cigarette back and forth, watching as the residents of Storybrooke went about their day, some of them glancing curiously over at the two women sitting on the ground in front of the library. Their silence was broken as Shae flicked the cigarette butt out into the street, and started to laugh.

"Do you remember that one time you got pickles on your sandwich at Granny's?" She asked Regina.

Regina laughed too, and slowly nodded. "Yes, you refused to kiss me for three whole days. Called them, 'Cucumbers soaked in evil.'"

Shae laughed some more, and Regina laughed with her. They fell silent again for a while, their smiles slowly fading as they both reminisced about simpler times, times when they had been together, when they had been happy. Shae fiddled with the ring on her finger, fighting back tears when she remembered placing it on Regina's.

"Regina, I'm… I'm sorry, for the other day, and for earlier." She said quietly, staring down at her hands folded in her lap. "Yelling and screaming at you like I did, it… It wasn't right."

Regina nodded, giving Shae another weak smile. "I'm sorry too. You're right, I don't get to just… Change my mind whenever I want. It's not fair, not to you."

Shae nodded too, managing a weak smile back. "I think with, um… Everything that's going on, the two of us should try and work on at least being, you know… Friends."

Regina raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Is that really something you want?"

Shae shrugged, and nodded some more. "Regina, you're the only person in this town that really understands me."

"What about Elsa?" Asked Regina.

Shae glanced away from her, swallowing the hard, painful lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "I… I don't think she's going to want to talk to me." She muttered quietly. "Not even after she learns the truth."

"Really?"

"Would you?"

Regina bit her lip, staring down into her lap. Shae sighed heavily, and ran a hand through her messy black hair. "Just, um… Do me a favor, ok?" She asked of Regina. "Be nice to Elsa. She's probably the kindest person I've ever met. A little bossy, but, well… You know how Queen's are."

Regina chuckled, and Shae turned her gaze away from her, her heart aching as she saw the smile on Regina's face, the one that she loved so very, very much. The two women fell into silence once again, and sat side by side for another long while, watching the people of Storybrooke that went walking past the library.

"Can I ask you something?" Regina asked after a time. When Shae nodded, she hesitated to go on for a moment, biting her lip once again. "Do… Do you still love her?"

Shae glanced away from Regina, her brow furrowed as she pondered her question. She stared silently out into the street, and Regina waited patiently as Shae took another long while to respond. Regina's heart began to pound harder and harder in her chest as the seconds rolled by. Finally, Shae turned her head back toward her, and slowly, hesitantly, opened her mouth to reply.

Suddenly, the library doors swung open, and Shae closed her mouth again. Regina breathed out a low, irritated sigh as Emma stepped through the door. "Hey." She said with a smile. "So, um… We told Elsa everything, and she… She wants to see you, Shae. She wants to talk to you."

Shae's mouth fell open again, and she sat in shocked silence for a moment. "Oh." She muttered, her blood red eyes wide. "Um… A-Alright…"

Shae slowly rose to her feet, as did Regina. Emma stepped back, and her and Regina watched as Shae stood in front of the door, her hand resting on the handle. Emma and Regina exchanged an uncertain glance as Shae continued to hesitate, her hand trembling on the door handle.

"No… No, I can't." She muttered, stepping back from the door and vigorously shaking her head. "I… I-I'm not ready. I'm not ready for this."

"Shae, it's been over thirty years." Emma said, breathing out a laugh. "You've gotta talk to her sometime."

When Shae continued shaking her head, Emma sighed, and placed her hand on the vampire's arm. "Look, I know you're scared." She said gently. "But, it's like that troll guy said to you in your story-"

"Grand Pabbie." Shae corrected her.

"Right, yeah… What a weird name." Emma muttered, then quickly shook her head. "Right, so, it's like Grand Pabbie said. You've gotta let go of your fear."

"Let it go…" Shae whispered, her blood red eyes suddenly far, far away.

"Yeah, that's right." Emma whispered back, patting the vampire's arm. "Let it go."

Emma glanced anxiously at Regina, who refused to meet her gaze. Regina folded her arms across her chest, biting her lip as she stared silently down at the ground. She picked her head up as Shae stepped forward, and pulled the library door open. Regina and Emma followed closely behind Shae as she stepped through the door, and promptly froze in her spot as soon as she crossed the threshold. Mary Margaret, David, Hook, and Belle were all gathered around a small table near the front desk, and standing next to Belle, was Elsa.

Shae stood rigid in her spot, her eyes instantly welling with tears as she looked upon the woman that she had once loved so very, very deeply. She was exactly as Shae remembered her, right down to the glittering blue dress that she had magically fashioned for herself all those years ago. Elsa placed her hand over her mouth, and Shae saw tears in her dazzling blue eyes, the very same eyes that she had lost herself in so many times. The others watched with bated breath as Shae and Elsa both stared at each other in silence, neither of them able to even speak. Regina and Emma both watched Shae's face carefully, and neither of them had ever seen such immense sorrow and joy mingled together in anyone's eyes before.

Finally, after several moments of tense silence, Shae forced her legs to move. They felt like they were made of lead as she slowly walked forward. Elsa stood still, hand over her mouth, tears rushing down her face as she watched Shae walking toward her. Shae stopped just in front of her, opening and closing her mouth several times, her bottom lip trembling as she stared into Elsa's sparkling blue eyes. Elsa gazed back into Shae's own blood red eyes as they streamed with tears, and she slowly, hesitantly, reached out a quivering hand, placing it tenderly on the vampire's cheek.

Suddenly, all the pain, the heartache, and the sorrow that Shae had endured since returning from her near death experience weighed heavily upon her. The pain threatened to crush her as she felt Elsa's gentle touch, as she stared into her eyes, eyes that she thought she would never see again. Her head swam with memories, from the first time she and Elsa had kissed, to the utter misery she had felt after Ingrid had sent her away. She choked out a strangled sob, and, suddenly, her knees buckled under the weight of all the painful, bitter memories. Shae collapsed to the ground on her hands and knees before the woman that she had once loved, the woman whose heart she had unwillingly broken.

Emma and the others all rushed toward the vampire as Shae hit the ground, but stopped when Elsa held up her hand in a regal, commanding sort of way that only a Queen could. Elsa hesitated for a moment, staring down at the miserable, broken vampire that was sobbing on the floor at her feet. For a moment, Elsa reamined where she stood, staring down at her once Royal Protector with pity in her eyes. She then knelt down in front of Shae, and slowly, gently, pulled her into her arms. Shae buried her face in Elsa's shoulder, sobbing loudly as she felt her arms holding her tight. Even after thirty years, her embrace felt so incredibly familiar.

"Elsa… Elsa, I'm sorry…" Shae sobbed, pulling away from Elsa's shoulder, staring miserably into her piercing blue eyes. "I'm… I'm so sorry…"

"Shh, it's alright, it's ok." Elsa whispered softly, placing her hand gently on Shae's cheek. "Emma and the others, they told me everything. It… It wasn't your fault."

Shae nodded, choking out another strangled sob. "Oh god… Elsa, I… I-I missed you so much."

"I missed you too." Elsa whispered, smiling into Shae's blood red eyes.

Elsa wrapped Shae in her arms again as the vampire wept with part joy, part sorrow, her whole body shaking with violent sobs. The others all smiled at each other as they watched Shae and Elsa's emotional reunion, all except Regina. The once Evil Queen balled her hands into fists, seethingly silently as Elsa held the woman that she still loved in her arms, running her fingers through the messy black hair on the back of Shae's head. Unable to bare the sight any longer, Regina turned her back on the both of them, and promptly left the library.

Emma made to go after Regina, but was stopped by Hook. "Swan, no." He muttered quietly, grabbing on to Emma's arm. "Just… Let her go."

"You guys, you… You don't understand." Emma whispered, her eyes wide with a sudden horror as she stared around at Hook, her parents, and Belle. "Not only did I bring back Robin Hood's wife, I… I brought back Elsa, Shae's… Ex-girlfriend, who she obviously still has some sort of feelings for."

"Emma, it wasn't your fault." Mary Margaret said gently.

"I know, I know, but… I… I just…" Emma stammered. She then breathed out a miserable, heavy sigh, placing her hands over her face. "Oh god… What… What am I gonna do?"

The others all exchanged worried, mournful glances. "I… I don't know, Emma." Mary Margaret whispered.

They turned their attention back on the vampire and The Ice Queen as pulled away from Elsa's embrace, placing her quivering hands on her shoulders. "Oh god, Elsa…" She whispered, breathing out a shaky laugh. "Look at you, you… You haven't changed a bit."

Elsa laughed herself, wiping the tears away from her face. "Yes, well, I suppose being trapped in a magical urn for thirty years is good for the skin."

The smile quickly faded from Shae's face, and her mouth gaped open in confused shock. "Wait… What?"

Emma cleared her throat loudly, causing Shae to turn her head toward her. "Um, so… Remember that urn Hook found in The Dark One's vault?" She asked with a nervous smile. "It sort of… Came through the portal with us."

"And… And _you_ were inside it?" Shae asked, staring at Elsa with wide, horrified eyes. "Holy shit, t-that urn… It was the one you found Ingrid inside of, wasn't it?"

"Ingrid?" Asked Elsa, brow furrowed in confusion. "She was… Inside the urn too?"

"Um, yeah, before-" Shae began to say, then stopped, her eyes growing wide again. "Oh, that's right… You don't remember her at all, do you?"

When Elsa shook her head, Shae sighed, and rose slowly to her feet, helping Elsa up onto her's. "So… What exactly _do_ you remember?" She asked, a bit nervously.

Elsa sighed too, and slowly shook her head. "Not much, I'm afraid. It's all a bit… Hazy." She muttered. "I remember Anna leaving for Misthaven, and you returning after she wouldn't come back with you. And… And I remember my guards telling me what you had done, to Kai and… And the others. They told me that they tried to apprehend you, but you fled before they could even try, before they could even ask you why you would do such a thing. After that… Nothing."

"What about the urn?" Shae asked. "How exactly did you get trapped in there?"

Elsa shook her head again. "I… I don't know."

"Ingrid insists that it was Anna." David explained in a grave tone.

"What?" Shae exclaimed, her eyes filled with horror once again. "No! No, Anna would never do that! Elsa, she's your sister, she loves you! No, it was Ingrid, it has to be."

"Aye, we've been thinking as much." Hook muttered darkly. "What we don't know is… Why?"

"I think I might have an answer to that." Belle said, gesturing to the book that was sitting open on the table in front of her. "Elsa and I found this just before you all arrived."

The others all quickly gathered around Belle, staring down at the old, dusty book on the table. It appeared to be an ancient heraldry of Arendelle's royal line. There were small, painted portraits of the various Kings, Queens, Princes, and Princesses that had ruled Arendelle through the centuries. One of them was of Gerda, Elsa's mother, and beside hers were portraits of both of her sisters, Ingrid and Helga.

"Holy shit…" Shae whispered, staring wide eyed at the portrait of Helga. "Emma… She looks just like _you_!"

"Bloody hell, that she does." Hook muttered, his eyes just as wide as Shae's. "So that's why The Snow Queen is so obsessed with you, why she kept all those relics from your childhood."

"Relics?" Shae asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

"I have them here." Said Belle, stepping away from the table and over to the front desk, from which she retrieved a small cardboard box. "Emma and Hook found this in Ingrid's ice cream truck."

Belle dropped the box onto the table, and Shae immediately began rummaging through the various items within. "So, what, she came to this world looking for blondes?" Emma asked with a snort. "There's a lot more than just me."

"Don't I know it." Hook said, grinning cheekily at her.

"Hook…" David muttered irritably.

"Woah!" Shae suddenly exclaimed, staring wide eyed down at the object she had removed from the box, which appeared to be some sort of scroll. "This… This writing, it's ancient runic."

"Ingrid must have brought it with her from Arendelle." Elsa mused quietly.

"Wait a minute, you can read ancient runic?" Asked David, raising an eyebrow at Shae.

"Well, she did spend a lot of time in Arendelle." Mary Margaret said with a shrug.

"Oh, no, Shae can read and speak _any_ language." Elsa said, turning to Shae. "It's part of your magic, right?"

Shae's eyes grew wide, and she suddenly looked very nervous as she stared around at everyone's expectant faces. "Did I say that?" She asked Elsa with a nervous laugh. "I never said that."

"Yes, you most certainly did." Elsa replied, folding her arms across her chest.

"Are you sure?" Asked Shae. "I mean, it's been thirty years, and you _do_ have some memory loss."

"You guys, just… Enough." Emma said with a sigh, before Elsa could retort. "What exactly does that scroll say?"

"Right, sorry." Shae muttered, picking up the scroll again.

They all waited patiently as Shae's eyes scanned quickly over the writing on the scroll. As she read, her blood red eyes grew wider and wider. Finally, she slowly lowered the scroll, turning her wide, baffled gaze onto Emma.

"She wasn't just looking for blondes." Shae said quietly. "She was looking for The Savior."

"What?" The others all exclaimed in unison.

"This scroll, it's… It's a prophecy." Elsa explained, staring wide eyed at the scroll from over Shae's shoulder. "It says right here, 'The name of The Savior will be Emma.'"

"So… She knew." Emma breathed, her eyes just as wide as Shae and Elsa's.

"Even before you did, it seems." Elsa said with a solemn nod. "She knew you were powerful."

"But… Why?" Muttered David, his eyes full of fear. "What exactly does she want with Emma?"

"'The name of The Savior will be Emma.'" Shae read again from the scroll. "'And The Savior will become… Ingrid's sister.'"

Their jaws all dropped open in shock, and they stared wide eyed at the vampire. "What… What the hell does that mean?" Emma demanded, a bit angrily.

Shae sighed heavily, rolling the scroll back up and placing it carefully back in the box. "I think… Ingrid really believes in this prophecy." She answered slowly. "When she cast that spell on me, she said that she wanted a perfect family, a family that loves her and accepts her, like her sisters did. And since they're both gone-"

"She wants to replace them." Elsa whispered, staring at Emma with horror in her eyes. "With… Us."

Emma groaned in frustration, rubbing her aching forehead. "Jesus… I think I need a drink."

"Ditto." Shae agreed with a laugh.

"Why don't we all go to Granny's?" Mary Margaret offered. "We can get something to eat, something to drink, and… Process all of this."

The others all nodded in agreement. They started heading for the door, but Shae stopped when Elsa grabbed her hand. "Shae, wait." She said. When Shae turned around to face her, she paused for a moment, biting her lip hesitantly. "Now that I know the truth about what happened to you, I… Well, I'd like to talk some more, if that's alright."

Shae glanced back at Emma and the others, who were all waiting by the door. She then turned back to Elsa, breathing out a sad, heavy sigh. "Elsa, I… I'd love to, but… I'm not sure if that's such a good idea." She stammered quietly, gently squeezing Elsa's hand. "Earlier today, Ingrid showed up at my cabin, and warned me to stay out of her way, and to… Stay away from _you_."

Elsa scoffed, folding her hands across her chest. "I'm not afraid of her."

"Well, yeah, of course _you're_ not." Shae replied with a slight chuckle. "She'd never do anything to hurt you. But me? She'll turn me into a frozen vampire pop with a flick of her damn wrist."

"Why don't you guys come to Granny's with us?" David offered with a smile. "We'll all be there to keep an eye out for Ingrid."

"I've gotten pretty good with my magic." Emma said, shrugging slightly. "I'm pretty sure between me and Elsa we can keep The Snow Queen at bay."

"I won't let her hurt you Shae." Elsa whispered quietly, smiling into Shae's blood red eyes. "Not again. I promise."

Shae stared into the dazzling blue eyes of the woman that she had once loved, eyes that had remained unchanged after thirty years. Suddenly, it felt like only yesterday Shae had been holding Elsa in her arms, kissing her, telling her how much she loved her. Her unbeating heart began to flutter inside her ribcage as she looked upon her smile, the same way that it did when she saw Regina's. She thought back to the question Regina had posed to her earlier. Shae was still unsure of the answer, but, as she stood with Elsa's hand in her own, her heart began to ache with a deep, desperate longing, and she fought against the powerful urge to kiss her.

XX

The Charming family, Hook, and Belle all took seats at the counter upon arriving at Granny's Diner, to better watch the door, in case Ingrid did decided to show her face. Elsa and Shae sat in a booth in the back, so they could have some privacy as they talked for the first time in over thirty years. It was awkward at first, neither of them knowing exactly how to start the conversation. However, after a few hesitant and uncomfortable moments, they began to talk and reminisce about times long ago.

"Remember when Kristoff tried to give Sven his own bedroom?" Shae asked, laughing as she did.

"Yes! Oh, the servants threw an absolute _fit_!" Elsa exclaimed, giggling as well.

"Especially when Olaf kept leaving puddles behind everywhere he went." Shae said with another laugh.

"Yes, I didn't exactly think about that when I created that snow flurry for him." Elsa admitted, a bit sheepishly. "I wonder what he's doing now? His last letter was completely indescifrable. The only two words I could make out were, 'people,' and, 'flowers.'"

"I thought it said, 'flounders.'" Shae muttered, frowning slightly.

"Flounders?"

"Yeah, like… The fish?"

Elsa blinked several times, brow furrowed in confusion. She then burst out laughing, causing Shae to laugh as well. Back at the counter, Emma smiled fondly as she watched the two of them laughing together. She then turned back around, breathing out a laugh of her own.

"You know, I think this is the first time I've heard Shae laugh in… A long time." Emma mused to the others.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Belle said, smiling fondly at Shae and Elsa as well.

"Aye, they seem to be quite the pair." Commented Hook, with a smile of his own. "Makes you wonder, doesn't it? What do you think would have happened if Ingrid had never cast her bloody spell?"

"Well, I'm guessing from that story she told us, Shae would be… A completely different person." David answered with a shrug.

"She definitely wouldn't have turned evil, or gotten with Regina." Said Emma.

"I dunno…" Mary Margaret muttered with a sigh, turning back to glance at the two laughing in their booth. "Maybe that wouldn't have been such a bad thing."

"So, you're back to wearing all black, I see." Elsa said to Shae, gesturing to her black leather jacket.

"Yeah, well, it's kinda always been my color." Shae replied with a shrug.

"Oh, I don't know, I really liked the navy blue coat." Elsa said, shrugging herself. "And the red sash. It really brought out your eyes."

Shae chuckled dryly, taking a sip from her glass of whiskey. "Yeah, because the blood red eyes are _really_ something I want to stand out even more."

Elsa shrugged again, giving Shae a slight, sheepish smile. "I always liked them."

Shae bit her lip, and attempted to smiled back, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah… I… I know."

They fell into awkward silence once again, neither of them sure of what to say next. "So… I'd very much like to hear about what you've been doing the last thirty years." Elsa said after a time, finally breaking the silence. "Time didn't exactly pass for me inside that urn, so I'm afraid I have very little to tell myself."

Shae chewed on her lip ring nervously, staring down into her glass of whiskey. "Right, um… Before I tell you, I… I need to… I-I need you to know…"

Shae stopped her anxious stammering, and breathed out a sad, heavy sigh. "Remember when I told you that… That you saved me from the darkness?" She asked, and when Elsa nodded, she went on. "Well, without you, I… Elsa, I was just lost. I gave in to the darkness, I was… Consumed by it. The last thirty years, they haven't exactly been… Pleasant. And I just… I-I don't-"

"Shae, it's alright." Elsa said gently, reaching across the table and squeezing Shae's hand. "You can tell me. You can tell me anything."

As Shae stared into Elsa's dazzling blue eyes, she knew that what she said was true. In the years they had spent together, Shae had shared everything with Elsa, every part of her life, the good and the bad. Elsa would always listen, always comment on Shae's past with logic and understanding. Shae silently wondered if Elsa would be so understanding once she learned about everything she had done in the past thirty years, what she had become.

Slowly, hesitantly, Shae began her story. She told Elsa everything, all the details about the dark and gruesome things she had done alongside Regina, who had once been The Evil Queen. Elsa listened quietly, her face a calm and collected mask as the words tumbled from Shae's lips. She told Elsa all about falling in love with Regina, betraying her, losing her heart, and gaining it back, as well as her love for Regina. Her voice began to quaver with emotion as she talked about nearly being killed by Zelena, and coming back from the brink of death, saved by her true love, only to find her in the arms of Robin Hood, her other true love. Elsa once again reached out and took her hand, and Shae held it tight, finding Elsa's touch comforting as she recounted the pain and the heartache that had been her life as of late.

The sun was setting over the town of Storybrooke when Shae finally finished her tale. Elsa sat in silence for a while, her sparkling blue eyes shining with tears as she stared at Shae. Shae stared down into her now empty glass, unable to bare the pity and the sorrow in Elsa's eyes.

"Oh, Shae…" Elsa whispered, slowly shaking her head. "Shae, I'm… I'm so sorry."

Shae breathed out a surprised laugh. "Sorry? You're… You're not angry? Elsa, I actually became the monster that Ingrid said I was."

"I know." Elsa replied with a solemn nod. "You have… Been through so much, Shae. I think if I had seen the horrors that you have, felt that kind of pain, I… I would have reacted much the same way."

Shae laughed again, shaking her head bemusedly. "That's just like you, you know." She said with a smile. "Always using logic and reason to explain anything."

Elsa gave her a modest shrug. "Is that really such a bad thing?"

Shae shook her head again. "No. Not at all."

Silence fell over their booth again, and they both stared down at the table, their hearts heavy as they thought over the dark and painful memories that Shae had shared. Finally, Elsa glanced up from the table, and Shae's heart ached when she saw the immense sorrow in her dazzling blue eyes.

"Do you still love her?" She asked quietly.

Shae sighed heavily, hearing Regina's voice echoing the same question in her mind. "Yes." She whispered in reply. "What we have, it's… True love. As much as both of us might want it to, I don't think that's something that will ever go away, especially now that we share a heart."

Elsa nodded slowly, falling silent for another moment. "What's it like?" She asked. "Having someone else's heart inside you?"

"Well, it felt kinda… Weird, at first." Shae replied with an uncertain shrug. "But it's really not so much different than before."

"I see." Elsa muttered, slowly nodding her head again. "I suppose when you share such a strong bond with someone, sharing a heart is quite easy."

Shae chuckled sourly. "If only…"

Elsa smiled sadly, hesitating in silence for another moment. "So… Do you think… D-Does she-"

"Love me too?" Shae finished for her, smiling a sad smile back. "Yeah, she told me so just a few days ago. But, I was so angry, in so much pain… I turned her away, screamed at her, told her that she can't just decided she loves Robin one day and me the next."

"You're not wrong, Shae." Elsa said in reply.

Shae breathed out another sad, heavy sigh. "I know." She whispered. "I just… I don't know what to do, Elsa."

Elsa sighed heavily herself, and silence fell between them for another moment as she pondered Shae's words. "Well, I'm afraid even _my_ exceptional logic and reason is at a loss."

"I think _that's_ a first." Shae replied with a chuckle. She then reached out and took Elsa's hand again, squeezing it gently as she smiled a warm, grateful smile. "Thank you. For listening, I mean. I haven't really talked about any of this stuff, and it… It helps."

Shae paused for a moment, her smile fading as she stared down at Elsa's hand in her own. "I… I know that it wasn't easy to hear." She went on quietly. "And I know you getting to Storybrooke wasn't exactly under the best circumstances, but… It's just… Really good to see you again. I'm really glad you're here, Elsa."

Elsa placed her other hand on top of Shae's, and smiled into her blood red eyes. "Me too."

As they both stared deep into each other's eyes, a sudden tension began to build up between them, a sudden heat. Once again, Shae felt like it had been only yesterday that she had been happy and carefree while in Elsa's loving embrace. Suddenly, her hands began to tremble, and she found herself staring longingly at Elsa's lips.

"Hey!"

Elsa and Shae both jumped, suddenly roused from their daze as Emma, her parents, Belle and Hook approached their booth. "So, it's getting pretty late…" Emma began to say with an apologetic smile.

"Oh. Um… Right, ok." Shae stammered, quickly removing her hand from Elsa's. "Yeah, I should… I should probably go."

"Wait! Shae, you can't just go out there alone!" Elsa cried as she clambered out of their booth after Shae. "It's dangerous! I've seen the kind of power Ingrid has over you."

"I'll be fine, I promise." Shae insisted gently.

"Please, allow me to at least see you safely back home." Elsa pleaded, gripping Shae's hand tight.

Shae hesitated for a moment, glancing anxiously around at Emma and the others. She then breathed out a relenting sigh. "Alright, alright. I know you won't take, 'no,' for an answer anyway." She said, chuckling lightly. "Come on, bossypants. Lets go."

"I am not bossy!" Elsa cried indignantly, following Shae toward the door.

"Um, yeah, you kinda are." Shae replied with another chuckle. "But, like… In a good way."

The others all watched with smiles on their faces as Shae and Elsa left the diner together, all except for Emma. The Savior stared silently down at the floor, her blonde brow furrowed deep as she thought about the look in Shae's eyes from only moments ago. She had seen the same look before. It was the same way that she looked at Regina, and had once looked at Emma herself. Now, she saw the same look in Shae's blood red eyes as she was talking with Elsa, as she smiled at the woman that she had once loved, laughed with her. Next, she thought about Regina, the pain she had seen in _her_ eyes as she watched Elsa holding Shae in her arms. She had seen that look before, in the eyes of her old friend Lily, her friend that she had betrayed, just like Regina. Suddenly, Emma's heart began to ache with misery, and with guilt.

The others all turned toward Emma as she buried her face in her hands, breathing out a heavy, shaky sigh. "Oh god, you guys…" She whispered softly. "What… What have I done?"

XX

Elsa and Shae talked some more as they made their way toward the vampire's cabin in the woods. As she walked side by side with Elsa, Shae found herself reminiscing about the times when she and Elsa strolled hand in hand through the Arendelle Palace gardens. Shae had liked their nighttime walks best. The two of them would stop in the center of the gardens, and lie down in the grass, talking about everything and nothing as they gazed up at the moon and the stars. The twinkling stars had always reminded Shae of Elsa's eyes.

"Well, um… This is it." Shae announced once they arrived at her cabin. "It's not exactly Arendelle Castle, but, uh… It's alright."

"It is very… Rustic." Elsa commented, a bit hesitantly. "So, what exactly was Regina's castle like? Was it anything like mine?"

"Um… Kind of." Shae replied with a slight shrug. "Except a lot more sinisterly decorated. You know… Torture chamber, heads on spikes, stuff like that."

Elsa laughed, and Shae laughed with her. Elsa's smile then slowly faded, and she cleared her throat awkwardly, staring down at her feet. "Shae, there's… There's something I need to tell you." She began slowly. "You talk about your time in Arendelle like it was… A lifetime ago. I suppose it really was, for you, at least. But… But, for me…"

Elsa paused for a moment, and Shae's brow furrowed in concern when she saw tears welling into her sparkling blue eyes. "Shae, time didn't exactly pass for me in that urn." Elsa went on. "So… I… I guess what I'm trying to say… W-What I'm trying to tell you, is-"

"You still love me." Shae whispered.

Elsa sighed heavily, and slowly nodded. "Yes." She whispered back, smiling into Shae's blood red eyes. "I was so angry when my guards told me what you had done, in so much pain after you just… Disappeared. But now… Now I know the truth. Being here with you, I… Shae, I knew it the moment I first saw you again."

Shae breathed out an astonished laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. "Even after I told you about everything that I've done, you… You still love me?"

Elsa nodded, smiling as tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "Yes. Very much so."

Shae laughed again, shaking her head even more. "Elsa, I… I-I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." Elsa whispered as she took a step forward, placing her hands gently on Shae's chest. "Please, just… Just… Kiss me."

Shae opened and closed her mouth several times as she stared into Elsa's piercing, pleading eyes. "Elsa, I… I don't know… I-I don't think-"

"Please." Elsa begged, more tears spilling down her face. "Please, Shae. Kiss me like you used to, like-"

The rest of Elsa's words were cut off as Shae pulled her against her body by her hips, and kissed her, just like she wanted. Elsa emitted a soft moan as her their lips parted, and she curled her arms around Shae's neck, gently squeezing a fistful of her hair. Tears began to leak from Shae's eyes as her lips slowly and gently parted against Elsa's again and again. The taste of her lips, the curves of her body, her scent, they were all so incredibly familiar. For a moment, Shae was transported back in time, to the last time she had kissed Elsa. It was just before her journey to go see Grand Pabbie, a journey from which she had never returned.

As Shae kissed the woman that she once loved, she found her mind beginning to wander, and it wandered straight to Regina. Suddenly, Regina's deep brown eyes were flashing before her own, and she found herself longing for her touch, her scent, _her_ lips. Elsa must have sensed it, for her body suddenly tensed up, and she drew away from their embrace. Shae's hands fell away from Elsa's hips, and her heart ached with misery when she saw the pain and the sorrow in her dazzling blue eyes.

"I… I'm sorry." Elsa whispered, wiping the tears away from her face. "I just… I wanted to see if this still felt the same."

"Did it?" Shae asked her quietly.

Elsa shook her head, wiping at even more tears. "No." She whispered, her tone heavy with sorrow. "No, it… It didn't."

Shae nodded, breathing out a heavy, miserable sigh. "Elsa, I… I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." Elsa replied, smiling sadly as she gently took Shae's hand. "It's been over thirty years since we were last together. Your heart has moved on, Shae, and you don't have to be sorry for that."

Shae opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to come up with something, anything to say to the woman she had once loved, the woman whose heart she had broken. Elsa simply continued to smile at her, and Shae smiled back, once again astounded by The Ice Queen's uncommon kindness, patience, and understanding. Elsa then cleared her throat, releasing Shae's hand.

"Now, I… I think I need to be alone for a while." She muttered quietly. "But, I would… Like to see you again, if that's alright. I haven't really gotten to see much of this town since I've been here. Perhaps you could… Show me around?"

Shae nodded in agreement, smiling a warm, grateful smile. "Yeah, I'd… I'd love to."

Elsa nodded back, and she placed a quick, gentle kiss on Shae's cheek. Shae closed her eyes, tears leaking down her face as she tried to savor the feeling of Elsa's lips upon her cheek. She remained where she stood for a moment, watching as Elsa's glittering blue cape disappeared between the trees. As soon as she was lost from sight, Shae stepped inside her cabin, and immediately sank down onto the floor, her back pressed against the door.

Shae sat in the dark and the silence for a long time, her heart aching, her mind fraught with uncertainty. She wanted so desperately to run after Elsa, to kiss her again, to be wrapped in her loving, comforting embrace. However, she desperately wanted to go to Regina as well, just like she had been for weeks now. It was like it had been with Emma all over again. She knew she loved Regina, but seeing Elsa again had dredged up feelings deep within her, feelings that she could not ignore. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears leaking down her cold, pale face as Regina's gorgeous brown eyes flashed across her mind. Somehow, someway, she could even swear that she could smell the scent of her perfume. The vampire was totally unaware that, at that very moment, only a few inches of wood stood between her and her true love, whose heart was aching for her as well.

Regina slowly slid down onto the ground, leaning her back against Shae's cabin door, trying to stifle her tears so Shae's sensitive hearing wouldn't hear her crying. After leaving the library, Regina had returned to her vault, to focus her attention back on trying to find a way to free Marian from Ingrid's icy spell. Unable to concentrate, unable to get the horrifying image of Elsa holding Shae in her arms out of her mind, Regina had made the decision to go to Shae. She needed to tell her how she felt, that she couldn't just be her friend, not when she was still so deeply in love with her. She needed to get to Shae, before it was too late, before she lost her like she had Robin, before she fell in love with Elsa all over again.

Regina had paused, quickly stepping behind a tree when she spotted Elsa and Shae talking just outside the cabin, trying to remember the words that she had been rehearsing on her way there. Suddenly, her breath caught in her throat, and she had to stifle a horrified sob as she watched Shae pull Elsa into her arms, and kiss her. Regina pressed her back against the tree trunk, placing her hands over her mouth, fighting back against the urge to scream.

As Elsa swept past Regina hiding behind the tree, the once Evil Queen summoned a fireball into her hand, a horrible, terrible rage boiling within her chest. She raised her hand into the air, her whole body shaking as she glared viciously at the back of The Ice Queen's blonde haired head. She hesitated for a moment, and, suddenly, Elsa was gone. She extinguished her fireball, burying her face in her hands as she choked out a soft, strangled sob. That wasn't who she was, not anymore, and she knew full well that Shae would never forgive her if she harmed even a single hair on Elsa's head.

"Be nice to Elsa. She's the kindest person I've ever met."

Regina collapsed onto her hands and knees, Shae's voice echoing through her ears. She remained where she was upon the ground for a few moments, her tears dripping down onto the fallen leaves of the forest floor. She then scrambled up onto her feet, and rushed to Shae's cabin. She hesitated again, fist raised in the air just outside the door. Suddenly, she was overcome with emotion, and her knees buckled again. She slid down onto the ground with her back against the door, placing her hands over her mouth once again as she stifled her miserable sobs. It was too late.

Just like Robin could have saved Regina from becoming The Evil Queen, Elsa could have saved Shae from her own darkness. Regina knew that, unlike herself, Shae had changed, and had done nothing but good since arriving in Storybrooke. Unlike Regina, Shae deserved to have a happy ending, she deserved to be loved and cared for by someone who would never dream of hurting her, someone like Elsa. Unlike Regina, Shae was no longer a villian, and villians just don't get happy endings.

XX

After happening upon Shae and Elsa's passionate embrace, Regina retreated back into isolation. Despite her feelings for Shae, despite how much it hurt her to her very core, Regina knew that she had no right to interfere with Shae's relationship with beautiful and powerful Ice Queen, just like she had no right to interfere with Robin and Marian. She continued to search through every spellbook she had at her disposal, determined to find a way to unfreeze her true love's wife, determined to, for once, do the right thing. She saw and spoke to almost no one, except for her son, and also Emma. The Savior had gone to Regina the morning after she had found the woman she loved in the arms of her former lover. Already mentally and emotionally exhausted, Regina forgave Emma for bringing back Robin Hood's wife, and for bringing back Elsa. Regina knew full well that none of it was actually Emma's fault, and, finally, after so much malice and hatred, the two of them started to become friends.

Shae continued to spend more and more time with Elsa over the next several days, almost always accompanied by Emma, just in case Ingrid decided to show up. However, The Snow Queen continued to remain carefully and quietly out of sight, waiting for the opportune moment to finally cast her spell. Belle, with the help of her husband, Mr. Gold, had finally deduced what Ingrid's plan was for Storybrooke. She was going to cast the spell of shattered sight, which would cause everyone in town to give in to their deepest, darkest desires, and turn on each other, leaving no one left alive except for Emma, Elsa, and Ingrid herself. Unbeknownst to everyone else, Gold was on his own mission, and blackmailed Hook into helping him gather more and more power within the strange, magical hat, so he could finally be free of the dagger that controlled his dark and dangerous powers.

Emma had enlisted Tinkerbelle's help, and she, Elsa, and Shae were wandering the main street of Storybrooke, waiting for the former fairy to return with some pixie dust. Emma planned to use it on Ingrid, so they could trap her, and finally put a stop to her dark and twisted plan.

"So, you're saying that someone in this world wrote a story about vampires that… Sparkle?" Elsa asked of Emma and Shae. When they both nodded, she shook her head in complete befuddlement. "That… That is just… Absurd!"

"Right?" Shae exclaimed in agreement.

"I dunno…" Emma began with a slightly embarrassed shrug. "I… I kind liked it."

Shae stopped dead in her tracks, grabbing on to Emma's arm, looking positively appalled. "You shut your whore mouth!"

"Hey!" Emma cried indignantly. "Come on, the whole Edward and Bella thing, it was just… A good love story!"

"No way!" Shae exclaimed in protest. "I can name like… A million things that are a better love story than Twilight!" She then began rattling off different pairs of things, holding up a finger each time. "Granny and her crossbow, Leroy and his axe, Archie and Pongo, you and… What's his name!"

"You know his name." Emma said sternly, folding her arms across her chest.

"Right, right… 'Captain Hook.'" Shae replied with a snort.

"It's, 'Killian.'" Emma corrected, narrowing her eyes at the vampire.

"Right, right…" Shae muttered again.

Elsa laughed as Emma rolled her eyes at the vampire. They continued along down the street, stopping again when Emma gripped Shae's arm, pointing at the tiny frozen yogurt shop just ahead of them.

"Hey, let's stop in here!" She said, then turned to Elsa. "You've never had frozen yogurt, have you?"

"Frozen… What?" Elsa asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

"It's like ice cream, except… Better!" Emma exclaimed excitedly. " _And_ it's better _for_ you."

"I don't think that's true." Shae said with a skeptical frown.

"Sure it is." Emma replied, waving her hand dismissively. "Come on, let's hurry before they get busy. This place has gotten super popular since Ingrid's shop shut down."

Emma pulled Elsa toward the frozen yogurt shop by the hand, and Shae trailed along behind them, chuckling all the while. Elsa stared all around her in wonder, absolutely astounded as she gazed upon the dozens and dozens of assorted toppings on display along the walls.

"T-Twenty-four… Toppings?" She asked the girl behind the counter, her sparkling blue eyes as wide as saucers.

Shae laughed as she removed several bills from her wallet, and set them down on the counter. "It's on me." She said with a smile. "Go nuts, you two."

Elsa and Emma both grinned at each other, and promptly scooped up the paper bowls that the clerk handed to them. Frozen yogurt was a bit too much for Shae's heightened sense of taste, so she stood by the door, watching with a fond smile as both Emma and Elsa began choosing their flavors and toppings. Emma, who was much more familiar with the process, joined Shae by the door when she was finished, and they both watched as the young girl behind the counter explained to Elsa what all the different toppings were.

"I'm happy you're feeling better." Emma said to Shae. When Shae furrowed her brow at her, Emma rolled her eyes, gently poking her in the side with her elbow. "Come on, this is the most I've seen you smile in… Well, a really long time."

Shae remained silent, and Emma sighed, slowly stirring her frozen yogurt with her plastic spoon. "It's because of Elsa." Emma told her with a small smile. "She's, uh… She's really great, you know."

Shae sighed herself, her blood red eyes suddenly filled with sorrow. "I know." She whispered softly.

Emma nodded, watching as Elsa piled chocolate sprinkles onto her already chocolate flavored frozen yogurt. "Shae, I've been thinking…" She began in a low tone. "Maybe all this with Regina, and us getting stuck in the past, it all… Happened for a reason. You and Elsa have such history together, and now it's kinda like you've both got a… Fresh start."

Shae breathed out another heavy sigh as she leaned back against the wall. "I know." She whispered again. "I've been thinking about that too. But, Emma… Regina and I, we share a heart now. We're tethered together even more so than we were before."

"Well, yeah…" Emma admitted with a shrug. "But, Regina's also tethered to Robin Hood."

"I know." Shae muttered once again. "Honestly, I… Feel sorry for her. Things were bad enough when you and I were… You know. And having two people that are her, you know, actual true loves… I can't even imagine what that's like."

"It's definitely been…" Emma began to say, pausing as she searched for the right word. "Tough. On both of you."

Shae nodded slowly, quietly muttering once more. "I know."

Elsa had finally finished piling as many chocolate flavored toppings as she could onto her frozen yogurt, and the three of them sat down at a table outside on the patio. Emma and Elsa both dug in to their frozen treats, and Shae watched them both with another fond and amused smile. Once finished, they continued on down Main Street, no particular destination in mind as they waited for Tinkerbell to return.

"Thank you, that was… Amazing." Elsa said, smiling at Shae as she gently squeezed her hand.

Shae nodded, smiling back at her. "You're very welcome."

Emma trailed along behind them, watching with a smile of her own as Elsa kept her hand in Shae's as they walked. Emma half expected Shae to recoil at her touch, but, surprisingly, she didn't. Instead, she simply laced her fingers in with Elsa's, as if it were second nature to her. Emma had been noticing that, the more time Shae and Elsa spent together, the closer they became. On one hand, Emma was glad that Elsa was bringing some happiness into Shae's life, but, on the other, she secretly hoped that it wouldn't amount to anything more than friendship. She was finally starting to repair her relationship with Regina, and Emma knew that if Shae really did fall for Elsa all over again, Regina would never forgive her.

"Hey!"

Emma was roused from her quiet and anxious musings when Tinkerbell came rushing up to them. "I got it!" She announced excitedly, holding up a small vial of fairy dust.

"No way!" Emma exclaimed. "Mother Superior actually gave it to you?"

Tink bit her lip, exchanging a nervous glance with Elsa and Shae. "Um… Sure. We'll go with that."

"You stole it, didn't you?" Shae asked, raising a knowing eyebrow at the former fairy.

"Yes, alright, I did!" Cried Tink, throwing her arms up in the air. "She was being so damn stubborn about it!"

Emma rolled her eyes, chuckling lightly. "Let's just… Get to work before she realizes what you did."

"Right, so, what exactly is the plan here?" Asked Shae.

They all looked expectantly to Emma, who shrugged at them, rather uncertainly. "Well, um… We just, you know… Sneak in to Ingrid's lair and… Chuck the stuff at her."

"That is… A terrible plan." Shae replied slowly.

"Yes, I agree." Elsa agreed with a frown. "We should try and lure her out somehow. That way, we'll at least have the element of surprise on our side."

"Right, ok…" Emma muttered, slowly nodding. "So… How exactly do we do that?"

Silence fell over the group as they all stared down at the ground, brows furrowed in concentration as they pondered how exactly to lure the elusive Snow Queen out from hiding. Suddenly, they turned their eyes up onto Shae, as the vampire breathed out a low, slightly sour chuckle.

"I think I know exactly how." She said, her blood red eyes sparkling with an idea. "Tink, get that dust ready."

Tink nodded, and swiftly uncorked the vial, holding it up and at the ready. Shae then turned to Elsa. "Ready?" She asked her.

"Ready?" Elsa echoed, brow furrowed in confusion. "Ready for-"

Elsa didn't get to finish her question. Shae grabbed The Ice Queen by her hips, pulled her in close, and pressed a kiss firmly on her lips. Emma and Tink's jaws both dropped open in shock, and Tink slowly lowered her arm, gaping silently at Emma. Shae held their kiss for a moment, and Elsa stood frozen in her arms, too startled to move. Shae then pulled away ever so slightly, and blue eyes stared silently into red. For a moment, the two of them stood rigid in their spots, gazing deep into each other's eyes. Then, Shae placed her hand gently on Elsa's cheek, and kissed her again.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and Emma, Tinkerbell, and the entire town of Storybrooke faded away around them as Shae and Elsa kissed. Elsa wrapped her arms around Shae's neck, and Shae drew her in closer, holding her tight as their lips parted slowly, gently. This time, Shae's thoughts did not wander away from Elsa. For the first time in a long time, the vampire's mind was free and clear of all the pain and the suffering she had endured since being restored to life. All she felt was Elsa's arms wrapped around her, her lips against her own, her nostrils filled with her comforting and familiar scent. Finally, after weeks and weeks of misery and torment, Shae felt a small glimmer of something that she hadn't felt in a long, long time: Happiness.

"You're… Making it snow."

Shae and Elsa broke apart, startled out of their momentary daze when Tinkerbell spoke quietly from beside them. They both glanced up, and found that there were indeed small flurries of snow falling from the sky just above them.

"Oh… Oh dear." Elsa stammered, her cheeks flushing with heat as she brushed the snow off of Shae's shoulders. "I-I'm so sorry."

"Snow…" Emma muttered with a disappointed frown. "But no Snow Queen."

"Damn." Shae grumbled, glancing all around her. "I thought that would work. I thought she would-"

"How _dare_ you!"

All four women practically leapt out of their skin. They all whirled around, and gasped when they found Ingrid standing just behind them. Her clenched fists shook with rage, as she glared at Shae, pure malice in her eyes.

"I warned you, Shae." Ingrid snarled in a low, dangerous tone. "I told you to stay away from Elsa."

"Yeah, well, I'm not a very good listener." Shae replied with a shrug. "TINK, NOW!"

Shae leapt back a step, pulling Elsa back with her. She wrapped her arms protectively around Elsa as Tinkerbell hurled the contents of the vial in her hand at Ingrid. The former fairy's aim was sure and true, and the pixie dust shot through the air, straight toward Ingrid's heart.

Quick as a flash, faster than anyone could even blink, Ingrid raised her hand, stopping the pixie dust in its tracks. Tinkerbell and the others stood in silent, horrified shock, watching as the magical dust hovered in the air for a moment, falling harmlessly to the ground as The Snow Queen lowered her hand.

"Uh oh…" Tink muttered.

"You meddlesome little _pest_!" Ingrid spat, eyeing Tinkerbell with sheer contempt.

Ingrid threw out her arm, and a bright white blast of icy magic shot forth from her hand. All Tink had time to do was draw in a startled gasp, her eyes growing wide as the beam of magic shot straight toward her.

"NO!"

All anyone saw was a black blur of motion, and, suddenly, Shae was standing between Tinkerbell and Ingrid, her arms spread wide. The Snow Queen's magic hit Shae straight in the chest, and the vampire's entire body immediately caked over in blue, shimmering ice, just as it had before.

"NO!" Elsa screamed.

"SHAE!" Cried Emma.

"Unfreeze her!" Elsa demanded, taking a furious step toward her aunt, her sparkling blue eyes flashing with rage. "Unfreeze her, RIGHT NOW!"

"No." Ingrid replied, waving her hand in Elsa's direction.

Elsa gasped in alarm, staring down at her feet as Ingrid encased them both in ice. Emma and Tinkerbell both rushed at The Snow Queen, but were stopped in their tracks, unable to move as their feet were encased in ice, just like Elsa's.

"I warned her." Ingrid said quietly, shaking her head in a sad sort of way. "Now, no one will be able to save her, not even The Evil Queen."

"NO!" Emma and Elsa both screamed in unison as Ingrid stepped toward Shae.

The Savior and The Ice Queen both threw out their hands, and Ingrid was blasted away by the force of their magic. Tink threw her fist into the air, crying out triumphantly as The Snow Queen hit the ground hard. Elsa and Emma both raised their hands, readying themselves for another fight as Ingrid slowly rose to her feet. However, she remained where she stood, staring at the two of them with pain in her eyes.

"Emma, Elsa…" She whispered quietly, slowly shaking her head. "Don't you see? I'm only trying to protect you both from this… Monster."

"She's not the monster, YOU ARE!" Elsa shouted furiously, her bright blue eyes shining with tears. "I know all about what you did to her, how you took her away from me!"

"Oh, Elsa…" Ingrid replied, smiling sadly at her beloved niece. "I was only trying to help you."

"LIAR!" Elsa bellowed.

The powerful and furious Ice Queen threw her hands out again, and The Snow Queen was once again knocked off of her feet by Elsa's icy blast of magic. Ingrid rolled across the ground, pushing herself up onto her elbow when she came to a stop. Elsa's hands quivered with rage, and, for the first time since meeting her, Emma saw nothing but fury in her usual kind and gentle eyes.

"You'll see, both of you." Ingrid whispered, smiling another warm, sad smile. "Soon you will see her for the monster that she is, and you both will love me, like you did, once."

With that, Ingrid disappeared in a whirl of white snow flurries. As soon as she was gone, the ice covering Emma, Tink, and Elsa's feet shattered to pieces. Now free from The Snow Queen's magic, Elsa immediately rushed over to Shae, placing her quivering hands on the vampire's frozen face.

"Oh no…" She whispered, tears beginning to rush down her face. "No, no, no… Shae!"

"Elsa, it's alright, she'll be fine." Emma said gently. "I'll call Regina, she can unfreeze her."

"She… She can?" Tink asked as Emma pulled out her cellphone, hastily dialing Regina's number.

"Yes, with… True love's kiss." Elsa replied, a bit begrudgingly.

"Oh… Oh, I see." Tink muttered. "So… She's still alive in there?"

"Of course, only fire and silver can kill a vampire." Elsa answered, waving her hand dismissively.

"Dammit, Regina!" Emma shouted, glaring down at her cellphone in her hand. "Answer your goddamn phone!"

"I thought the two of you mended your differences." Said Elsa, raising an eyebrow at Emma.

"We did, but Regina tends to… Hold a grudge." Emma muttered in reply. "You guys stay here with Shae. I'll go find her."

Tink and Elsa both nodded, and Emma raced off down the street toward her tiny yellow bug. The fairy and The Ice Queen waited, and waited, and waited, occasionally having to shoo off curious passersby. A few of them happened to be Henry, David, and Mary Margaret, who was pushing baby Neal along in his stroller. Elsa and Tink quickly explained to them what had happened, and they all lent their aid to the search for Regina.

Tinkerbell sat down on the curb, watching helplessly as Elsa paced anxiously in front of her, throwing concerned glances at the statue made of ice that was now Shae every few seconds. She stopped suddenly, and Tinkerbell leapt to her feet when Mary Margaret, David, and Henry returned to them. Their hopeful smiles quickly faded. Regina was not among them.

"This is ridiculous!" Elsa exclaimed heatedly. "I will _not_ sit here helplessly any longer!"

The others all exchanged curious glances as Elsa stood squarely in front of the frozen vampire. "Elsa, what are you doing?" Tink asked, breathing out a heavy sigh.

"Unfreezing her." Elsa replied with a determined nod.

Before anyone could do or say anything, Elsa threw out her hands, sending blue, icy beams of magic straight at Shae. They all leapt back, and watched with bated breath as Elsa sent a steady stream of ice magic right into the frozen vampire's chest. The Ice Queen held it there for a few long moments, then lowered her hands, and they all let out disappointed breaths. Elsa's magic had no affect, and Shae continued to remain as frozen as ever.

"She needs true love's kiss." Henry muttered sadly.

"True love's kiss…" Elsa quietly echoed, her bright blue eyes suddenly growing wide as she stared at Shae.

"Elsa, I know what you're thinking." Mary Margaret said gently, slowly shaking her head. "But, Regina, she's Shae's true love. She's the only one that can unfreeze her."

"Yes, I understand that." Elsa replied, a bit bitterly. "But… But it won't hurt to try."

The others all exchanged sad, knowing glances, but decided to remain silent, not wanting to quash Elsa's already fragile hope. They watched as Elsa stepped up to Shae, placing her hands gently on either side of her frozen face. She smiled as she stared into the vampire's now ice blue eyes, her own welling with tears.

"I love you, Shae." She whispered softly, then placed a gentle kiss on Shae's frozen lips.

The people gathered on the sidewalk all cried out in alarm, and Elsa, along with everyone else, leapt back as a pulsewave of magic shot out from between Shae and Elsa's lips. Suddenly, the ice encasing Shae's body shattered to pieces, and Shae herself drew in a deep, shuddering gasp. They all watched in complete and utter shock as she stumbled forward, collapsing to the ground on her hands and knees, her whole body trembling violently.

"S-S-Son of a… B-Bitch, that's c-cold!" Shae stammered, wrapping her arms tightly around her torso. She then noticed Elsa standing before her, and her brow furrowed in confusion. "Elsa? W-What… What's going on?"

Elsa stood rooted in her spot with her hands over her mouth, unable to move, unable to speak. When she failed to respond, Shae shakily pushed herself up onto her feet. Her blood red eyes grew wide when she finally noticed David, Mary Margaret, and Henry gaping silently at her.

"What are you guys doing here?" She asked, brow furrowed once again.

Nobody moved, nobody replied, every single one of them too shocked and confused to even speak. Suddenly, the sound of car doors slamming shut broke through the silence. They all spun around, and found that Emma had finally returned, with Regina in tow.

"What's going on here?" Regina asked of them, then glanced at Emma. "I thought you said she was frozen."

"She was." Emma replied, looking just as perplexed as Regina. "Wait a minute… Did Ingrid _actually_ unfreeze you?"

Emma, Regina, and also Shae, waited for a response, the three of them staring expectantly at the others. When they all remained silent, still too startled to speak, Tinkerbell finally replied. "No." She whispered quietly, staring at Elsa with wide, baffled eyes. "It… It was Elsa."

"Really?" Shae asked of Elsa. When she nodded, Shae grinned broadly. "Awesome! How'd you do it?"

Elsa finally lowered her hands, and opened and closed her mouth several times, slowly shaking her head. When she failed to respond, Henry was the one to answer. "She… Kissed you." He said, his tone just as shocked and quiet as Tink's.

The grin faded from Shae's face, and her jaw dropped open. "What?"

"We told her it wouldn't work." Whispered Mary Margaret, shaking her head in bewilderment. "But… But then it did!"

"W-What?" Shae asked again.

"Shae, She… She kissed you, and you… Unfroze." David explained slowly.

"What?"

"True love's kiss." Tink answered. "She… She used true love's kiss."

"What?"

Mary Margaret groaned in frustration, rubbing her forehead. "Please stop saying, 'what.'"

"Wait a minute…" Regina began slowly as she turned to Elsa, finally breaking her shocked and confused silence. "You're saying that you… Saved her with true love's kiss? _You_?"

Elsa nodded silently, still too stunned to speak. Shae gaped silently at her for a few moments, and then, suddenly, started to laugh. It began as a low, quiet chuckle, and slowly grew into loud, raucous guffaws. The others all stood in silence, watching Shae as she continued laughing in a nervous and slightly deranged sort of way, her blood red eyes wide and wild.

"This… T-This is… This is crazy!" She stammered, laughing even more. "This is crazy, this is crazy, this is crazy!"

The others all continued to stand in silence, exchanging worried glances with each other as Shae repeated the same line over and over again, in varying, hysterical, fluctuating tones. She paced wildly up and down the street, running her hands through her hair, throwing them up in the air, occasionally pointing a shaky finger at them as she continued yelling.

"Are you broken?" Asked Tink, eyeing Shae with grave concern.

"What? No!" Shae exclaimed, finally stopping in her tracks. "This… This is just… FUCKING CRAZY!"

"Shae, please, just… Calm down." Elsa said gently, taking a step toward her.

"NO! No, no!" Shae shouted, stumbling backward a few steps, staring wide eyed at Elsa. "I… I just… I don't… I-I need to…"

Shae stopped her crazed stammering, and suddenly turned to Tinkerbell. She stomped over to the former fairy, and the others all gasped in alarm as she wrapped an arm around her waist, and hoisted her over her shoulder.

"Hey! What the hell are you-" Tink began to protest loudly.

Suddenly, Tink's words caught in her throat as Shae sprinted down the street in a black blur of motion. The vampire's head spun wildly as she ran as fast as her superhuman speed would carry her, straight to the convent. She found Mother Superior within, and had Tink quickly explain to her everything that had just happened. Mother Superior listened quietly, her brow furrowing deeper and deeper as Tink went on.

"When exactly did you meet Elsa?" She asked of Shae, once Tink was finished. "Was it before or after you met Tinkerbell?"

"I… I don't know." Shae stammered uncertainly. "I don't exactly remember meeting her."

"Wait, hold on." Said Tink, slowly shaking her head. "Right after I took your memories, you saw me standing in front of you, spoke to me for a moment, even. Do you remember that?"

Shae stared down at the floor in silence for a few moments, anxiously chewing on her lip ring, rubbing her chin as she thought hard. "Oh! Oh, ok, yeah." She finally replied, nodding hastily. "Um… Right, so, after that, I… I went inside a tavern."

"Yes, that's right." Tink affirmed with a nod.

"And… A-And, I remember… Drinking at the bar." Shae went on, squeezing her eyes shut as she pictured the memory in her mind. "Then, I… I remember feeling like I needed to… Get away, all of a sudden. Like I needed to leave The Enchanted Forest, get as far away as possible."

"I see." Muttered Mother Superior. "You _did_ have Tinkerbell take your memories to assure that you would keep far away from Regina. It appears that your subconscious was urging you even further."

"What happened next?" Asked Tink, gesturing for Shae to go on.

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, rubbing her forehead with a shaky hand. She knew exactly what she had done next. "That same night, I got on a ship." She answered quietly. "And, that ship… It… It took me to-"

"Arendelle." Tink finished for her.

When Shae slowly nodded, Mother Superior nodded back, sighing heavily herself. "I see." She muttered once again. "It's as I thought."

"What? What are you talking about?" Asked Shae.

"I told you once before, that when you chose to forget your true love, the powers that be granted Regina a second option, by way of Robin Hood." Mother Superior explained, her tone solemn and quiet. "It appears that those very same powers decided to grant _you_ a second option as well, by way of Elsa."

Shae stood in shocked silence for a moment, her mouth gaping open at both the fairies. "What the fuck?" She breathed quietly, her blood red eyes growing wide and wild once again. "What… What in the actual _fuck_ is happening right now?"

"I just explained it to you." Mother Superior replied simply.

"Yeah, I-I know, but…" Shae stammered, slowly shaking her head. "Just… Oh my god…"

Shae leaned her back against the wall, and sank straight down onto the floor. Tinkerbell and Mother Superior exchanged a concerned and sorrowful glance as Shae stared blankly at the opposite wall, her blood red eyes shining with tears. Tink then sat down next to her, and, surprisingly, so did Mother Superior.

"I don't envy you, Shae." Mother Superior said quietly, then breathed out a sour chuckle. "Though how exactly people like you and Regina were granted not one, but two true loves is beyond me."

"Hey." Shae muttered with a frown. "I thought we were friends now."

Mother Superior bit her lip, and cleared her throat awkwardly. "Yes, you're right. I'm sorry, I just… Forget sometimes."

Shae nodded, turning her eyes back onto the wall in front of her. Tink leaned forward slightly, giving Mother Superior a reproachful glance, to which Mother Superior simply shrugged. The three of them sat in silence for a long time, Shae's mind swimming with the events of the last few hours, and everything that Mother Superior had just told her. The two fairies sat quietly on either side of her, not at all knowing what to say.

"What are you going to do, Shae?" Tink asked after a time.

Shae didn't respond right away, continuing to stare straight ahead of her. She then breathed out a long, heavy sigh, wiping away the tears that had leaked onto her face.

"I don't know, Tink." She whispered softly. "I just… Don't know."

XX

The next night, The Charming Family was gathered inside their tiny apartment, along with Hook and Elsa. Nobody in town had seen hide nor hair of Shae since the previous day, since the vampire found out that, not only was Regina her true love, but so was Elsa. Elsa herself was alarmed by the same news, but was mostly concerned about Shae. Emma and the others were concerned as well, none of them even able to imagine what their vampire friend was going through at the moment. Regardless, they all attempted to reassure Elsa that Shae would return eventually, once she was able to process this new and startling revelation.

"She'll be fine, I promise." Emma told Elsa gently. "She just kinda… Does this when she's upset. Remus did the same thing a while ago, when he thought Shae was dead."

"Maybe it's a vampire thing." Henry offered with a shrug.

Elsa nodded at the boy, breathing out a heavy sigh. Then, a small, wistful smile slowly crept across her face. "One time, back in Arendelle, Shae and I had a fight over… Oh, I don't even remember, probably something silly." She said with a chuckle. "She disappeared for three whole days, and, when she finally came back, she brought me this _giant_ bouquet of Forget Me Nots. They're these tiny blue flowers that-"

"Oh, we have those in this world." Mary Margaret said with a smile. "They're very beautiful."

"Yes, they're… My favorite. Shae would always bring me some anytime I was upset." Elsa replied, smiling back at her. "Anyway, she apologized for leaving, and I scolded her, told her that running away from her problems was _not_ the answer. It appears that she didn't fully learn that lesson."

"Yeah, well, it's a tough one." Emma said, chuckling dryly. "It took me… A really long time to figure that out."

"She _will_ come back, though." Henry told Elsa with a confident smile. "She… Always comes back."

Elsa heaved another sad, heavy sigh, slowly shaking her head. "I'm not so sure, Henry." She whispered softly. "Not this time."

Suddenly, there was a quiet knocking on the apartment door, which caused them all to jump. David quickly answered the door, and, when it opened, they all heard an equally quiet, and very familiar voice.

"Is Elsa here?"

David nodded at the person on the other side of the door, and stepped aside, allowing their visitor into the apartment. Everyone's eyes grew wide when they saw who it was, and Elsa drew in a soft gasp, slowly rising to her feet. Shae had finally returned, and, in her hand, she was holding a bouquet of tiny blue flowers.

"You came back." Elsa whispered, her dazzling blue eyes shining with tears as Shae handed her the flowers. "And you… Brought me Forget Me Nots."

"Uh, yeah… They were hard to find, had to get them from the park." Shae replied with a nervous smile. "Technically illegal… Which I realize I probably shouldn't have said in front of both the Sheriff's."

"I think we can let it slide, just this once." David said, chuckling lightly.

"Why don't we all go get some fresh air, huh?" Mary Margaret offered, incling her head toward the door.

They all nodded in agreement, and Mary Margaret scooped up baby Neal from his bassinet, following the others over to the door. Hook, however, remained seated on the couch, staring intently at Elsa and Shae.

"Excellent." He said, casually waving his good hand. "Have a wonderful time."

"Killian…" Emma muttered with a sigh.

Hook glanced from Elsa and Shae, and back at Emma for a moment, then breathed out a heavy, disappointed sigh. He then vacated his seat, and followed Emma, her parents, and Henry out the door. As soon as they were alone, Elsa tossed her bouquet of flowers onto a nearby chair, and threw her arms around Shae.

"Where have you been?" She whispered as she held Shae tight. "Oh, Shae… Oh, I've been so worried about you."

"I know, I know… I'm sorry." Shae whispered back. She then stepped out of Elsa's embrace, ruffling her own black, messy hair. "It's just… It's a lot, you know? I… I needed to be alone for a bit to, um… Process all this."

"I understand." Elsa replied with a solemn nod. "I have been having a difficult time with it all myself. Your situation with Regina and Robin Hood is complicated enough, and now… Now _I'm_ part of it. It's just… Madness."

Shae breathed out a laugh, slowly nodding her head. "Yeah, that's putting it lightly."

Elsa nodded back, and bit her lip as her eyes began to well with more tears. "Shae, I've already told you how I feel about you, how I still feel." She whispered quietly, placing a quivering hand on Shae's chest. "I can't even imagine how difficult and confusing all of this is for you, so I… I understand if you don't feel the same way."

Shae breathed out another laugh, and placed her own hand on top of Elsa's. "That's the thing, Elsa." She whispered back, smiling as her own eyes began to shine with tears. "I think… I think I _do_ feel the same way."

Elsa's hand fell away from Shae's chest, and her mouth gaped open in utter shock. "What?" She breathed, her bottom lip trembling.

Shae smiled at her as tears began to fall down her face, and she gently took both of Elsa's hands in hers, her own quivering slightly. "Emma was right." She whispered softly. "Since you came back into my life, I haven't smiled and laughed so much, I haven't felt so happy in… A long time."

Shae paused for a moment, fighting to keep her tone even as tears continued to leak from her eyes. "And… And when I kissed you yesterday…" She went on, her voice quavering with emotion. "It… It felt… I-It just felt…"

Shae stopped her stammering, and quickly pulled Elsa into her arms. Elsa gasped as Shae's lips pressed against her own. She stood rigidly still for a moment, startled by Shae's sudden and gentle embrace. Shae drew her in even closer, and Elsa wrapped her arms around her neck, practically melting in her arms as their lips parted.

They stood locked in their passionate embrace for a long while, and, just like before, Shae found herself being transported back in time. She was standing at the top floor of Elsa's mighty Ice Palace, staring at Elsa herself garbed in her new, magically fashioned, glittering blue dress. She smiled as The Ice Queen's beautiful, sparkling blue eyes stared into her own. Suddenly, Elsa crossed the room toward her, took hold of the front of her black and maroon coat, and placed a kiss on her lips. She felt her heart, still and unbeating, flutter wildly within her chest. In that moment, as soon as Elsa's lips touched hers, she knew. She knew that she was madly and irrevocably in love with her.

"It felt… Like that." Shae whispered, drawing back from Elsa's lips ever so slightly.

Elsa smiled as she stared into the blood red eyes of the woman she loved, her own streaming with tears. "Oh, Shae…" She whispered back, placing her quivering hand gently on Shae's cheek. "Shae, I love you."

"I love you too, Elsa."

Elsa let out a strangled sob of joy as Shae kissed her again. The two lovers wrapped their arms tightly around each other, their tears mingling together as their lips parted again and again. As Shae held Elsa in her arms, as she kissed her, all the pain and the sorrow that had been weighing heavily upon her was lifted from her heat, from her very soul. Her unbeating heart, the one that she shared with her other true love, soared with a content sort of elation that she hadn't felt in a long, long time.

"I… I can't promise that this will be easy." She whispered to Elsa, pressing her forehead against hers. She then cupped Elsa's face in her hands, and stared intensely into her dazzling blue eyes. "But, Elsa, I promise that I will give this everything I have. I will give my all to you, to us."

Elsa nodded, more tears rushing down her face as she placed her hands on top of Shae's. "I promise too." She whispered back, smiling into Shae's blood red eyes. "I know your situation, _our_ situation is… Difficult. But, I promise that I will be right here with you through it all."

Shae nodded too, and laughed as Elsa threw her arms around her, gently running her fingers through her messy black hair. Shae held her tight, breathing out a grateful, contented sigh as she buried her face in Elsa's neck. They stood in the midst of The Charming Family's apartment for a long while, their arms wrapped tightly around each other, both of them grateful to be back in each other's loving arms once again.

Shae softly cleared her throat, and stepped out of Elsa's arms. "Now, um… I need you to stay here." She said, suddenly looking quite nervous. "I'll be back soon, I promise."

Elsa's brow furrowed in confusion as she wiped the joyful tears from her face. "Where are you going?"

Shae opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again, breathing out a heavy sigh. Suddenly, her blood red eyes grew very sad. "There's… Something I need to do."

XX

Regina was sitting on an old and battered trunk inside her vault, Henry's storybook sitting open in her lap. She stared down at the picture on the left side of the page, the one of her young self, walking away from the tavern where Robin Hood was drinking, walking away from her true love. She continued flipping through the pages, stopping at the picture of Robin standing hand in hand with Marian, on the day of their wedding. Next, she turned to the title page of Shae's story, and her eyes began to well with tears as she stared at the picture on the page. Shae was standing beside her past self, The Evil Queen, garbed in the long, black leather coat that Regina herself had given her. She had her arms folded across her chest, one of the cheeky and quirky grins on her face that Regina loved so very much.

She continued slowly flipping through the pages of Shae's story, which was also partly her own, stopping to glance at each of the pictures, pictures that were now painful memories. The first time Shae had kissed her, Regina finally telling Shae that she loved her just as she was about to be executed, Shae lying curled up in a ball on the floor of a dark dungeon cell, and Regina holding her in her arms the day they were finally reunited. Her eyes began to well with tears, and her half heart ached with misery as she turned to the final page, which depicted Regina, The Evil Queen, tearing out her true love's heart.

Regina wiped the tears from her face, and turned back a few pages, to a picture and the accompanying story, which were both relatively new. When Henry first decided to find the author of his storybook for his mother, he read through its pages again for the first time in a long while. He and Regina both were startled and confused to find that a new story had magically appeared within the book, the story of Shae walking away from her own true love, from Regina.

Regina stared down at the picture of Shae peering out from behind a tree at her and Rumplestiltskin, Tinkerbell standing beside her. Her brow furrowed as she thought about the mysterious author of the book, about the strange and powerful control he had over all their lives. She turned the page, and the next picture was of Shae walking away from the clearing where Regina now stood alone. Shae had her hands on her head, and her face was contorted in anger as she wrestled with the decision she had made. Regina brushed her finger lightly across the page, lingering on Shae's face. She silently wondered what could have happened if Shae had chose differently, what their lives would have been like if she had gone to her in that moment, just like she had always wondered what would have happened if she herself had gone to Robin. Regina squeezed her eyes shut, breathing out a heavy sigh. None of that mattered now. Both of her true loves were lost to her, her happy ending remaining out of her reach as Robin and Shae's hearts wandered away from her.

Suddenly, Regina was roused from her quiet, painful musings when she heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stone staircase leading into her vault. Her eyes grew wide, and her heart lurched when her visitor descended the last step.

"Shae." She whispered quietly. "What… What are you doing here?"

"I uh… I-I wanted to talk to you." Shae stammered in reply, her tone just as quiet as Regina's. "Regina, there's… Something I need to tell you, and I want you to hear it from me first."

Regina breathed out a sad, heavy sigh, slowly closing the book in her lap. "I already know, Shae." She replied as she stared down at the floor, not wanting to meet Shae's gaze. "You have… Decided to make things work with Elsa."

Shae stood in bewlidered silence for a moment, her mouth gaping open in shock. "How… How did you know?" She asked, her blood red eyes wide. "I didn't even know, or even… Decide, until a few minutes ago."

Regina breathed out a small chuckle, and slowly shook her head. "We share a heart now, remember?" She said with a weak, sad smile. "I felt it. It's difficult to describe what exactly I felt, but, I just… I knew, the moment you decided. You were content, happy, and I… I wish you both all the best."

Regina then got up from the trunk and set the storybook aside, turning her back on Shae, so she couldn't see the tears that were leaking from her eyes. Shae stood in silence for a moment, and Regina could feel her eyes drilling into the back of her head.

"That's it?" Shae asked her quietly.

"What exactly do you want me to say, Shae?" Regina asked in return, her own voice just as quiet. "Do you really expect me to beg you not to?" She breathed out a bitter, sour laugh, leaning her hands against the table in front of her. "Even if I did, it wouldn't matter. How I feel no longer matters, not to you, and not to Robin."

"Regina…" Shae whispered, placing her hand gently on Regina's shoulder. "Of course it matters."

"Does it?" Regina asked, placing her quivering hand on top of Shae's. She then slowly turned around to face her, and Shae saw nothing but pain and sorrow in her deep brown eyes. "Does it really matter if I stand here and beg you not to be with her? Does telling you how much I still love you change the fact that Elsa has done nothing but love you too, and I've done nothing but cause you pain?"

When Shae only silently stared at her, her mouth hanging open slightly, Regina placed her hand gently on Shae's chest, and slowly shook her head. "You've been granted your happy ending, Shae." She whispered, more tears spilling down her face. "It's just not with me, and I simply have to… Accept that, and move on."

"Granted?" Shae asked, brow furrowed in confusion. "Regina, nobody's granted me anything."

Regina breathed out another sour laugh, and slowly shook her head again. "I'm not so sure about that." She muttered, picking up Henry's storybook from off the trunk. "Whoever wrote this book, holds all of our happy endings in the palm of their hand. Henry has been trying to find the author, to help me find _my_ happy ending. He insists that it's with you, but… Obviously that's not the case."

Shae stared down at the book in Regina's hands, and shook her head in befuddlement. "You… You really think whoever wrote this book holds the power over your happy ending?"

Regina nodded, running her hand across the smooth, red leather of the book's front cover. "Yes." She whispered softly. "This book is enchanted, and very powerful. I'm written in as the villain, and, well… You know what that means."

"Regina, I was a villain too, you know." Shae replied with a weak smile.

Regina sighed, nodding again. "I know, but I was _the_ villain." She whispered, more tears welling into her eyes. "And villians just don't get happy endings."

She turned her back on Shae once again, storing the magical storybook carefully away on one of the many shelves lining the walls of her vault. She rested her hand on the book's cover, and slowly turned her head to glance back at Shae. As she stared into the blood red eyes of the woman she still loved, her heart ached with sorrow, with longing. Despite how she felt, despite how desperately she _did_ want to beg Shae on her hands and knees to choose her over Elsa, she knew that Shae had made the right choice. Shae had worked hard to change her own fate, a fate that had led her away from the once Evil Queen, the woman that had betrayed her and hurt her so many, many times. Despite how terribly it hurt, Regina knew that she had no right to interfere in Shae's life any longer. Elsa never had hurt her like Regina had, not once, and the both of them deserved their happy ending, together.

XX

After her painful conversation with Shae, Regina retreated into isolation once again, miserable and heartbroken after losing Shae to Elsa, and Robin to his still frozen wife. She continued to search for a way to remove Ingrid's icy spell on Marian, but to no avail. Meanwhile, Ingrid herself remained quietly out of sight. Nobody knew what exactly she was waiting for, but the heroes of Storybrooke _did_ finally know what she was planning, and they continued to search for a way to stop her from casting The Spell of Shattered Sight.

Shae continued to spend as much time as she could with Elsa, still always accompanied by Emma. The first few days of their new relationship were a bit difficult, for they were both too afraid of Ingrid's wrath to be alone together. Belle agreed to help them, and turned to her husband, Mr. Gold, for aid. It appeared to his wife and all the others that he had turned over a new leaf, and he too agreed to help Shae and Elsa. He cast a protection spell around his cabin in the woods where Shae had been staying, allowing the newfound lovers to spend their nights alone together, wrapped up in each others loving embrace. Finally, after weeks of misery, Shae was happy, happier than she had been in a long, long time.

Though Shae was blissfully content with Elsa, her other true love, Regina, was never far from her thoughts. She was open about it with Elsa, who, in turn, was patient, kind, and understanding about Shae's lingering feelings for the woman that was also her true love. Elsa's kindness helped Shae through it all, and, slowly, she was finally beginning to heal. She hadn't seen Regina since she had told her about her decision to pursue a relationship with Elsa, thinking and knowing that it was for the best. She did learn, however, that Regina had, once again, found comfort in the arms of her other true love, Robin Hood.

Immediately after his wife had fallen under Ingrid's spell, Robin had attempted to perform true love's kiss. It hadn't worked, and Robin knew that it wasn't due to the power of The Snow Queen's spell; He was still deeply in love with Regina. One night, Robin found Regina within her vault, and told her how he still felt. Though he was a man of honor, and had made a vow to his wife, he could no longer deny his love for Regina, his _true_ love. They spent a passionate night together, and, after that, Regina fell once again into his strong, loving arms. Though they both knew it was wrong, neither of them could help but find comfort and happiness within each other.

The strange, confusing, tumultuous love quadrangle seemed to be at peace, balance. That was, however, until Robin Hood made a shocking discovery, and it all came crashing to the ground. Shae had received a strange phone call from Regina one evening, and was told to meet her at the library as soon as she could. Regina had sounded very strange over the phone, and Shae immediately left her cabin in the woods, with Elsa in tow.

"Are you sure you want me to come along?" Elsa asked her nervously as they approached the library.

"Of course." Shae replied with a nod. "Whatever Regina has to say to me, she can say in front of you."

Elsa was incredibly skeptical, but she held her tongue, and followed behind Shae as she stepped into the library. It was dark within, except for a light that was shining at the very back of the shelves of books. Shae hurried toward it, and Elsa bumped right into her as she froze in her tracks. Regina was seated at a table, with Robin Hood sitting next to her.

"What's going on?" Shae asked, narrowing her eyes at the thief. "What's this dickbag doing here?"

"Charming." Robin commented blandly.

"No, I'm Shae. David is Charming." Shae corrected with a shake of her head. "Come on, man. Get it together."

"Shae, please." Regina muttered with a heavy sigh. "We… Need to talk. I was hoping we could do so alone."

Shae exchanged a quick glance with Elsa, then folded her arms across her chest. "Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of Elsa." She said sternly. "Besides, you brought dickbag here with you."

"Will you please stop calling me that?" Robin snapped irritably.

"Fine." Shae replied with a shrug. "'Buttface,' it is."

"Shae…" Elsa scolded quietly, placing her hand gently on Shae's arm. "Be nice."

Shae frowned at her, then breathed out a relenting sigh. "Fine." She grumbled, a bit begrudgingly. "Robin. Why is Robin here?"

Regina exchanged a quick, anxious glance with Robin, before she explained. "Robin… Found something." She replied slowly, uncertainly. "Something that is… Well, I think it'll be easier just to show you."

Regina nodded at Robin, who nodded back. He then reached into his bag that was sitting on the table, and removed a piece of paper. Shae stepped forward as he slid it across the table to her, and Elsa quietly followed suit. Shae's mouth gaped open, and her blood red eyes grew wide as she stared down at the paper in her hands. It looked exactly like one of the pages from Henry's storybook. The picture that was drawn upon it was of a young Regina, dressed in her nightgown, the one that she had been wearing the night Tinkerbell took her to the tavern, where Robin Hood, her true love, had been waiting. Regina was standing inside said tavern, her arms wrapped around Robin himself as they kissed.

"What the hell?" Shae breathed, turning her wide, baffled eyes onto Regina. "This… This never happened. Is this from Henry's book?"

"It is." Regina replied with a slow, hesitant nod. "And it also… Isn't."

"Huh?" Asked Shae.

"Look at this." Said Robin, turning Henry's storybook that was sitting on the table around to face Shae. He pointed to the picture on the page, the one of Regina walking away from the tavern. "This is page twenty-three, the story of what really happened."

"Wait a minute…" Elsa muttered, pointing at the corner of the page in Shae's hands. "This is also page twenty-three."

"Indeed." Robin replied with a nod. "And _that_ page tells the story of what _could_ have happened."

Shae turned the page over, and found that there were indeed words written on the other side, in the same script as the stories from Henry's book. Shae shook her head in complete and utter shock, turning the page back over, staring wide eyed down at the picture of Regina kissing Robin Hood.

"Where the hell did you get this?" She asked of Robin.

"I'm… Not entirely sure." Robin replied, slowly shaking his head. "I was here, trying to find some sort of information on this, 'Author,' that Regina had told me about, and it just sort of… Appeared to me. _They_ … Appeared to me."

"They?" Asked Elsa, raising an eyebrow at the thief.

Robin remained silent this time, exchanging another nervous glance with Regina. "There was… Another page." Regina answered, shifting her gaze onto Shae. "One that _you_ should see."

Shae set the page that she was holding down onto the table, while Robin removed another from his bag. He handed it to Shae, and, once again, her jaw dropped open, and her blood red eyes grew wide. She was suddenly staring at a picture of her past self, kneeling upon the ground in a small clearing of trees, trees that she recognized as being from The Enchanted Forest. She was cradling Regina in her arms, who had her hand placed gently on her cheek. They were both smiling at each other, staring deep into each other's eyes.

" _That_ , is page forty-two." Regina said as she began flipping through the pages of Henry's storybook. "And so is this."

Shae tore her eyes away from the page in her hands, and glanced down at the book. "Woah!" She exclaimed as she saw the picture of herself walking away from Regina, who was standing in the same clearing from the other page. "That… That wasn't there before."

"I know." Regina replied, brow furrowed as she stared down at the book. "Henry noticed it a few weeks ago. By my guess, it appeared in the book after Tinkerbell told you about how she took your memories."

"I… I don't understand." Shae whispered quietly. "What does this all mean?"

"I think it means that Regina's fate could have gone in many different directions." Answered Elsa, her face a calm and collected mask.

Regina nodded silently, staring down at the table, keeping her gaze carefully away from The Ice Queen's. Shae stared down at the picture of herself holding Regina in her arms, and she slowly turned the page over, finding more words printed across the page.

"Did… Did you read it?" She asked Regina quietly.

"Yes." Regina whispered in reply.

Shae nodded, swallowing the hard lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "What, um… W-What happens?"

Regina sighed, her deep brown eyes suddenly very sad. "I think… You should find out for yourself."

"Perhaps we should give her some time." Robin Hood offered in a gentle tone.

Regina nodded, and she and Robin got up from the table. Elsa nodded too when Shae gave her a uncertain and hesitant glance, and she placed a kiss gently on her cheek. Shae watched her go for a moment, her blue, glittering cape trailing out behind her as she followed Robin and Regina through the rows of shelves. Shae slowly sank down into a chair, her head spinning, her hands shaking. She then placed the page on the table in front of her, and began to read.

XX


	18. Chapter 18, What Could Have Been

**Author's note: The song being played in this chapter is Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want by The Smiths.**

CHAPTER 18

"Now… Go get her."

Shae nodded her head at the fairy Tinkerbell, and turned away from her, peering out carefully from around the trunk of the tree she was hiding behind. She saw a flash of bright green light from the corner of her eye, and heard the sound of tiny wings fluttering away as Tinkerbell took flight, leaving Shae alone to pursue her true love.

She stood rooted in her spot for a time, watching Regina as she conversed with the strange looking man standing in the clearing with her. It appeared that this man was trying to teach her how to use magic, specifically, how to conjure a fireball. Regina seemed to be having quite a bit of trouble with the simple spell, and Shae smiled amusedly as she scrunched up her face, staring intently at her outstretched hand.

"Well, this simply won't do." The man snapped at her, waving his hand impatiently. "You need to practice more, dearie. If you cannot conjure a simple fireball, then I'm afraid these lessons will become utterly pointless."

"Wait!" Regina cried.

In the time it took Shae to merely blink, the strange man in the clearing with Regina was suddenly gone. She heard Regina emit a frustrated groan, and watched as she slowly sunk down onto a fallen log. She then held out her hand again, and continued to stare intently at it, her lips pursed into a firm, determined line.

Shae remained where she stood, gazing out at the woman that she had met when she first entered the world of The Enchanted Forest, the woman who was her one true love. She tried to calm her spinning mind, tried to come up with something, anything, to say to Regina. As she stood silently thinking, watching, her mind suddenly began to wander. She remembered the last time she had been in love, truly, deeply, madly in love. She remembered staring into Nadia's blood red eyes, the same shade as her own, yet, somehow, so much more beautiful. She remembered the horrible, terrible pain she felt as she watched the light of life fading from those very eyes, and, suddenly, she was running.

Shae ran as fast as her legs could carry her from the woman that was her true love, her head spinning, her heart aching as she remembered the pain of losing Nadia. In that moment, she knew that it was best for both Regina and herself to get as far away as she could. She couldn't bare that pain again, couldn't even chance it. She had to leave Regina behind, true love be damned.

"NO!"

Shae stopped in her tracks at the sudden scream. She stood rigidly still, brow furrowed as she listened hard. The forest around her was silent, the soft chirping of the birds in the treetops the only sound to be heard. Suddenly, Shae realized that the scream had come from her own lips. She blinked several times, confused by the sudden confliction in her heart. A moment ago, she was certain that leaving was the right thing to do. Now, all of a sudden, she wasn't so sure.

The vampire stood alone amongst the trees, and found herself thinking about how, only moments ago, her heart had fluttered within her chest at the sight of Regina's smile. Her heart had done the same whenever Nadia had smiled at her. She remembered what it felt like to hold her in her arms, to kiss her, to love her, and be loved in return. Her time spent in Nadia's loving arms had been the happiest she had ever felt, and she found herself desperately longing for that happiness again.

"No more running." She whispered to herself, nodding with determined resolve. "I'm going to get my happy ending."

Shae spun back around, and ran as fast as she could back toward Regina, toward the happy ending that Tinkerbell had promised lie with her. Her heart soared as she ran, but she still wasn't quite sure what to say to her true love. Perhaps, she didn't need to say anything. If Regina really was her destiny, then she was certain, hopeful, that things would simply fall into place.

As Shae neared the clearing where she had left Regina, she slowed to a stop, her blood red eyes growing wide with horror as she happened upon a shocking scene. Regina was lying in a heap upon the ground, surrounded by over a dozen men. They were all dressed in weathered and torn leathers and furs, every single one of them armed with swords, daggers, clubs, and axes. Shae gritted her teeth. Bandits.

"Look at this leather." One of the men said as he crouched down beside Regina. "Expensive stuff. Must be some sort of noble."

"Good." Said another. "She'll fetch a high randsome. Once we're through having a bit of fun with her, that is."

"I don't think so."

The bandits all spun around, drawing their various weapons as Shae stepped through the trees. "Who the bloody hell are you?" One of them called out.

"Your worst fucking nightmare." Shae growled dangerously. "Leave now, and you leave with your lives. Understand?"

The bandits all gaped at the vampire in silence for a moment. Then, they all burst into raucous, mocking laughter. "Kill this bitch." One of them commanded to the others. "And make it quick. We've got some coin to collect."

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Honestly, what is it with you men and never doing as you're told?"

A fearsome war cry echoed through the trees as the bandits charged at Shae. She didn't have time to remove her sword from within the magical satchel tied around her belt, so she used nothing but her own two hands to take down the unfortunate men. She made quick work of them, and, soon, they were lying dead at her feet, their heads twisted around grotesquely, fist sized holes punched straight through their chests.

Shae immediately rushed over to Regina, and knelt down beside her, gently and carefully lifting her into her arms. "Regina… Regina!" She called out, gently patting the young woman's cheeks. "Come on, now. Wake up!"

For a moment, Regina remained limp and unconscious in Shae's arms. Then, suddenly, she began to stir. She emitted a feeble groan, and, slowly, her eyes fluttered open. She blinked dazedly for a few moments, her eyes hazy and unfocused. When they did focus, they grew wide as she gazed up at her rescuer.

"Shae?" She whispered.

"Hello, Regina." Shae whispered back, smiling warmly down at her.

Regina breathed out an astonished laugh, still dazed and confused as she stared into Shae's blood red eyes. She then slowly, shakily, reached out, and placed her quivering hand on Shae's cheek. Shae's heart lurched as she felt her true love's warm and gentle touch. She smiled in wonder as she stared back into Regina's eyes, never before seeing such a deep and beautiful shade of brown. She shifted her gaze onto her full, red lips, and suddenly felt the most powerful urge to kiss her. Shae didn't bother to fight it, and she slowly leaned forward, her eyes fluttering closed as she felt Regina's warm, sweet breath upon her lips.

"What? No! Regina!" Shae exclaimed, drawing back as she felt Regina's body go limp in her arms, as she fell unconscious once again. "Dammit…"

"YOU THERE!"

Shae nearly leapt right out of her skin at the sudden shout. While she had been in her wonder filled stupor, staring into the eyes of her true love, she had failed to hear the footfalls of another group of armed men that were approaching her. These men were no bandits, as they were all dressed in chainmail armor, the same sigil embroidered on all their chests. They appeared to be soldiers of some kind, and they all drew their swords as they surrounded Shae.

"On your feet, scum!" One of the soldiers commanded, pointing his sword at the vampire. "Unhand The Queen, at once!"

"The Queen?" Shae muttered, staring wide eyed down at the still unconscious woman lying in her arms. She then glanced around at the dead bandits surrounding her, and gave the angry soldiers a nervous grin. "Right, yes, er… I understand what this looks like, gents. But, I assure you, this is all a grave misunderstanding."

"Shut your mouth, bandit!" The same soldier growled at her.

Regina tumbled from Shae's arms, and Shae grunted as one of the soldiers seized her by the back of her armor, shoving her face into the dirt. "Oi, watch it!" Shae protested loudly as the soldier pulled her arms roughly behind her back, placing iron shackles on her wrists. "I'm not a bloody bandit! I just saved your Queen's life!"

The soldiers all chuckled amusedly, and Shae glowered at them all as she was hoisted to her feet. "A likely story." Said the man behind her, then pointed a commanding finger at another. "You there, bring Her Majesty safely back to the castle. I'll take this one straight to the dungeons."

"The King will want her hung straight away, most like." Another soldier said with a dark chuckle.

"Dammit, will you idiots just listen to me?" Shae exclaimed irritably. "I'm not a damn bandit! I'm a friend of Regina's, and-"

Shae grunted painfully as the soldier behind her hit her in the back of the head with the butt of his sword. "Shut up!" He snarled, shoving the vampire forward.

Shae gritted her teeth, falling silent as the soldiers pushed her along. She knew she could very easily free herself, and tear them all limb from limb. However, she decided to comply, knowing full well that if this King decided to have her hung, then no harm would actually befall her. She glanced quickly over her shoulder, watching anxiously as one of the other soldiers lifted the still unconscious Regina into his arms. She silently hoped that Regina would wake soon, so she could finally speak with her true love.

XX

Regina sat next to her husband, King Leopold, in their castle courtyard, staring out at the gallows as she waited for the soldiers to bring forth the prisoner. She remembered little from her attack the previous day. Apparently, a group of bandits had happened upon her in the woods just outside the castle. What was strange, however, was that the King's men had found all but one of the bandits dead. The only survivors of the attack were Regina herself, and another woman.

Regina didn't remember seeing a woman amongst the bandits, but she did remember having a very strange dream while she had been unconscious, a dream about a woman, a woman that she had met only once before. She remembered staring into her blood red eyes, feeling the coldness of her skin as she placed her hand upon her cheek. She remembered her heart beginning to race as Shae, the woman from the enchanted mirror, leaned in close, as if to kiss her.

Suddenly, Regina was roused from her quiet musings as the door to the dungeons on the other side of the courtyard burst open. A group of soldiers marched out of the door, and between two of them, was the prisoner, the lone surviving bandit. Her hands were shackled together behind her back, her face hidden by the sack hood tied over her head. Regina balled her hands into fists, and her lips curled into a furious snarl as the soldiers stopped the prisoner just before the noose. Her snarl quickly faded, and her brow furrowed in confusion. The bandit woman's black leather armor seemed strangely familiar.

"Remove her hood." Leopold commanded to the soldiers, glaring furiously at the prisoner. "I wish to look upon the face of the one who dared attack my Queen."

The soldiers obeyed their King's command, and swiftly pulled the sack hood off of the prisoner's head. Regina drew in a startled gasp at the sight of her jet black hair, and blood red eyes.

"Shae?"

Shae blinked several times, squinting from the bright sunlight. Finally, she turned her gaze onto Regina. "Well, it's about damn time, isn't it?" She snapped irritably. "You should have that dungeon cleaned, by the way. It's filthy."

Suddenly, the shackles that were upon Shae's wrists were now in her hand. "Here you go." She said, tossing them lightly to the soldier next to her.

"Seize her!" Leopold shouted, rising to his feet.

The soldiers on either side of Shae drew their swords, and Regina gasped again as the vampire disappeared in a puff of blood red smoke. Regina leapt to her feet as well, and her husband drew his own sword as Shae reappeared right beside Regina.

"WAIT!" Regina shouted as Leopold raised his sword, and the soldiers charged toward her. "Stop! She's… She's a friend!"

Leopold slowly lowered his sword, staring at his wife with wide, baffled eyes. "You… Know this bandit?"

"As I tried to tell your men, I'm _not_ a bandit." Shae replied, with a dramatic roll of her eyes. "In fact, I saved Regina from said bandits. They had knocked her unconscious and were about to have their way with her when I happened by."

The King's eyes grew even wider, and he slowly turned them onto his men. "Is this true?"

The soldiers all glanced round at each other, hesitating in uncertain silence. "I'm… Not sure, Your Majesty." One of them slowly replied. "We assumed she was merely spouting lies to save her own life."

"Well, you assumed wrong." Shae said scoldingly, folding her arms across her chest.

"Regina, you claim to know this woman." Leopold said to his wife. "Do you believe what she says?"

"I do." Regina replied with a swift nod. "Shae is… An old friend. She would never hurt me. Right?"

"Of course not." Shae agreed, quickly shaking her head.

King Leopold hesitated in silence for a moment, sword still in hand. He then breathed out a relenting sigh, and stored it back in it's scabbard. "Stand down, men." He commanded to the soldiers. "There will be no hanging today."

Regina let out the breath she had been holding, and turned around to face Shae as the soldiers lowered their weapons. Though it hadn't been so long since the last time Shae had seen Regina, she somehow seemed much more mature than the young woman she had met before. The last time they had met, Shae had noticed a certain sparkle in her deep brown eyes when she had spoken about Daniel, the man that she was going to run away with. That sparkle was now gone, replaced by darkness and pain, a pain that was very familiar to Shae. She saw it every time she looked in the mirror.

"It is… Good to see you again, Regina." Shae told her with a smile.

Regina smiled back, and Shae, once again, felt her heart flutter wildly inside her chest. "It's good to see you too, Shae."

Regina stepped up to Shae, and drew her into a tight and grateful embrace. Shae tried to stop her hands from trembling as she held her true love in her arms. Her heart lurched at the feeling of Regina's arms around her neck, her head swimming with the intoxicating scent of her perfume. When Regina pulled away, Shae once again had to fight off the powerful urge to kiss her as she smiled into her eyes.

"I am deeply sorry for all of this, friend." Leopold said to Shae, rousing her from her stupor. "It appears I owe you a great debt. If you hadn't been in the forest when you were, my wife would surely be in the clutches of those bandits."

"What exactly _were_ you doing in the forest?" Asked Regina, raising an eyebrow curiously at Shae.

Shae's mouth hung open for a moment as her mind worked, thinking carefully about how to respond. "Er… Just… Wandering." She stammered quickly. "Hunting, actually. I-I was hunting."

"Well, I am certainly lucky that you were there." Regina replied with another smile. "Though I have to say, it is quite a strange twist of fate that _you_ of all people were wandering the forest."

"How exactly is it that you two know each other?" Asked The King.

"Shae is… From another world." Regina slowly explained. "I met her the very night she came into ours, through an enchanted mirror."

"Another world?" Leopold asked, staring at Shae with wide, baffled eyes. "That is… Absolutely fascinating! Please, come inside, dine with us. You must tell me all about yourself, and this other world of yours."

Before Shae could say or do anything to protest, she was hastily ushered into the castle by King Leopold. She glanced over her shoulder at Regina, shrugging as she did. Regina gave her a silent smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. Shae only saw the same pain in those eyes as she had before.

While the castle servants prepared a meal for The King, The Queen, and their guest, Shae was introduced to Snow White, the young Princess, and King Leopold's daughter. She found The King to be a very kind and gentle man, his daughter even more so. However, Shae carefully watched Regina's face throughout dinner, and she seemed to be eyeing them both with nothing but disdain.

Both The King and The Princess were simply fascinated when Shae told them that she was a vampire. They bombarded her with questions as they ate, and Shae drank. Regina, however, sat in reserved silence, barely touching the food on her plate. Shae couldn't help but notice how thin and pale she had become. She had no idea what had happened to the bright and hopeful young woman that she had met before, but one thing was for sure; Regina was miserable.

"Can you turn into a bat?" Snow White asked of Shae as they finished their meal. "Why are vampires so afraid of garlic?"

Shae chuckled amusedly, slowly shaking her head. "No, Princess, I'm afraid not." She answered with a smile. "And we're not afraid of garlic, the smell of the stuff is just too strong for our sensitive noses. We simply tend to avoid it."

"Oh." Snow muttered with a disappointed frown. "What about magic? Father said he saw you, um… Teleport! What else can you do?"

Shae chuckled once again, and gave the young Princess a knowing wink. Her eyes then began to glow a bright, burning red, and she slowly and casually raised her hand into the air. Snow White gasped, watching in astonished wonder as the apples that had been sitting in a silver bowl upon the table rose magically into the air. She giggled excitedly as Shae swept her hand to the side, slowly twirling her finger, causing the apples to spin around the Princess's head. Shae then swept her hand back toward the table, and drew it down, settling the apples back into their bowl.

Princess Snow applauded excitedly, and Shae gave her a small bow from her seat. She grinned across the table at Regina as her eyes faded back their normal blood red, frowning slightly when The Queen avoided her gaze. Shae's brow furrowed in concern and confusion when she saw Regina's lips curl into a bitter snarl.

"Well, that was certainly a sight to see." Said The King, smiling fondly at his daughter. "But, I think Shae has had her fill of our questions for one night."

The King and The Princess both rose from their seats, and Snow gave Shae a quick curtsey. "The Queen and I would be honored to have you stay with us tonight." Leopold said to Shae with a small bow. "For as long as you'd like, in fact."

"The honor is all mine, Your Majesty." Shae replied with a nod.

King Leopold nodded back, and bent over, placing a light kiss on his wife's cheek. Shae clenched her jaw tight as a surge of vengeful jealousy coursed violently through her veins. She balled her hands into fists beneath the table, startled and confused by the sudden rush of emotion. As soon as The King and Princess were gone, Shae relaxed, and breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Regina!" She suddenly exclaimed, leaping to her feet as The Queen slowly rose from her chair. "I-I mean, Your Majesty. Please, allow me to escort you to your chambers."

Regina nodded, giving Shae a weak smile. "I'd like that." She replied quietly. "And, please, it's just, 'Regina.'"

Shae nodded back, gesturing for Regina to lead the way. She followed her out of the castle dining room, and trailed along beside her as they walked through the dark and empty halls. Shae was finally alone with the woman that was her true love, and she was at an utter loss for what exactly to say to her.

"You… You look… Wonderful." Shae stammered, trying her best to hide her lie with a smile.

"Thank you." Regina quietly replied.

Shae bit her lip, falling silent for another moment as she pondered the question that had been running through her mind all night. "Regina, I… I must ask…" She slowly began. "Last time we met, you were vehemently against marrying The King. What exactly happened to the man you were going to run away with? I believe his name was… Daniel?"

Regina suddenly stopped walking, turning her gaze down onto the marble floor. "He's gone." She whispered softly. "Daniel was killed."

"Killed?" Shae breathed in horrified shock. "By who?"

Regina clenched her fists, and Shae saw her lips curl into another fearsome snarl. "Snow White."

Shae's jaw dropped open in utter disbelief. "T-The Princess? _She_ killed Daniel?"

Regina heaved a sad, heavy sigh, and slowly shook her head. "No, my mother killed Daniel." She answered, her tone soft, and heavy with sorrow. "But only after Snow told her all about our plan to run away together. I asked her to keep my secret, begged her. But the wretched girl betrayed me, and now… Now Daniel is gone."

"I am… So sorry, Regina." Shae whispered mournfully. "I too know of the pain that comes with losing someone you love. I wouldn't wish it even upon my worst enemy."

Regina nodded, giving Shae another weak smile. They continued walking in silence, and Shae's heart ached with sorrow and pity for Regina's loss. "Who was she?" Regina asked of her, after a time.

Shae sighed, running a hand through her messy black hair. "Nadia." She answered quietly. "Her name was Nadia. She was… My world, my everything. She was murdered by Van Helsing."

"I see." Regina replied, with another nod. "So that is why you swore revenge upon him."

"Yes." Said Shae, nodding as well. "Though I'm afraid I might not ever see it. He is much too powerful for me alone."

"How long has it been?" Asked Regina, keeping her face turned carefully away from Shae, so the vampire couldn't see the tears welling into her eyes. "Since Nadia was killed, I mean."

Shae furrowed her brow, thinking silently for a moment. "I'm not quite sure anymore." She muttered sadly. "A long, long time."

Regina stopped in front of a door along the long hallway they were walking down, finally turning her gaze onto Shae. "People say that time heals all wounds." She went on, staring up into Shae's blood red eyes. "Is that true?"

Shae breathed out another sad, heavy sigh, and slowly shook her head. "No." She whispered in reply. "Not wounds as deep and painful as ours, at least. I still think about her every day, it still pains me to even utter her name. I am… Truly sorry, Regina."

Regina nodded, her expression strained as she fought back her tears. She then reached out and took Shae by the hand. "Thank you." She said, smiling another, meek, sad smile. "For saving my life. I… I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

"There's no need." Shae replied, shaking her head again. "I am… Simply glad to know that you're safe."

Regina nodded some more, and held Shae's hand in both of her own. "Will you stay for a while?" She asked with a hopeful smile. "It would be nice to have a friend here in this castle."

"I'd be honored." Shae replied, smiling back at her.

Regina nodded again, and stood on her tiptoes, placing a gentle kiss on Shae's cheek. Shae's heart lurched as she felt her true love's lips upon her cheek. Her head swam, her vision blurring as Regina stepped back, the smile on her face finally reaching her deep, gorgeous brown eyes. Regina then retreated into her bedchamber, and Shae's vision suddenly cleared as the door clicked shut behind her. She remained where she stood for several long, silent moments, slowly rubbing the cheek that Regina had kissed. Tinkerbell had told her that Regina was her happy ending, but nothing about Regina's life, or Regina herself, was happy. Suddenly, Shae wasn't so sure she had done the right thing.

XX

Shae spent most of the next day wandering King Leopold's castle, regaling The King, The Queen, and The Princess with tales from her homeland. She was careful to leave out the dark and evil deeds she had done in her past, instead choosing to tell much more light hearted stories. The King and The Princess were absolutely enthralled, and prodded her with question after question. Regina, however, said very little, her face a blank and emotionless mask. This went completely unnoticed by her husband. Leopold seemed to have no idea just how miserable his wife was, and it made Shae furious.

That night, Regina had retired to her bedchamber fairly early, and Shae was left alone with King Leopold and Princess Snow. Though The King was nothing but kind to her, she had to fight to keep her expression calm as she wrestled with the rage boiling inside her. She longed to go to Regina, to tell her the real reason why she had been in the forest during the bandit attack. However, she knew that she shouldn't, that she just couldn't. Regina was a married woman, no matter if Shae was her true love or not.

Shae was sitting in an armchair by the fire within the room King Leopold had provided her with, staring idly into the flames. She was contemplating leaving the castle, but the misery she continued to see in her true love's eyes was giving her pause. If what Tinkerbell said was really true, then, possibly, Shae could save Regina from the torment that was her life.

"There you are!"

Shae whirled around in her chair, and saw the fairy Tinkerbell herself fluttering into the room through the open window. She shielded her eyes from the flash of bright green light as Tink changed into her human sized form.

"I was right, wasn't I?" Tink asked her excitedly. "Your true love really _is_ a Queen!"

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, staring back into the fire. "Yes, that she is."

Tink clapped her hands joyfully, and grabbed a nearby stool, pulling it over to the fire and sitting in front of Shae. "So, how was it?" She asked, practically bouncing in her seat. "Meeting your true love, I mean. Was it wonderful? Was it magical? Was it the most amazing experience of your entire life? Was it-"

"She's married."

Tink's face fell, and her jaw dropped open in shock. "What?"

Shae sighed again, slowly rubbing her forehead. "Regina is only Queen because she married a King." She muttered bitterly. "He's a good man, a kind man, but he's goddamn idiot, and a wrinkled old sack of bones to boot. Still, he _is_ her husband."

"Oh… Oh dear…" Tink whispered, staring at Shae with pity in her eyes. "I am… So sorry, Shae."

"Are you sure you cast your spell right?" Shae asked, raising an eyebrow at the fairy. "You are a novice, after all."

Tink folded her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes irritably at the vampire. "I may be a novice, but I _know_ I did everything right." She insisted hotly. "Regina _is_ your true love, which means she doesn't really love her husband… Does she?"

Shae sighed once more, and slowly shook her head. "No, she doesn't." She replied quietly. "In fact, she's utterly miserable being married to the old sot."

"Well, there you go!" Cried Tink, throwing her arms up in the air. "If she doesn't love him, then you _have_ to tell her that you're the one she's meant to be with!"

"I don't know how these things work in fairy world," Shae snapped at her. "But here, you don't go telling someone's wife that you're her true love. _Especially_ if that someone is a King with a very large army at his disposal."

"Well, you have to tell her sometime." Tink retorted, folding her arms stubbornly across her chest. "Shae, you _have_ to tell her how you feel."

"And how exactly am I supposed to feel?" Shae demanded. "I've only met her once. I barely know her!"

"So what? She's your true love!" Tink exclaimed, throwing up her arms once again. "You felt something the other day when you first saw her in the forest, something powerful. You can't tell me that you haven't felt anything since then."

Shae opened her mouth to retort, but shut it again, biting her lip as she thought back to the previous night, when Regina had placed a kiss on her cheek. "She kissed me." She whispered quietly. "It was only on the cheek, but still, it was… Unlike anything I've ever felt in my life, and I'm over two-hundred years old."

Tink chuckled amusedly. "And you called her husband a wrinkled old sack of bones."

Shae narrowed her eyes irritably at the fairy. She was about to reply, but stopped when a breeze blew through the open window. The vampire's sensitive nose picked up on a strange smell, a smell that was all too familiar.

"What is it?" Asked Tink, noticing the alarmed look on Shae's face.

"That smell." Shae muttered, slowly rising from her chair.

Tink's brow furrowed in confusion. "What smell?"

Shae gazed up from the floor, and her eyes grew wide as she quietly replied. "Blood."

Shae raced out of the room, and Tinkerbell hurried after her. Shae sniffed the air as she stepped out into the hallway, and turned to her right, taking long strides as she followed the scent of blood hanging heavy in the air. She and Tink turned the corner, and they both gasped in alarm at what they saw. Several of King Leopold's soldiers were lying dead in pools of their own blood, their throats slit wide open.

"Regina…" Shae whispered.

Shae took off down the hallway, Tinkerbell racing along behind her. The vampire skidded to a stop in front of the door to The Queen's bedchamber, which was already standing open. She stopped in her tracks once inside, staring in horror at the bodies of several more soldiers that were strewn about the room.

"What's going on here?" Asked Tink, her eyes just as wide as Shae's.

"I don't know." Shae muttered in reply.

"HELP!"

Shae and Tinkerbell both gave a start, and exchanged a quick, wide eyed glance at the sudden shout. They both rushed back out of the room, Shae leading the way as they sprinted down the hallway. Shae stopped in her tracks as she entered The King's bedchamber, and Tink grunted as she smacked right into her. Snow White was kneeling next to her father, who was lying unconscious upon the floor, blood trickling down the side of his face from the wound on his head.

"Are you alright, Princess?" Shae asked of Snow, as she knelt down on Leopold's other side.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine." Snow answered with a nod, her eyes wide with panic. "But… Father, he-"

Suddenly, Leopold emitted a feeble groan, and he slowly blinked his eyes open. He stared dazedly all around him for a moment, his eyes growing wide as they focused on Shae. The vampire wasted no time or energy on asking The King if he was alright.

"What's going on? Who did this?" Shae asked him hurriedly.

"B-Bandits." Leopold muttered weakly, still a bit dazed from the blow to his head.

Shae seized him by the front of his nightshirt, pulling him up from the floor and staring urgently into his eyes. "Regina, where's Regina?"

"T-They… They took her." Leopold stammered shakily. "There was… Nothing I could do, I-I… I couldn't stop them."

The vampire's hands began to trembled with rage, and her lips curled into a vicious snarl. "That's because you're a no good, useless, wrinkled old bag of BONES!"

Shae shoved him roughly back onto the floor, and leapt to her feet. She started toward the door, stopping upon the threshold and whirling back around. "Hide yourselves, the both of you!" She commanded to The King and Princess, then pointed at Tinkerbell. "You, come with me."

Tink nodded hastily, and followed after Shae as she stomped out of the room. Shae removed her ornate, blue bladed sword from the enchanted satchel tied to her belt. She scooped up another from one of Leopold's dead soldiers, and Tink gasped as she shoved it into her hands.

"You know how to use one of those?" Shae asked, not even bothering to glance at the fairy as she marched briskly down the hallway.

"Um… I… I-I don't know." Tink stammered in reply, panting slightly as she attempted to keep up with the vampire's long strides. "I've never used a sword before."

"Of course you haven't." Shae growled irritably. "Got to do everything my goddamn self…"

Shae stomped up the stone steps of the spiral staircase at the end of the hall, Tinkerbell huffing and puffing behind the enraged vampire. The staircase led to the battlements of King Leopold's castle, and Tinkerbell doubled over with her hands on her knees once they reached the top. Once she had caught her breath, she stepped up next to Shae, her eyes growing wide as she gazed down into the courtyard. King Leopold's soldiers were in the midst of a heated battle with a score of armed bandits, falling to their swords one by one. Shae balled her hands into fists, glaring menacingly down at two of said bandits, who were dragging Regina through the fray roughly by her arms.

"What do we do?" Tink asked, looking to Shae, her eyes wide with panic.

Shae bit her lip, thinking silently for a moment as she stared down at her true love in the clutches of the bandits. "I don't care how you do it, but just… Keep Regina safe." She muttered in reply. "I'll handle these idiots."

"What? How are you-"

Tink stopped short as Shae hurled her sword into the air. The sword called Soul Eater shot up into the night sky tip first like an arrow fired swiftly from a bow, disappearing from sight amongst the stars. Shae then drew back several steps, taking a running start toward the edge of the battlements. Tinkerbell let out an audible, startled gasp as Shae rushed forward, and leapt from the edge, her arms spread wide. She fell toward the ground with the grace of a swan diving into a rushing river, bellowing out a fearsome war cry as she grabbed on to the helmets of the bandits that were leading Queen Regina through the courtyard. Blood splattered into the air as Shae landed, shoving the men's heads into the ground.

Regina gasped as Shae wrapped her arm around her waist, using her free hand to send powerful, telekinetic blasts to her left and to her right, knocking more bandits off their feet. Shae kept her arm wrapped around Regina, holding her protectively against her own body, her blood red eyes shifting around the battlefield. Her eyes focused on one of the bandits that was dressed much more finely than the others, a horned helmet placed upon his head.

"Well, well, well…" Snarled the bandit leader, grinning deviously at Shae, his sword dripping with blood. "You must be the one who murdered my men. I was told to look for a woman with black hair and red eyes."

"Take your men and leave this place." Shae growled in reply. "If you value your lives."

The bandit leader and his men all laughed mockingly, brandishing their weapons at the vampire. "I don't know how you managed to best my men before." The leader sneered at Shae. "But, I assure you, you won't be so lucky this time."

The last of King Leopold's soldiers dropped dead to the ground, and the bandits slowly began to advance forward toward The Queen and the vampire. Regina remained in fearful silence, her hands trembling as she dug her fingers into Shae's black leather armor.

"Surrender The Queen to us." The bandit leader commanded, pointing his bloodied sword at Regina. "And, maybe, I just might think about granting you a swift death in return for slaughtering my men."

Shae let out a low and dangerous chuckle, releasing Regina and stepping forward when she saw a flash of green light from the corner of her eye. Regina gasped as Tinkerbell grabbed onto her arm, and pulled her backward a few steps.

"W-Who are you?" She asked, staring wide eyed at the fairy.

"Tinkerbell. I'm a friend of Shae's." Tink replied with a nervous smile, keeping a careful eye on the bandits. "Don't worry, everything's going to be fine. I think."

Tinkerbell and Regina both watched in astonished wonder as Shae casually held out her hand, seizing her sword by it's hilt as it finally shot back toward the ground. The blue blade sparkled in the moonlight as Shae fell back into a battle ready stance, glaring dangerously at the bandits and their leader. Silence echoed across the courtyard as the bandits waited for their leader's command. The bandit leader then used his free hand to point a menacing finger at Shae, and his men all bellowed out a fearsome war cry.

Utter chaos ensued as the bandits rushed at Shae. Tinkerbell pulled Regina back even further, and they both retreated behind a cart piled with hay. They both peered out carefully around the cart, watching in absolute wonder as Shae stood alone against the score of armed men, taking down one right after the other. Shae used both her sword and her powers against the bandits, darting around the battlefield faster than the eye could blink. Regina and Tink watched as she plunged her blue bladed sword into a man's chest, using her free hand to send three more shooting across the courtyard, blood splattering into the air as their faces collided with the wall. The vampire quickly disappeared in a puff of blood red smoke, reappearing behind the bandit leader, who let out a strangled gurgle as she buried her sword into his neck.

One of the bandits managed to break through Shae's defense, and he charged straight toward Tinkerbell and Regina, axe raised high into the air. Tink reached into her pouch of pixie dust as he reached them, but she was too slow. The fairy was sent spinning to the ground as the bandit hit her in the face with his axe free fist. As she was falling toward the ground, Tink let loose her fistful of pixie dust. The cloud of dust caught the bandit right in the face, and he immediately slumped to the ground.

Regina stumbled backward, and lost her footing as she tripped over the body of a fallen soldier. She squeezed her eyes shut as she fell, waiting for the pain of impact as she hit the ground. She gasped when she felt an arm around her waist, and she jerked to a sudden stop. Her eyes snapped open, and she found another set of eyes staring back at her, eyes that were a shade of deep, blood red.

"Are you alright?" Shae asked her, smiling a dazzling, white toothed smile.

Regina nodded, smiling back at her. She stared into Shae's blood red eyes, the vampire's face mere inches from her own. Regina was overwhelmed with Shae's scent: Sage, with just a hint of mint. She felt Shae's breath upon her lips, which was sweet, as if she had just bitten in to fresh, ripe apple. Regina's heart began to race, and, suddenly, the entire rest of the world began to melt away. She placed her hand gently upon Shae's cheek, and she felt her heart lurch as she watched her smile grow wider. Regina stared at Shae's cold, pale lips, and, suddenly, felt the powerful urge to kiss her.

"Regina!"

Regina snapped violently out of her daze, and found her husband, King Leopold, was rushing toward her, Snow White a few steps behind him. Shae's arm fell away from her waist, and Regina suddenly felt a horrible sense of cold emptiness as the vampire stepped away from her. Shae glanced away as Regina was swept up in her husband's arms, her clenched fists trembling as she felt another surge of jealous rage course through her body. She noticed Tinkerbell sitting upon the ground beside a cart full of hay, blinking dazedly as she stared all around her. Shae rushed over to her, and quickly helped her to her feet.

"Remind me to never make you angry." Tink muttered, staring wide eyed at the bodies of the now dead bandits littering the courtyard.

"You… Slew all these men yourself?" Asked The King, also gazing around the body strewn courtyard.

"She did." Regina breathed quietly from beside him, smiling at Shae in absolute and grateful wonder. "She… Saved me. Again."

King Leopold gaped silently at his wife for a moment, then turned his baffled gaze onto Shae. He rushed toward her, and Tinkerbell stifled a laugh as he threw his arms around her. Shae patted The King on the back uncertainly, giving him a nervous grin when he released her.

"Er… Sorry I called you a useless bag of bones." She mumbled sheepishly. "Sometimes my temper gets the best of me."

The King laughed loudly, clapping the vampire on the shoulder. "I daresay all is forgiven, considering that you have now saved my wife's life twice, and possibly my entire castle." He replied, beaming up at her. "I don't know what exactly it is that continues to draw you to Regina's aid. Perhaps it's simply chance, or even fate itself."

"More like destiny, actually." Said Tinkerbell, giving Shae a knowing wink.

Leopold frowned slightly when he finally noticed the fairy standing beside Shae. "I'm sorry, who exactly are you?"

"This is Tinkerbell." Shae replied. "She's… A friend."

The King smiled as he clasped Tinkerbell's outstretched hand. "Well, any friend of Shae's is certainly a friend of mine." He said with a nod, then turned his attention back on the vampire. "Whatever force it is that draws you and Regina together, I will be forever grateful to it, and to you. I would like to offer you a permanent place here in my castle, and a position befitting your actions these last few days."

"W-What?" Shae stammered in alarm. "Oh, no, I-I don't think-"

"I would name you The Queen's Royal Protector." Leopold went on, ignoring Shae's anxious sputtering. "Should you choose to accept, that is."

Shae opened and closed her mouth several times, staring hesitantly from The King's warm and expectant smile, and to Tinkerbell. She then turned her eyes onto Regina, and she felt her heart flutter once again as she gazed upon her smile. It was one of gratitude, and of hope, hope that she would accept. In that moment, all of Shae's worries and uncertainties over her bond of true love with Regina seemed to fade away. She still wasn't sure what exactly her future with her true love would be, but, as she gazed upon the smile that moved her unbeating heart, she knew that all she wanted was to continue to gaze upon that smile, as often as she possibly could.

XX

The very next day, Shae was knighted by King Leopold, and named Protector of the Queen in front of the entire kingdom. That same night, The King and Queen threw a ball in Shae's honor. In his old age, King Leopold was not much for dancing, so The Queen spent the evening being twirled about the ballroom by her new Protector. In the few short days Shae had spent in Regina's company, that night was the most she had seen her smile.

Shae spent every day after that by her Queen's side, accompanying her nearly everywhere she went. She even started joining Regina on the days she ventured back out into the forest, for her magic lessons with a man named Rumplestiltskin. Shae was extremely wary of Regina's tutor, as she had heard his named whispered amongst the inhabitants of The Enchanted Forest, and could sense a dark and terrible power within him. However, though he was callous and rude at times, he seemed to be a friend to Regina, so Shae decided to keep her worries to herself. She used her own extensive knowledge of magic to help Regina practice, and, slowly, The Queen was becoming an adept and powerful sorceress.

Several months went by, Shae and Regina growing closer and closer with each passing day. They spent hours together within King Leopold's castle, talking about everything and nothing. Though Regina was still quite miserable being in a loveless marriage to The King, her time spent with her Protector made being trapped within the stone walls of his castle much more bearable. She relished her time spent with Shae, and found herself longing for her presence while in her bed at night. She was almost constantly thinking about her, especially on the dreaded nights when her husband would summon her to his bedchamber. She tried to focus her full attention on Leopold, to be a good and dutiful wife, but her thoughts always wandered to her Protector. She felt no love for The King, no attraction whatsoever. Shae, however, was a different story. There was something about her that Regina found so incredibly enticing. She would often catch herself staring at her lips, longing so desperately to kiss them. She felt a strange, powerful, magnetic pull toward her vampire Protector. It was something she hadn't felt in a long, long time, and it frightened her.

Unbeknownst to her Queen, Shae was struggling with the same feelings. She shared everything with Regina, told stories about her dark and dangerous past. Regina did not judge her for the things she had done, and merely sat in rapt attention, offering kind and consoling words when Shae expressed deep regret over some of her fowl deeds. Shae was comforted to know that Regina did not see her as the monster that she often thought of herself as, even after learning the truth about her past. Regina was kind, patient, and understanding. Shae could feel herself falling deeper and deeper in love with her every passing day.

"Well, of course you are!" Tinkerbell exclaimed when Shae shared this information with her one night. "She's your true love!"

Tink checked in on both Shae and Regina every so often, and was always warmly welcomed by The King and Princess Snow. The fairy decided to drop in on the evening of The Princess's eleventh birthday. Half the kingdom was gathered inside the castle for the event, and Shae slipped quietly out onto a nearby balcony to speak with Tinkerbell.

"I know, I know." Shae muttered, breathing out a heavy sigh. "That doesn't change the fact that she's married, Tink."

"The King doesn't love her, _you_ do." Tink insisted, poking the vampire's shoulder. "And she loves you too. She might not know it just yet, but she will. _You_ just have to take the first step."

When Shae remained silent, biting her lip and staring down at the ground, Tink heaved a heavy sigh of her own. "You have to tell her, Shae." She went on, placing her hand gently on Shae's arm. "I've done all I can for you, for both of you. The rest is up to you."

Shae turned her face away from the flash of bright green light. Tinkerbell fluttered before her for a moment, gesturing her tiny hand toward the doors of the balcony. She then sailed off into the night sky, leaving Shae alone with her thoughts. Shae remained where she stood for several long, silent moments, trying to come up with a way to tell a married woman that she loved her, that she was her _true_ love.

"'Regina, we need to talk.'" Shae muttered to herself as she started toward the door. "No, no… That's never a good way to start a sentence. Better not-"

Shae stopped in her tracks as she stepped back into the castle. The entire hall was silent, all attention turned toward The King. He stood before his throne at the front of the hall, Princess Snow standing quietly beside him.

"No gifts are required to mark this special day." King Leopold was saying, smiling down at his daughter. "They all pale in comparison to the greatest gift of all: My daughter, Snow."

The hall erupted in applause, but Shae did not clap along with them. She was too busy staring out at her true love, who was seated alone at the table at the other end of the hall. Regina wasn't clapping either, only eyeing her husband and step-daughter with sheer contempt.

"Every day I look upon your face, I am reminded of your dearly departed mother." Leopold went on, kneeling down in front of his daughter, smiling as he took both of her hands in his. "She, like you, was truly the fairest in all the land."

King Leopold's subjects applauded as The Princess threw her arms around her father, giggling joyfully. Shae's heart ached when she the immeasurable pain in Regina's deep brown eyes. Regina hastily got up from the table, and quietly left the hall, unnoticed by all, except her Protector. Shae pushed through the crowd, and found Regina outside in the small courtyard, where a grand apple tree stood front and center. She paused for a moment, smiling in wonder as she admired Regina's radiant beauty in the pale moonlight. She then softly cleared her throat, and slowly crossed the courtyard.

"Not in a festive mood?" Shae asked of her.

Regina didn't even bother to turn around at the sound of her Protector's voice. "No one seems to notice my absence." She whispered quietly.

"I noticed." Shae replied with a shrug, as she stepped up next to her Queen.

"Well, of course _you_ noticed." Regina muttered bitterly, turning her face away from Shae, so the vampire couldn't see her tears. "It's your job."

Shae bit her lip, hesitating in silence for a moment as Regina wiped away the moisture from her face. "This is… A lovely tree." She commented, gesturing toward the apple tree.

"It's from my childhood garden." Regina told her, staring up at the tree with a sad, wistful smile. "This tree and I share something in common; Neither of us can leave this place, and neither of us truly belongs."

Shae's heart ached as she watched Regina wiping away more tears. "No matter how hard I try to please The King, he will never love me the way he loved his first wife." She went on quietly, miserably. "No one ever will."

"Oh, now, that's just not true." Shae replied, shaking her head in disagreement.

Regina raised an eyebrow at her Protector. "And how can you be so sure about that?"

Shae opened and closed her mouth several times, unsure of how to respond. She desperately wanted to tell her exactly why she knew, that _she_ loved her so very much, that she was her _true_ love. Instead, she simply shrugged, and sat down on the marble ledge surrounding the apple tree.

"I think I have something that might lift your spirits." She said, gesturing for Regina to sit next to her.

Regina complied, and watched curiously as Shae began rummaging around in the small, magical satchel she kept constantly tied to her belt. After a few moments, she finally found what she was searching for. She produced an equally small, but surprisingly ornate hand mirror. It's handle and edges were decorated with solid gold, and there was a large crack right down the center of the glass. Though it was broken, it was still shockingly beautiful.

"I found this mirror in an ancient elven ruin." Shae began to explain.

"What exactly was the elves' fascination with mirrors?" Asked Regina, raising another eyebrow at Shae.

Shae laughed loudly, and slowly shook her head. "You know, I'm not entirely sure. They were insufferably vain creatures."

Regina shrugged. "Well, I suppose that makes sense, then."

Shae laughed again, nodding in agreement. She then cleared her throat, and went on. "Right, so, this mirror, it's said to be enchanted." She said with an excited smile. "If you look into it, it will show you the truest beauty that is hidden deep within yourself."

Regina smiled excitedly herself, and took the mirror out of Shae's outstretched hand. She gazed down into it for several long moments, waiting expectantly for something, anything to happen. She frowned down at her own reflection, the cracked glass showing no signs of change.

"I only see my reflection." She muttered, brow furrowed in confusion.

A wide grin spread across Shae's face, and she gave The Queen a knowing wink. "Precisely."

Regina narrowed her eyes irritably at the grinning vampire. "This mirror isn't enchanted at all, is it?"

Shae chuckled lightly, and slowly shook her head. "It might have been, once. But, as you can see, it is now clearly broken." She smiled, tapping a finger on the crack in the mirror's glass. "Still, though, there's a lesson to be learned from it."

"Lesson?" Asked Regina, brow furrowing even deeper.

Shae nodded, and placed her hands gently on top of Regina's, which were still holding the mirror. "Even something so broken, and so forgotten," She began in a whisper, smiling into Regina's deep brown eyes. "Can be so… Incredibly beautiful."

Regina felt her cheeks flush with heat, and she turned her face away from Shae, shoving the mirror toward her. "No, you keep it." Said Shae, pressing the mirror back into her hands. "Perhaps it will… Help you see yourself as I see you."

Regina stared down at the mirror in her lap, feeling the burn of Shae's piercing red gaze upon her face. "And how do you see me?"

Shae reached out, gently cupping her hand under Regina's chin, turning her gaze upward. Regina's eyes began to well with tears as she stared into her Protector's intense but smiling eyes. She once again found herself staring with desperate longing at Shae's cold, pale lips, and her heart lurched within her chest as she watched them utter a soft whisper.

"As truly the fairest, in all the land."

A single tear rolled down Regina's cheek, and her lips gaped silently open as Shae gently brushed it away with her thumb. Regina's heart began to race as Shae left her hand where it was upon her cheek, staring deep into her eyes. She searched them quietly for a moment, and Regina drew in a soft gasp as Shae leaned in closer, and kissed her.

The mirror in Regina's lap clattered quietly to the marble floor. As soon as their lips touched, both Shae and Regina felt a surge of emotion so great and so powerful, that it felt as if they were struck by lightning. Their hands shook as they wrapped their arms around each other, their lips parting slowly, gently. A soft, desperate moan escaped Regina's lips as Shae's tongue brushed lightly against her own. Shae drew her in even closer, curling her arms up her back. Regina ran her fingers through Shae's messy black hair, her scent wafting over her, the taste of her lips sweeter than anything she had ever tasted before. For a moment, just a moment, the entire rest of the world lie forgotten as The Queen and her Protector shared a tender and passionate embrace.

Suddenly, the sound of more raucous applause from within the castle roused them both from their daze. Regina drew back from Shae's lips, staring bewilderedly into her blood red eyes. Shae stared back at her in silence, and Regina gently touched her fingers to her own lips, tears streaming from her eyes at the sensations that Shae's kiss had left upon them. They sat in silence for a few moments, neither of them knowing exactly what to say. Regina then shook herself from her stupor. She leapt to her feet, scooped up the broken mirror from the ground, and turned and ran from the woman that was her true love.

"Regina, wait! I-I'm sorry!" Shae called desperately after her, scrambling to her feet as well. "Please! WAIT!"

Shae sank slowly back down onto the marble ledge surrounding The Queen's apple tree, her shaking legs suddenly unable to bare her own weight. She buried her face in her quivering hands, her head spinning wildly. Her heart ached with sorrow, with yearning for her true love's kiss, a kiss that should have never been placed upon her lips.

"Oh god…" Shae whispered, tears spilling out of her blood red eyes. "What have I done?"

XX

Shae saw very little of Regina the next day, and, every time she did, she was always in the company of her husband. Shae spent most of the day aimlessly wandering the castle, haunted by the forbidden kiss that she and Regina had shared. That kiss was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Whatever doubts she had about her bond of true love with Regina were now gone. Shae knew that she was hopelessly in love with her Queen, who was a married woman, and it was making her miserable.

Shae was in her chambers that evening, once again staring deep into the flames of the fire crackling in the fireplace. She searched for answers the never came, and was once again contemplating leaving the castle, when she was summoned by The King. Shae followed the servant that had been sent to fetch her, her thoughts lingering still on the tormenting kiss that she had placed upon her true love's lips.

"How may I be of service, Your Majesty?" Shae asked The King, once she had entered his chambers.

"Close the door." Leopold commanded quietly, from his seat in front of the table at the center of the room.

Shae's brow furrowed in concern at the heaviness of Leopold's usual kind and welcoming tone. Nevertheless, she obeyed The King's command. Once the door to his chambers was safely shut, he rose from his chair, his face grave as he turned to his wife's Protector.

"I have reason to believe my wife's heart belongs to another man."

Shae's heart dropped deep into the pit of her stomach, and she fought hard to keep her expression calm and even. "Certainly, The Queen would never stray, Your Majesty."

"Yet, her diary suggests otherwise." Leopold replied in a dark tone.

The King picked up a small, leather bound book from the table, and handed it over to Shae. The vampire suppressed her outrage over Leopold violating his wife's privacy in such a way. She opened Regina's diary to the latest entry, and began to read. She couldn't help but notice that even Regina's handwriting was exceptionally beautiful.

 _Last night, I was given a gift. At first, it was a simple mirror, but it was the kiss placed upon my lips that was the truest gift of all. That one kiss awakened feelings in me, feelings that I had thought were long since abandoned; Hope for companionship, even though I am trapped here at my husband's court, hope for love. It frightens me._

"Sadly, the diary does not name the man who gave her this mirrors, or that damned kiss." Leopold went on, when Shae turned her blood red eyes back onto him. He gestured to the small mirror that was sitting upon the table, the very mirror that Shae had given to Regina just the night before. "I am not a fool, I realize that The Queen is unhappy. She yearns for someone to love her in a way that I never can. Still, though, she is my wife. I never imagined she would betray me like this."

Shae slowly closed the diary, fighting to keep the trembling in her hands unseen by The King. "Surely The Queen would never act on these feelings."

Leopold breathed out a low, sour chuckle, slowly shaking his head. "Love makes us do foolish things."

"Love…" Shae whispered softly, staring down at the diary in her hands. She then cleared her throat, and set the book back onto the table. "Why exactly have you called upon _me_ , Your Majesty?"

"I need someone of your particular skills, and your wits." Leopold explained. "Besides, you and Regina have grown quite close in the past few months. As my wife's closest confidant, I expect it will be quite easy for you to find the man that has stolen her heart."

Shae nodded slowly, shoving her quivering hands into the pockets of her coat. "What exactly will you do to this… Man, once I've found him?"

Leopold narrowed his eyes at the vampire. "That is _my_ concern, not yours." He stepped up close to Shae, staring intensely into her blood red eyes. "Now, then. Can I count on you to find this man, or not?"

Shae held The King's gaze for a moment, then shifted her eyes over to The Queen's diary. Her true love's words tolled like a bell throughout her mind. _Hope for companionship, hope for love… It frightens me._

XX

The next day, King Leopold announced that he was leaving with his daughter for his summer palace, as a birthday gift to the young Princess. Regina was to remain behind to rule the kingdom in the months that her husband would be gone, and, as The Queen's sworn Protector, so was Shae. She stood beside her Queen in the front courtyard as The King and Princess said their farewells, seething silently as Leopold kissed the woman she loved goodbye.

"I trust you will honor our agreement." Leopold whispered in Shae's ear, as he gave her a tight embrace.

Shae nodded hastily as The King released her. "Of course, Your Majesty."

Leopold nodded back, and took his daughter by the hand, leading her toward the carriage that was waiting just outside the gates. Shae stood beside Regina, waiting and watching anxiously as the carriage and accompanying armed guard slowly rumbled away from the palace. She was finally going to be alone with her true love. She dared not tell her about what she had read within her diary, but she knew that Tinkerbell had been right, she _had_ to say something. She had to tell the woman that she loved how she felt about her, and she was elated to know that Regina felt the same. _Hope for companionship, hope for love…_

As soon as the carriage carrying her husband and step-daughter were lost from sight, Regina turned away from them, and started back toward the palace doors. "Regina, wait!" Shae exclaimed, hurrying after The Queen. "I… I-I think we should talk."

"There's nothing for us to talk about, Shae." Regina replied, keeping her eyes locked squarely in front of her as she marched toward the palace.

"Regina, please… Stop!"

Regina stopped in her tracks as Shae stepped in front of her, blocking her path. Shae then took her Queen by the arm, and lead her toward an empty corner of the courtyard. She glanced carefully all around her, and, once she was sure they were alone, and would not be overheard, she went on.

"The other night, when we kissed, I… I felt something, something powerful." She whispered quietly, desperately searching her true love's eyes. "Regina, It was… Unlike anything I've ever felt before. And… A-And you felt it too, I know you did."

Regina narrowed her eyes at her Protector, and Shae drew back a step in alarm as her lips curled into a vicious snarl. "What you think you know is nothing but your own self absorbed delusion." Regina replied scathingly, glaring into Shae's blood red eyes. "I felt nothing. I am your Queen, and you will not presume to touch me again."

Shae's jaw dropped open in horrified silence, and she stood rigidly still as Regina turned her back on her, stomping back toward the palace. Regina bit her lip, her eyes welling with tears as she threw open the doors, leaving Shae alone in the courtyard. She walked briskly through the castle, jaw clenched tight, nodding curtly at any guards or servants that she passed in the halls. Finally, when she was alone in her bedchamber, she broke down into tears, sobbing bitterly as she collapsed to the floor on her knees.

Regina knew that she had just broken Shae's heart, and her own in the process. The things she had felt when Shae had kissed her were, in Shae's own words, unlike anything she had ever felt before. She had never felt such a powerful rush of emotion, such a deep, desperate longing for one more kiss. She knew that the moment her Protector's lips touched her own, she was helplessly and hopelessly in love with her. Regina was a married woman, and she was confused and conflicted, but, most of all, she was frightened.

The Queen tossed and turned in her bed that night. Since Daniel's death, Regina's dreams were often plagued by his memory. However, since the night Shae had kissed her, she dreamt of nothing but her Protector's lips, their passionate and forbidden embrace playing itself over and over again in her mind. Regina had gained nothing but pain and heartache from love in the past, and so had Shae. She knew that what she had done was for the best, for both of them. Yet, she couldn't help the unyielding ache of longing she felt deep in her heart. She desperately wanted to go to Shae, to tell her how she really felt, to once again feel her kiss upon her lips.

Regina threw the covers off of her, practically leaping out of her bed. She made a sudden rash decision, a decision to follow her heart. She _had_ to go to Shae, apologize for the things she said, tell her that it was all a lie. She had to tell her that she loved her.

The Queen rushed out of her room in only her nightgown, her heart racing as she hurried down the hall toward Shae's room. She paused just outside the door, which was open just a crack. She slowly pushed the door open, her heart hammering in her chest. Shae was sitting by the fire with her back to Regina, strumming out a slow, somber melody on an old lute. Regina's breath caught in her throat as she started to sing.

"Good times for a change.  
See, the luck I've had,  
Can make a good man turn bad.

So please, please, please,  
Let me, let me, let me,  
Let me get what I want,  
This time."

Regina stood rooted in her spot with her hands over her mouth, her eyes welling with tears as Shae plucked at the strings of the lute, her fingers moving with deft precision up and down the neck. Her voice was mesmerizing, and it left Regina utterly breathless. She remained where she stood in the doorway, tears flowing freely down her face as Shae continued to sing.

"Haven't had a dream in a long time.  
See, the life I've had,  
Can make a good man bad.

So for once in my life,  
Let me get what I want.  
Lord knows, it would be the first time.

Lord knows, it would be the first time…"

When her song was finished, Shae hung her head with a heavy sigh, setting the lute down on the floor next to her chair. Regina stood quietly in her spot for several long moments, her mind still reeling over the sheer beauty of Shae's voice.

"What is it that you want, Shae?" Regina asked her quietly.

Shae turned her head slightly, seemingly unsurprised by her Queen's presence. "Do you really need me to answer that?" She whispered, her pale face glistening with tears.

Regina silently shook her head, more tears streaming out of her eyes as she quickly crossed the room. Shae made to get up from her chair as The Queen came to stand before her, but Regina placed her hands on her chest, and pushed her back down. Shae drew in a sharp gasp as Regina straddled her waist, placing a deep, firm kiss on her lips.

Their tears mingled together upon their cheeks as their lips parted, both of them feeling the same intense rush of emotion course through their bodies. Shae could barely believe what was happening. She placed her quivering hands on Regina's hips, her head swimming with the intoxicating scent of her perfume, reveling in the feeling of her lips upon her own. She then drew back from Regina's lips, staring deep into her true love's beautiful brown eyes.

"What is it that _you_ want, Regina?" She whispered softly.

Regina responded by placing another deep, passionate kiss on her lips. Their lips parted slowly, gently, and Shae began to explore her Queen's body with her hands. Regina gasped as Shae's thumbs brushed against her already firm and swollen nipples. She clambered off of Shae's lap, grabbing on to the front of her shirt and pulling her to her feet as well. They found each other's lips again as Regina led her Protector over to the bed that had sat abandoned since Shae first came to occupy the room. She paused at the end of the bed, swiftly undoing the laces of her nightgown, letting it fall to the floor at her feet.

"My god…" Shae breathed, staring in absolute wonder at her Queen's naked body. "Regina, you are… So beautiful."

Regina smiled, running her fingers through Shae's messy black hair. "It's been so long since anyone's called me that."

Regina gasped as Shae's ice cold hands touched the bare skin of her hips, which turned into a soft moan as Shae kissed her again. Their lips parted again and again with desperate, passionate urgency, and Regina began to tug at Shae's clothes. Once over the initial shock over the sight of Shae's scarred and mangled torso, Regina found her Protector's lips once again, and the two of them fell into the bed together. Regina gasped as Shae slipped her fingers deep inside her as soon as her head hit the pillows, and she experienced a pleasure unlike anything she had ever felt before as her Royal Protector made love to her.

The entire rest of the world melted away as they made urgent and passionate love until the wee hours of the morning. Shae was carefully in tune with Regina's body, and was gentle with her at times, and not so gentle when she could sense it was what Regina wanted. Several times, Shae had to clamp her hand over Regina's mouth, stifling her cries and moans of pleasure. Though being wrapped up in each other's arms felt so incredibly right, they both knew it was wrong. Regina was a married woman, and both her and Shae knew the consequences of what would happen if The Queen was caught in bed with her Protector. Neither of them cared much about the risks or the consequences, or the moral implications of their actions. They were too wrapped up in each other, too deeply in love to care.

"Oh, Shae…" Regina whispered as she lie in her lover's arms. "Shae, that was wonderful."

"I live to please you, my Queen." Shae whispered back with a grin.

Regina smiled against her Protector's lips as she kissed her again. She climbed on top of her, and Shae laughed as Regina pinned her arms to the bed above her head. She moaned softly as Regina bit into the tender flesh of her neck, her bare breasts pressing against her scarred and mangled chest.

"Regina, there's something I need to tell you." Shae muttered quietly, causing Regina to pull away from her neck. "That day that I saved you from those bandits in the forest, I… I wasn't there by chance."

Regina's brow furrowed in confusion. "You weren't?"

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, and sat forward with Regina in her lap. "That was the day I first met Tinkerbell." Shae slowly began to explain, running her fingers up and down Regina's back. "I saved her from Van Helsing and his men, and, to repay me, she… Cast a spell, a spell that took me to my one true love."

Regina stared silently into Shae's blood red eyes for a moment, her own growing wide with shock. "And… A-And it took you to… Me?" She stammered in a whisper, her eyes welling with tears when Shae nodded. "True love… I-I'm… Your true love?"

"Yes." Shae whispered, smiling as she tucked a stray lock of Regina's hair behind her ear. "And I'm yours."

Regina slowly shook her head in complete and utter shock. "Shae, I… I don't know what to say."

"It's alright, you don't need to say anything." Shae replied, her own eyes glistening with tears as she smiled. "I just… Needed you to know, because… Every day since, I've fallen deeper and deeper in love with you."

Tears began to flow freely down Regina's face as she gaped silently into Shae's blood red eyes. "Regina, I… I love you." Shae whispered, tears rushing down her face as well.

Regina choked out a strangled sob of pure joy, taking Shae's face in her hands and placing a deep, passionate kiss on her lips. She never thought she'd ever hear those words again.

"Oh, Shae… Shae, I love you too." She whispered back, gently caressing her lover's cheek. "I knew it the moment you first kissed me. I'm sorry I said I didn't, that I didn't feel anything. I did, but I was… I-I was… So afraid. After Daniel, and… M-My husband… I… I-I just-"

"Shh, I know, it's alright." Shae murmured softly, pressing her lips to Regina's cheek, kissing her tears away. "I understand, believe me, I do. I was scared too, I still am. But… For you, Regina, I'll gladly face my deepest and darkest fears."

Shae's eyes streamed with tears, and she wrapped her arms tightly around her true love, kissing her once again. "Regina, I love you." She whispered against her lips.

"I love you too." Regina whispered back, her lips trembling as they pressed against Shae's. "Shae, I love you."

Regina laughed with pure joy as Shae spun her around, pinning her back down onto the bed. She wrapped herself around her true love as she kissed her, and, once again, the rest of the world faded away around them as the two lovers lost themselves in each other. After another round of vigorous and passionate love making, Regina fell asleep in Shae's arms. No nightmares plagued her dreams that night, not while in the strong, loving arms of her Protector, her true love.

XX

The next several weeks went by in a hazy, joyous blur for both Shae and Regina. They kept their passionate affair a careful and well guarded secret from the inhabitants of King Leopold's castle, only stealing kisses from each other during the day when they were sure they were alone. At night, Shae would appear in a puff of blood red smoke within her Queen's bedchamber, and they spent every night wrapped up in each other's loving embrace. Though they knew what they were doing was wrong, they couldn't help the deep and unyielding love they felt for one another. Neither of them could truly remember a time when they had been happier.

Even more joy and happiness was brought in to their lives when a visitor arrived at the castle, a visitor that was none other than Remus, Shae's oldest and dearest friend. Shae was beside herself with joy over being reunited with her brother in all but blood again. However, Remus brought with him grave news. Abraham Van Helsing, the man who had murdered his sister, Shae's first love, had amassed a small army just on the outskirts of Leopold's kingdom. Remus and Shae's joyful reunion came to a sudden, screeching halt, and the two of them, along with Regina, immediately began to make preparations for battle. Van Helsing had no idea that the two vampires were so closely within his grasp. If they could catch him off guard, they would have the upper hand. Remus and Shae could finally have their revenge.

"So, how long have the two of you been having an affair?" Remus asked, as soon as they were alone in the war room.

Shae and Regina's jaws both dropped open in shock. "How did you know?" Regina demanded, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him.

"Oh, I'm extremely perceptive." Remus replied with a wink. "I know Shae like I know the back of my own hand. I saw the way she looks at you, the way you look at her. It was quite obvious, really. Well… At least to someone of _my_ exceptional wits, that is."

"Has he always had such a big head?" Regina asked of Shae, raising an eyebrow at her.

Shae shrugged as she nodded, to which Remus only laughed. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." He said, waving his hand dismissively. "I pass no judgement. Just do make sure you don't get caught red handed like you did with the last Queen you got into bed with."

Regina's jaw dropped open in shock all over again. "You've had an affair with a Queen before?"

Shae bit her lip, glancing anxiously between her lover and her best friend. "That's… That's not important right now!" She exclaimed, shooting Remus a reproachful glare. "Now, can we _please_ get back to the matter at hand?"

Regina hesitated for a moment, but eventually relented, deciding that her lover's secrets should remain just that. She stayed up for most of the night with the two vampires, making plans and preparations for the upcoming battle with Van Helsing and his army. Word was sent to King Leopold at his summer palace, which left Regina with a bad, apprehensive taste in her mouth. She knew that her passionate love affair with her Royal Protector would be difficult to keep a secret once her husband returned. However, she set aside her worries, and, the next morning, prepared The King's soldiers for battle.

Van Helsing's army was made mostly of commoners, and proved little challenge for Leopold's skillfully trained soldiers. The man himself, however, was a different story. Shae and Remus went head to head against Van Helsing and his wife, Aela. During the vicious battle, Van Helsing transformed into his hulking werewolf form, and Shae was almost lost to both Regina and Remus, the people that loved her most, when she was bitten by the terrifyingly powerful werewolf.

In her rage over watching the woman that she loved falling in battle, Regina cut Van Helsing down, using Shae's own sword to sever his head from his body. Miraculously, Remus, with Regina's help, was able to save Shae from the toxic werewolf bite, though at a terrible cost. They were forced to feed Shae human blood, which she hadn't fed on in years. Her bloodlust caused her to go into a frenzy, and, after unwillingly attacking her true love, she disappeared into the forest. Regina begged Remus to go after her, to help her, and return the woman she loved so very deeply to her once again. Remus agreed, and Regina spent the next several days alone and miserable, filled with worry for the woman that she loved, and, most of all, for the inevitable return of her husband, King Leopold.

Finally, after over a week apart, Remus finally returned, with Shae in tow. Regina was overjoyed to see her true love again, and had to fight desperately against the tears of joy that were welling into her eyes as Shae swept her up in her arms.

"Shae, wait…" Regina muttered as Shae leaned in toward her lips. "There's… There's something I need to-"

"SHAE!"

Shae's blood red eyes grew wide with shock as Princess Snow came sprinting across the throne room. The young Princess threw her arms around Shae's waist, and Shae exchanged an anxious glance with both Regina and Remus as she gently patted her on the back.

"You're here, you're back!" Snow White exclaimed, beaming up at Shae. "Regina said that you were hurt, that you-"

"At last, you finally return!"

Shae whirled around, and her heart sank deep into the pit of her stomach. King Leopold was crossing the throne room, and he also threw his arms around the vampire, pulling her into a tight and grateful embrace.

"My wife has told me all that you and your friend have done for my kingdom." Said The King, smiling a warm and gentle smile. "Ah, this must be the man himself!"

Shae stood in horrified silence as Leopold introduced himself to Remus. She knew that Leopold was bound to return, but she hadn't thought it would be so soon. Both of the vampires, in turn, were introduced to a friend of The King's that he had made in his travels back to his palace; The Genie of Agrabah.

Remus was positively beside himself with excitement at meeting a genie. Ever since his beloved sister's death, Remus had been searching for a cure for his vampirism, so that he could finally, one day, be reunited with Nadia in the afterlife. His joy quickly disappeared, and he was quite furious to learn that Leopold, in his gentle and uncommon kindness, had freed the genie, rendering him unable to grant any wishes. Shae, however, was extremely wary of The Genie of Agrabah. He stared at Regina in a way that made Shae's blood boil.

To make matters even worse, that same night, Regina was summoned to her husband's bedchamber. Shae was positively furious, and paced the length of her own room in a wild and agitated state. Remus, who had always been the more calm and collected of the vampiric pair, sat and listened quietly as Shae ranted and raved.

"I can't stand it, Remus." Shae snarled, her clenched fists trembling with rage. "As we speak, that useless old sad sack likely has his wrinkled, bony hands all fucking over her."

"If you're so upset about it, then why haven't you razed this whole bloody castle to the ground yet?" Remus asked, snapping the book that he was reading shut.

Shae stopped her frantic pacing, biting into her bottom lip. "That's… That's not who I am anymore, Remus." She replied quietly. "I've been trying to change, to be better, for-"

"For Regina." Remus finished for her. "I understand. She is a remarkable woman. If I wasn't so fond of men, I think I might even-"

"You shut your mouth!" Shae exclaimed, pointing a furious finger at her friend. "Honestly, it's bad enough with that damn genie always undressing her with his eyes like he does. Oh, how I'd love to rip his fucking lungs out and-"

Suddenly, there was a knock on Shae's bedroom door. Shae immediately rushed toward it, expecting, hoping, to find her true love on the other side. When she threw the door open, her excited smile fell into a fearsome snarl.

"You." She muttered, glaring furiously at The Genie of Agrabah. She then carefully smoothed out her face, and put on her best, welcoming smile. "What can I do for you this evening, friend?"

The Genie didn't respond right away. He slowly sauntered into the room, both Shae and Remus eyeing him warily. "The King has entrusted me with a very interesting task." The Genie replied, his lips curled into a small smirk. "A task that he originally entrusted to _you_."

Shae exchanged a silent, anxious glance with Remus, and The Genie went on. "His Majesty suspects that his wife has taken a lover." He said, slowly pacing about the room. "He tells me that you have failed to find the wretched man. Tell me, as the Queen's closest confidant, and someone of such incredible skill, how exactly is it that you have found no evidence of the man who gave her this?"

The Genie held out his hand, and the broken mirror that Shae had given to Regina the night they first kissed appeared in his open palm. "That's not-" Shae exclaimed, taking an angry step toward him. She then stopped in her tracks, and carefully smoothed out her face again. " _That_ is The Queen's personal property."

"Has it occured to you that The King just might be wrong?" Remus asked of The Genie, raising an eyebrow it him. "He _is_ a goddamn idiot after all. Who exactly decides to free a genie and not make any wishes?"

The Genie narrowed his eyes irritably at Remus. "The King is a man of exceptional kindness." He snarled in reply. "I owe him my life, my freedom. I _will_ find his wife's lover, and I _will_ bring both him and The Queen to justice."

Shae glowered silently at The Genie as he stepped up to her, pressing the mirror into her hands. "Perhaps your friend is right, perhaps His Majesty _is_ wrong." He whispered, staring intently into Shae's blood red eyes. "Perhaps it isn't a man at all that I should be searching for."

Shae kept her expression calm and even as The Genie turned his back on her, and headed for the door. "We shall see, won't we?" He muttered, pausing in the doorway. "We shall see, very soon."

As soon as the door swung shut behind The Genie, Shae whirled around to face her old friend. Remus slowly rose from his chair, eyeing Shae with concern as she clutched the mirror to her chest, her hands trembling.

"Remus, we have to leave." Shae whispered, her blood red eyes wide, and filled with urgency. "I have to get Regina away from here, tonight."

XX

Later that night, when everyone else in the castle had gone to sleep, Shae appeared in The Queen's bedchamber with a puff of blood red smoke. She started to panic when she found the bed empty, but then spotted Regina out on the balcony, sobbing bitterly upon the ground. Shae rushed over to her, and dropped down onto her knees before her, quickly pulling her into her arms.

"Shae… Oh, Shae… Shae, I'm so sorry." Regina sobbed into Shae's chest, her whole body trembling.

"Shh, it's ok, it's alright." Shae whispered softly, wrapping her arms tightly around the woman she loved. "I've got you, everything's going to be alright."

Regina pushed away from Shae's chest, and threw her arms around her neck, kissing her urgently, desperately. "Please, take me to bed." She whispered, kissing her lips again. "I need you, I need to feel you, I need-"

"Regina, no, there's no time." Shae replied, grabbing on to Regina's shoulders and pushing her back, staring urgently into her eyes. "The Genie, he knows, he somehow knows. We need to leave before he tells The King."

"Leave?" Regina asked, wiping away the tears from her face. "W-Where will we go?"

"I don't know. Away. Far away." Shae muttered hastily. She then cupped Regina's face in her hands, her blood red eyes welling with tears as well. "Please, Regina, please let me take you away from all of this. I know you're The Queen, but-"

Regina cut her off by placing another deep, urgent kiss on her lips. "Yes! Oh, Shae, please… Please take me away!" She sobbed, covering her lover's face with more gentle kisses. "I don't want to be Queen, not if it means I can't have you. All I want is you, Shae. You, and only you."

Shae nodded, tears of joy streaming down her face as she kissed her true love. "Now, you wait here." Shae told her with a smile, gently caressing her cheek. "I'll be back soon. I'll go find us a ship and-"

"You're not going anywhere."

Both Regina and Shae leapt to their feet, startled and alarmed to find The Genie of Agrabah standing in the doorway to The Queen's bedchamber. Before either Shae or Regina could react, The Genie threw out both of his arms toward them. Their bodies momentarily glowed with a pale blue light, and they both dropped back down onto the floor as their knees buckled. They stared wide eyed at each other, both suddenly feeling drained and weak.

"W-What have you done?" Regina breathed quietly, fearfully clinging to Shae's arm.

"I've stripped you both of your magic." The Genie explained with a triumphant grin. "Now neither of you can escape. You will both be brought to justice for your crimes."

Regina and Shae both watched in horror as a group of King Leopold's armed soldiers came marching into the room. They seized Shae by her arms and pulled her to her feet, taking hold of The Queen's as Regina clung desperately to her true love.

"NO!" Regina screamed as Shae was dragged away from her. "SHAE!"

"REGINA!"

Shae was dragged kicking, screaming, and swearing all the way down to the dungeons. The soldiers tossed her into a cold, dark cell, and Shae screamed furiously at them as they locked her away. Shae continued to scream into the quiet and the darkness, but eventually collapsed to the floor, sobbing bitterly. While Shae wept and wailed in her dungeon cell, Regina did much the same in the room she had been locked away in atop the highest tower of the castle. Both of their hearts ached with misery, with fear. They silently hoped that Remus was able to escape the castle, and The Genie, and that he would come for them, to save them from King Leopold's vengeful wrath.

XX

"The two of you have been charged for the crime of adultery, for which the punishment, is death." King Leopold called out in a clear, ringing voice. "Do either of you have any last words?"

It was midday the next day, and almost the entire kingdom had gathered in King Leopold's courtyard to watch his wife and her Protector's execution. Shae and Regina stood side by side atop the gallows. The noose had been removed, replaced by two wooden posts, to which The Queen and her Protector were shackled to, still completely powerless. A line of archers stood on the ground before them, the ones in front of Shae armed with silver tipped arrows. Though both Regina and Shae were terrified, they faced their death with calm and collected grace.

"Yes, I do." Regina replied quietly, smiling sadly as she gazed down at her husband, her step-daughter standing teary eyed next to him. "When I look back on everything that I have done, I want you both to know how I feel, and that is… Regret. Regret that I could not be the mother that you deserved, the wife that you deserved."

Regina paused for a moment, tears beginning to rush down her face. "I am truly sorry for what I've done, Leopold." She went on, her voice cracking with emotion. "But I don't love you, I never have. I love Shae. She is my _true_ love, my world, my everything. If death is truly the price that I have to pay for my actions, then I will gladly pay it, by her side."

Shae's eyes streamed with tears as the woman she loved smiled at her, her unbeating heart fluttering wildly within her chest. She then noticed The King and the crowd of onlookers staring expectantly at her. She cleared her throat, the iron shackles on her wrists clattering softly as she shifted in her spot.

"I regret nothing."

Unable to help herself, Regina burst out laughing. The gathered crowd began muttering angrily as Shae laughed with her. Their laughter caught in their throats as blindfolds were placed over their eyes, and the crowd grew silent once again. More tears rushed down their faces, their entire bodies trembling with fear. Neither of them had any idea what exactly had happened to Remus, but it appeared that the vampire had not escaped The Genie's clutches. This was it, it was all over. No one was coming to save them.

"Father, do they really deserve to die?" Snow White muttered to The King.

"All crimes must be punished, child." Leopold quietly replied. "Especially crimes such as theirs."

"B-But, father, don't they-"

"ARCHERS!"

The soldiers standing at attention below the gallows all drew their bows, training their arrows at The Queen and her Protector's hearts. "Regina… Regina, I love you." Shae whispered, her voice quavering with emotion, with fear.

Regina choked out a terrified, strangled sob. "I love you too, Shae."

"FIRE!"

Regina drew in a sharp breath, and Shae clenched her jaw, both of them waiting for the pain. But it never came. Suddenly, the crowd began muttering once again, gasping and crying out in apparent shock.

"What is the meaning of this?" Leopold shouted.

"Come, now, did you really think I'd let you kill them?"

The blindfolds were suddenly removed from Shae and Regina's eyes, and they both blinked dazedly from the bright sunlight. They were startled to find the arrows hovering in the air just before their faces, and they both gasped excitedly when they saw who was stepping through the crowd, arm outstretched toward them.

"Remus!" Cried Regina.

"Well, it's about damn time!" Shae snapped irritably.

Remus chuckled as he lowered his arm, his glowing red eyes fading back to normal as the arrows clattered to the ground. "Oh, you know how much I love a grand entrance." He replied with a wink.

"YOU!"

Remus whirled around, and found The Genie of Agrabah pushing through the startled crowd toward him. "I was starting to think you weren't coming." He snarled, grinning dangerously at the vampire.

"Oh, so you were expecting me? Excellent!" Remus replied, grinning back at him. "By the way, have you met my friend here? Her names Tinkerbell."

The Genie spun around, just in time to catch a face full of pixie dust. "Surprise!" Shouted Tink.

The Genie's body glowed with a pale green light, and he stared bewilderedly down at his own two hands as all his magic drained away. He glanced back up at Tinkerbell, his eyes wide with horror as the fairy's fist collided with his nose. The crowd cried out in alarm as The Genie instantly hit the ground, and so did Tink.

"OW! Oh, god!" The fairy exclaimed, clutching her aching hand. "Oh, wow, that hurts! That was a terrible idea!"

"SEIZE THEM!" Shouted The King.

"Go! Get them out of here!" Remus commanded to Tinkerbell.

Tink set aside her pain, and nodded, shifting into her tiny fairy form as The King's soldiers charged toward her and Remus. As the vampire threw himself upon the soldiers, armed with Shae's own blue bladed sword, Tinkerbell zoomed over to Shae and Regina. She waved her wand over the shackles that were chaining them to their posts, and they both smiled gratefully at each other when they fell to the ground at their feet.

"Right, let's go." Tink said with another nod.

Before either Regina or Shae could do or say anything, Tink pointed her wand at both of them, and they were suddenly rising higher and higher into the air. Regina laughed with joy as Tinkerbell soared away from the castle with both her and Shae in tow, and Shae screamed in terror. Regina and Tinkerbell were both fully aware of the vampire's fear of heights, but neither of them could help but laugh. Regina glanced behind her, her heart soaring glee as her husband's castle shrunk farther and farther away into the distance. She glanced back over at the woman she loved, her _true_ love, and laughed some more as Shae continued screaming, wildly flailing her limbs.

"Oh god, oh bloody hell." Shae muttered, her whole body trembling when they finally landed deep in the forest. "Never again. _Never_ again!"

Regina burst out laughing again, and threw her arms around Shae's neck, kissing her with immense and grateful passion. Shae held her tight as they kissed, and both their eyes streamed with grateful, elated tears. They broke away from their embrace when they heard a sudden whooshing sound from behind them, and they found Remus stepping out of a cloud of blood red smoke.

"Are you two alright?" Remus asked them with a smile.

"Yes, we're fine." Regina replied, nodding hastily as more tears leaked from her eyes. "Oh, thank you, Remus. Both of you."

Shae and Regina both exchanged tight and immensely grateful embraces with their friends that had just saved their lives. "Sorry we couldn't stop and get any of your things." Tink said to Regina with a frown.

"It's alright." She said, smiling as she placed her hand gently on Shae's cheek. "As long as I have _you_ , I don't need anything else."

"Yes, well, as touching as that is," Remus began to say, dramatically rolling his blood red eyes. "I _did_ manage to steal this. Shae tells me it's very important to you."

Regina gasped as Remus produced a small, broken mirror. She hugged it to her chest, smiling into her lover's eyes. "Shae gave this to me the first time we kissed." She explained to a confused looking Tinkerbell. "That was the night we first fell in love."

"And now your love is free to blossom." Tinkerbell said, smiling fondly at both Shae and Regina. "I'm so happy for you both."

Regina sobbed with pure joy, throwing her arms around the woman she loved. Tinkerbell's eyes began to well with tears as Shae and Regina kissed once again. She laughed joyfully, and Remus grimaced as the fairy wrapped him in a tight, excited hug. He rolled his eyes again, but, otherwise, didn't make a fuss, and patted the young fairy lightly on her head.

"There's just… One thing, something that we've never really talked about." Shae muttered quietly, pulling away from Regina's embrace. "Regina, you know that I love you, and I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you. But, being a vampire, I'm… Immortal. I won't ever age, which means-"

"You'll have to watch me grow old and die." Regina finished for her, her brown eyes wide with horror.

"Yes." Shae whispered sadly, then looked to Remus. "I… I don't suppose you have-"

"No." Remus whispered back, slowly shaking his head. "I've been searching for a cure for my own vampirism ever since I lost my sister." He explained to Tink. "I'm sorry, Shae. I wish there was some way to get rid of this curse, but-"

"I hear your wish."

They all gave a start, startled by the sudden, gentle voice that seemed to be echoing from amongst the trees. Suddenly, there was a flash of bright blue light, and another fairy came fluttering down from the sky toward them. Shae, Regina, and Remus had never seen this fairy before, but, unfortunately, she was all too familiar to Tinkerbell.

"Blue!" Tinkerbell exclaimed as her mentor, The Blue Fairy, hovered before them. "W-What are you doing here?"

"As I said, I have heard Remus's wish." The Blue Fairy explained with a warm smile.

"And… You've come to grant it?" Asked Remus.

Blue slowly shook her head. "No, unfortunately, I cannot." She slowly replied. "However, I do know of something that can. There is an enchanted lake in this realm, called Lake Nostos. If you and Shae drink from it's waters, your humanity will be restored to you once again."

As Shae and Remus exchanged excited, hopeful smiles, The Blue Fairy turned to Tinkerbell. "As for you…"

"Blue, please, don't take my wand again!" Tink exclaimed, clutching her wand protectively to her chest. "I didn't break any rules, I swear! I was only trying to-"

"Calm yourself, Tinkerbell." Blue said with a laugh. "I admit, I was a bit upset when you went off and decided to find true love for a vampire. No offense."

"None taken." Shae replied with a shrug.

"However, I have been keeping an eye on you, and I have seen how strong your bond of true love really is." Blue went on, smiling warmly at both Shae and Regina. "Though I do not condone your actions against King Leopold, I do know that true love is the one thing in this life that is _truly_ worth fighting for."

The Blue Fairy paused for a moment, turning her gaze back onto Tinkerbell, who was still eyeing her apprehensively. "You all have fought bravely, especially _you_ , Tink." She said with another smile. "You have done well, and I believe that there is little else I can teach you."

Tink's jaw dropped open in shock. "Y-You… You mean-"

"Your training is complete." Blue finished for her with a nod. "In fact, I wish to reward you for your deeds. You have kept careful watch over both Shae and Regina, doing all you could and more to see that their true love flourished and blossomed. I hereby name you Fairy Godmother to the both of them."

"F-F-Fairy… G-Godmother?" Tinkerbell stammered, staring at her mentor with wide, baffled eyes. "T-That's… That's the highest honor a fairy can ever get!"

"Precisely." Blue replied with another nod.

The Blue Fairy then drew her wand, waving it in Tinkerbell's direction. Shae, Regina, and Remus all lept back as Tink was engulfed in a cloud of blue smoke. When the smoke cleared, they all gasped in wonder. A nearly completely different woman was standing before them. Tink's bright blonde hair tumbled down her shoulders in tightly wound curls, her usual bright green tunic replaced with a long, puffy, equally green dress, reminiscent of a flashy ball gown. Her wand, which had been a short and simple training wand, was now much longer, and much more ornately decorated. Though she was stunningly beautiful, the others all silently agreed that her new look was not at all Tinkerbell.

"Oh… Oh, Blue, thank you, this is… Amazing." Tink muttered, staring down at her puffy dress with a nervous smile. "But, I… Um… D-Do I… Do I really have to-"

"You don't have to keep the dress." The Blue Fairy replied with an eye roll. " _Or_ the hair."

"Thank god." Tink whispered.

They all burst into laughter at the immensely relieved look on Tinkerbell's face. Regina stared down at the cracked and broken mirror that was still in her hands, smiling at her own reflection. Finally, after so much pain, after so much heartache, she was finally happy, happier than she had ever been in her life. She took her true love by the hand, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Both she and Shae were finally free to love each other, they were both finally and truly happy.

XX

Per The Blue Fairy's instruction, Regina, as well as Tinkerbell, traveled with both Shae and Remus to the fabled Lake Nostos. Both the vampires drank from the lake, and, just like Blue had said, their undead curse was, finally, after over two hundred years, lifted. Their hair remained unchanged, but their eyes and their complexion were entirely different. Remus's eyes were a stunning and brilliant shade of green, and his skin was still quite pale, though no longer the shade of gray that it had once been. Shae's eyes were a bright, piercing blue, and her skin was tan and olive toned. Regina thought her true love was even more stunningly beautiful than she ever had been before, and both Shae and Remus were immensely grateful to be human once again.

After their trip to Lake Nostos, Tinkerbell took her leave of them, but, due to her new position, was only ever a call away. All Shae or Regina had to do was utter her name, and Tinkerbell would appear to them with a flash of bright green light. Regina and Shae were frequently visited by their fairy godmother, who was always immensely worried about her new charges. Since the former Queen and the former vampire had been freed from King Leopold's clutches, they became outlaws, and The King placed a high price on both their heads. Shae and Regina, as well as Remus, spent many long years running from place to place, always being chased by bounty hunters, bandits, or The King's own soldiers. Still, though, they lived a happy life together, Regina and Shae's true love growing stronger and stronger every day.

While travelling through a kingdom called Camelot, the trio happened upon a friar, who took them in for a few days, providing them with some much needed food and shelter. The friar, who was called Friar Tuck, was in awe over the harrowing tale of true love that Shae and Regina told him. He offered to marry the two lovers, who both immediately agreed. Friar Tuck presided over a simple ceremony, with only Remus and Tinkerbell in attendance. Though the wedding was not at all the one that either of them had dreamed about, it was still the happiest day of their lives.

Not long after the wedding, Regina, Shae, and Remus heard tell that Snow White had also gotten married, to King George's son, Prince James. The two of them had fallen deeply in love upon only meeting once, and both King George and King Leopold were more than happy to bless their union, knowing that an alliance with both the kingdoms would prove nothing but fruitful. A few weeks after his daughter's wedding, Leopold fell gravely ill, and passed away several days later. After The King's death, the bounty was removed from both Shae and Regina's heads, by none other than Snow White, who was now Queen.

With no more soldiers and bounty hunters after their heads, Regina, Shae, and Remus lived in peace after Leopold's death. A few years later, they learned that King George had also passed away, leaving Snow White and Prince James to rule two different kingdoms. Not long after King George's death, The Blue Fairy, who had become a friend to both Snow White and Prince James, appeared to Shae and Regina one day, carrying with her a message from Queen Snow. They were both summoned back to King Leopold's castle, and both Shae and Remus were hesitant to accept. Regina, who had held on to a deep and unyielding regret for the hatred she had felt for her step-daughter, insisted that they should go, and the trio set out for the castle that they had once fled from years past.

Shae and Remus were both wary, sure that it was all a trick, a trap to finally capture them after years of eluding The King's soldiers. However, they were warmly welcomed by a misty eyed Snow White, who had blossomed into a kind and beautiful young woman.

"Regina, I am so sorry." Snow whispered, tears rushing down her face as she held her step-mother's hands in her own. "My father was kind and gentle, but he was also a jealous man. I tried to reason with him, for years I tried to talk him out of the bounty that was placed on your head, and on Shae's. But… He refused, insisted that you both needed to be punished, simply for loving each other."

Snow paused for a moment, biting her lip as more tears streamed from her eyes. "But, above all else, I am sorry for what happened to Daniel." She went on in a whisper, her voice quavering with emotion. "I learned only a few years ago what had really happened to him. You entrusted me with a secret, a secret that I did not keep. His death… It's all my fault. Regina, I… Oh god, I'm so sorry."

Regina pulled Snow White into her arms, holding her tight as the young Queen broke down into bitter tears. "Shh, it's alright, it's ok." She whispered softly, gently stroking her step-daughter's hair. "I forgive you, Snow. I forgive you."

Snow White smiled an astonished smile through her tears. "You… You do?"

"Yes." Regina whispered, placing her hand gently on Snow's cheek. "I was filled with so much pain, so much hate for so long. But… Shae's love, my _true_ love, has helped me let go of all that hate. I have deeply regretted it all these years. I'm so glad that you asked me here, that I got to see you again, if only for today."

Snow White glanced over at her husband, who had been standing quietly just behind her. "Um, see, that's the thing…" She slowly replied. "Charming and I, we would like to-"

"Charming?" Asked Shae, raising an eyebrow at The Prince.

Prince James laughed lightly. "It's, uh… A nickname that Snow came up with for me, the first time we met."

"It's certainly fitting." Remus said with a grin.

They all laughed, and Queen Snow cleared her throat, turning her attention back to Regina. "Right, well, David and I… Er, that's his name, actually. Not, 'Charming,' not, 'James.' A-Anyway…" She stammered, then cleared her throat once again. "It's been… Difficult, for David and I, ruling two separate kingdoms. If you choose to accept, we would like to restore your position. You would be Queen once again, and rule my father's kingdom, while David and I rule _his_ father's."

Regina's jaw dropped open in pure and utter shock. "Are… Are you serious?" She breathed quietly. When Snow and David both nodded, Regina glanced over at her Shae, who was looking just as baffled as she was. "W-What… What about Shae?"

"She is certainly welcome as well, as is Remus." David replied with a smile. "Though, I'm not exactly sure what _your_ title would be." He went on, frowning slightly at Shae. "You two are married, so, I-I suppose you would be… Queen as well?"

"Certainly not." Shae replied with a scoff. "I will be what I have always been." She placed her hand gently on her wife's shoulder, smiling into her deep, gorgeous brown eyes. "Your partner, your Protector."

Regina nodded, her eyes streaming with tears once again as she placed a kiss on her true love's lips. The next day, David and Snow White gathered the subjects that were once King Leopold's to the castle for a coronation ceremony. Regina was made Queen once again, and Shae, once again, was pronounced her Royal Protector. Remus, who had vehemently refused any sort of title, was simply content to remain at the castle, assisting both The Queen and her Protector with anything that they might need.

Both kingdoms flourished during both Queen Snow and Queen Regina's rule. Both step-mother and step-daughter remained in close contact, and often visited one another at each other's castles. During one visit, Regina was positively overjoyed to learn that Snow White was pregnant. Though she was happier than words could describe with Shae, her partner, her true love, she longed so desperately for a child of her own. After Snow and David's daughter was born, her longing grew even deeper as she held baby Emma in her arms. Shae knew of her wife's desire for a child, and she longed for the same thing. She was heartbroken over the fact that it was not possible for her to provide the woman she loved with a child.

Once again, Shae and Regina's fairy godmother, Tinkerbell, came through for them in a spectacular way. She appeared at their castle one day, carrying a small bundle of blankets in her arms. Within the blankets, was a baby boy, not even a day old. His mother had died during childbirth, and the father was nowhere to be seen. The fairy told the midwives that had tried so desperately to save the young mother that she knew the perfect couple that would give the baby a loving home.

"He's amazing." Shae whispered as she stood behind Regina sitting in a chair, staring down in wonder down at the baby nestled in her wife's arms.

"He certainly is." Regina whispered back. "Do you want to count his fingers and toes again?"

"No, let him sleep." Shae muttered softly, kneeling down next to Regina. "I'm sure there's still twelve of each."

Regina laughed, turning her head and placing a gentle kiss on Shae's lips. "What do you want to name him?" Shae asked of her.

The baby in Regina's arm's stirred softly, emitting a soft grunt as he stretched his tiny arms. Regina and Shae both held rigidly still, and they both sighed in relief as he fell peacefully back to sleep. Regina stared silently down at the baby, who was now her son. She gently brushed her finger across his cheek, smiling as her eyes welled with tears.

"Henry."

XX

Prince Henry grew into a fine young man under both of his mothers' proud and careful watch. Princess Emma grew up to be much the same, and both her and Henry spent many days laughing and playing together, both of them becoming fast and loyal friends, just like their parents were. Henry ended up marrying a commoner, which neither Shae nor Regina had any problems with. They both simply wanted their son to be happy, and to marry for love, just as they both had.

The woman's name was Violet, whom Henry had met as a young boy on a trip to Camelot. Shae and Regina had gotten word that, Friar Tuck, their old friend, who had been the one that married them, had fallen ill, and immediately rushed off to visit him on his deathbed, with their son in tow. Henry and Violet had an immediate bond, and remained in close contact after parting. Both Regina and Shae welcomed Violet and her father, who had raised her himself, into their court several years later. Not long after that, Henry married Violet, and, not long after that, the two of them had children of their own.

Many years later, Regina fell ill herself. The healers in her castle tried all they could to help her, as did Tinkerbell, but to no avail. The Queen lie in her bedchamber, her once luscious, raven colored hair now withered and gray, her skin spotted and wrinkled. Despite all that, Regina was content, surrounded by the people that loved her most. Snow White, David, their daughter Emma, her husband, Neal, and their children were all present. Her fairy godmother, Tinkerbell, who, due to her magic, had not aged a day, was also there. Her son, Henry, of course, was also at his mother's bedside, along with his wife, and Regina's grandchildren. Henry's uncle Remus was standing quietly at the back of the room next to Tink, and Shae, Regina's true love, sat next to her wife at the edge of the bed.

"Now, don't go running off with the first woman you lay eyes upon." Regina said to Shae, emitting a weak, frail cough.

Shae laughed, shaking her equally gray haired head. "No, no, of course not." She whispered with a wrinkled smile. "That's a recipe for a haunting, you know."

Regina laughed too, which turned into another painful cough. Shae bit her lip, eyeing Regina with concern as she coughed and wheezed, her whole body trembling. She reached out a frail, shaking hand, gently wiping the blood away from Regina's lips with an already bloodstained cloth.

"I love you, Shae." Regina whispered, feebly gripping her Protector's hand. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Regina." Shae whispered back, smiling as she gently squeezed her hand. "I have always loved you, and I always will."

Regina began coughing some more, and the people gathered around her deathbed hung their heads in sorrow. When the coughing stopped, Shae leaned forward, placing a gentle, tender kiss on her wife's lips. Shae pulled away from her true love's lips, squeezing her eyes shut as tears rushed down her wrinkled, olive toned face. Regina was gone.

Shae sat and listened to the quiet sobbing of the friends and family gathered in her Queen's bedchamber, her grandchildren standing in reserved silence next to their parents, not really understanding what was happening. Though her heart ached with sorrow over the passing of the woman she loved, she couldn't help but smile as she reflected on their life together. She gently caressed her wife's still, lifeless face. They had truly lived happily ever after.

XX


	19. Chapter 19, Blood Magic

CHAPTER 19

Regina stood alone outside the library doors, slowly pacing up and down the sidewalk. Elsa had decided that Shae and Regina would likely need some time to speak alone, and Robin had left as well, though his reasons were partly to do with his general fear of his true love's other true love. Shae had never bothered to hide her distaste for the noble thief, and, since Robin had been the object of her rage once before, he decided that it was best if he returned safely to his camp. Neither he nor Elsa knew what a grave mistake they had just made.

Regina re-entered the library after a time, and her heart began to race as she slowly walked through the shelves of books toward the back. She had no idea how Shae was going to react to her story of what could have been. She found the vampire sitting at the table where she, Robin, and Elsa had left her. She was staring down at the storybook page sitting on the table in front of her, her blood red eyes streaming with tears. Regina stood silently watching her for a while, not at all sure of what to say.

"Everyone could have gotten their happy endings." Shae muttered quietly, not even glancing up from the page as she finally broke the silence. "Snow and Charming, Emma, Remus, even Tink."

"Especially Tink." Regina muttered back with a laugh.

Shae chuckled too, wiping the tears from her face. "You know, this whole time, I thought Elsa and Robin were the ones that could have saved us from our darkness. But, turns out-"

"We could have saved each other." Regina finished for her.

Shae nodded slowly, squeezing her eyes shut as more tears rolled down her cold, pale cheeks. They fell silent again for a while, and Regina remained where she stood, biting her lip as she stared down at her feet. She glanced up when Shae slowly rose from her chair, and was alarmed and confused at the sudden fury in her eyes.

"Why the hell would you show me this?" Shae demanded, pointing a furious finger at the page. "What exactly are you playing at, Regina?"

Regina's mouth gaped open in shock. "P-Playing at? I… I-I don't understand, I-"

Regina gasped as Shae kicked out at the chair she had been sitting in, toppling it over. "You know that I chose Elsa." Shae snarled, her hand trembling as she pointed another finger at Regina. "It's already hard enough for her, for _me_. And now this shit?"

"Shae, I… I wasn't trying to, I-I didn't mean-" Regina stammered, pausing for a moment as she bit back the tears welling into her eyes. "I just… Thought you should know."

"Know what? That we could have lived happily ever after together?" Shae shouted, growing more and more furious by the second. " _You're_ the one that screwed it all up by running off with your damn thief!"

Regina's hands began to tremble with rage, and she folded her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes at her former lover. "And _you're_ the one who decided to go running of with your damn ice witch."

"DON'T CALL HER THAT!" Shae bellowed.

Regina only continued to glower at Shae, which made the vampire even angrier. She stomped over to Regina, who gasped in alarm as Shae grabbed her by the front of her blouse, and shoved her up against the bookcase behind her. Regina stared into Shae's blood red eyes, her own wide with shock, with fear. For a moment, Shae glared into Regina's deep, brown eyes, her fist shaking as she tightly gripped the front of her shirt. Regina gasped again as Shae suddenly closed the miniscule distance that remained between them, and kissed her.

It was an angry kiss, a furious kiss, but it was still filled with the same passion and desire that it always had been, the kind that made Regina's heart race. Regina dug her fingers into the back of Shae's head, squeezing a fistful of her messy black hair as their lips parted again and again with deep, passionate urgency. Shae grabbed Regina by her hips, and spun her around, pushing her quickly backward. Regina gasped once more as Shae shoved her roughly against the table, which turned into a soft moan as Shae bit into the tender flesh of her neck.

Regina wrapped her legs around Shae's waist, swiftly sliding her black leather jacket off of her shoulders. As her jacket fell to the floor, Shae found Regina's lips again, and they kissed furiously as Shae began working on the buttons of Regina's blouse. Regina moaned again, loudly this time as Shae roughly squeezed her breasts over her black lace bra. Regina swiftly undid the button of Shae's pants, and Shae gasped as she slid her hand down them, her blood red eyes snapping open.

Red, wide eyed eyes stared into brown, and they were both suddenly standing rigidly still. After a few long, startled moments, Shae stumbled backward, placing her hands on her head, her mouth opening and closing several times, her bottom lip trembling. Regina stared back at her in silence, both of them too shocked by their sudden, passionate moment, too startled for words. They gaped at each other in stunned and confused silence for several long moments. Shae then turned her back on Regina, and raced out of the library. Regina remained where she sat upon the table for a few moments, her head spinning, her heart racing. She then choked out a miserable, strangled sob, and slid down onto the floor on her knees, tears beginning to stream from her eyes. She picked Shae's jacket up from off the floor, hugging it to her chest, breathing in her familiar, intoxicating scent.

Meanwhile, Shae sprinted out into the woods, straight to the cabin where she had been staying. She burst through the door, her head spinning wildly, and found Elsa seated on the couch, patiently waiting for her. Elsa sprang to her feet, alarmed by Shae's loud and sudden entrance.

"Shae! You're back!" She exclaimed, her brow furrowing in concern over the crazed look on the vampire's face. "Are… You alright? You look-"

Elsa's question was cut off as Shae rushed toward her, and pulled her into her arms, kissing her deeply, desperately. Elsa's brow furrowed once again as she felt her lover's lips trembling against her own. She pulled away from Shae's embrace, opening her mouth to question her further. She stopped when Shae placed a quivering finger against her lips, and kissed her once again.

Shae pulled Elsa into the bedroom, and quickly undid the laces of her glittering blue dress. Elsa didn't speak as Shae made love to her, didn't question why her she was in such sudden, desperate need of her. She had no idea what exactly was within the mysterious storybook page. Whatever it was, whatever Shae had read, it left the vampire in such an agitated state that Elsa had never seen before. She had no idea the painful confliction that had suddenly taken hold of her lover's mind and heart.

Shae held Elsa's naked body against her own, her arms wrapped tightly around her as she fell asleep peacefully in her arms. She placed her lips against Elsa's shoulder, her blood red eyes streaming with tears as her thoughts once again wandered to Regina. She had tried so desperately to focus her full attention on Elsa, but she couldn't stop the passionate moment that she and Regina had shared playing itself over and over again in her mind. She knew that she loved Elsa, but she couldn't stop thinking about Regina, about the content, happy life they could have shared if she had chosen differently all those years ago.

"Shae?" Elsa whispered, roused from her slumber when she felt her lover's body shaking as she wept. "Are you alright?"

"Fine, I'm fine." Shae whispered back, curling her arms even tighter around her. "Just… Go back to sleep."

Elsa nodded sleepily, and she turned her head back, placing a light kiss on Shae's lips. "I love you."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, more tears leaking from her eyes as Elsa rested her head back onto her pillow. "I… I-I love you too, Elsa."

XX

Regina and Shae kept carefully away from each other for the next few days, choosing instead to spend time with their other true loves, Elsa and Robin, trying desperately to forget the heated and passionate moment they had shared within the library. It left both of them frightened and confused, and they tried their best to focus their attention on the other people in their lives, the ones they had both chosen to be with, chosen to love. Despite their best efforts, Shae and Regina's thoughts were never far away from each other.

Regina, with Robin's help, continued to search for a way to free Marian from Ingrid's icy spell. Shae spent most of her time in the library with Elsa and Belle, sometimes accompanied by Emma and her parents, as the heroes of Storybrooke continued to search for a way to trap the powerful and elusive Snow Queen. Shae found it hard to focus as she read through book after book, tome after tome, her thoughts always straying back to Regina. Frustrated and angry, She decided to take a break one evening, and headed to Granny's Diner for a drink. She was sitting at the counter, alone, already on her fifth glass of whiskey, when the bell over the diner's door tinkled, and Mary Margaret walked it.

"Hey, Shae." Mary Margaret greeted her with a smile.

"Snow." Shae replied with a curt nod.

"You know, everyone calls me, 'Mary Margaret,' now." Replied Mary Margaret.

Shae chuckled dryly, and quickly shook her head. "Yeah, I'm not calling you that. It's dumb."

Mary Margaret opened her mouth to retort, but shut it again, and her brow furrowed in concern as she noticed all the empty glasses sitting on the counter in front of the vampire. "Are you, uh… Are you alright?"

"Peachy." Shae muttered, draining the glass in her hand.

Mary Margaret sighed, and took a seat next to Shae at the counter. "I think I know what's on your mind." She told her quietly. "Elsa told us all about the pages from Henry's book that Robin found."

"Fantastic." Shae mumbled, waving Granny down for another drink.

Mary Margaret fell silent for a moment as Granny poured Shae another glass of whiskey. "Have you heard the story about how David was supposed to marry Abigail, King Midas's daughter?" She asked, once Granny had walked away.

"Only half a dozen times." Shae replied, a bit sourly.

"He could have had everything, you know." Mary Margaret told her with another smile.

"Oh, now a _full_ dozen!" Said Shae, her tone full of sarcastic chipperness.

Mary Margaret chuckled lightly, and went on. "He could have had the perfect life. King Midas was rich beyond compare, and an alliance with his kingdom would have made King George's flourish. He never would have wanted for anything."

Mary Margaret paused for a moment, staring sadly down at the counter. "He told me that he tried to love Abigail, and, for a moment, I think he really thought he did." She went on quietly. "But… But then-"

"Then he met _you_." Shae finished for her.

"Yeah." Mary Margaret whispered with a wistful smile. "You were there, actually, when he first fell in love with me."

"Yeah, on The Troll Bridge, I remember." Shae muttered, taking a large sip of her fresh glass of whiskey. "What exactly are you trying to say, Snow?"

Mary Margaret sighed once again, taking a moment to respond. "When David decided that he wanted to pursue me, he knew that he was going to ruin everything, his entire life." She explained in a quiet whisper. "He risked everything, was willing to give it all up, just to be with me. But, in the end, he told me it was… Worth it. Even after everything that's happened, everything that we all have been through, it was… _So_ worth it."

Mary Margaret shifted slightly in her seat, turning to face Shae. "I guess what I'm trying to say," She began with another small, wistful smile. "Is that, if I've learned anything from all that David and I have been through, it's that, if you find someone you love enough to ruin your entire life over, then, it's just… Always worth it, no matter what."

Shae stared down into her half empty glass of whiskey, taking in everything that Mary Margaret had said. She sat in silence as Granny took Mary Margaret's order, thinking about Elsa, about the life they once had together, the one that they had started all over again now in Storybrooke, how happy she had been the last few weeks. She thought about the other life she could have had, the one with Regina. She bit her lip, fighting back against the tears that were welling into her eyes as she thought about their moment in the library just a few nights ago. She thought about the feeling of Regina's lips upon her own, the familiar and tantalizing curves of her body beneath her hands, the desperate and aching longing deep within her heart to feel it all again.

"You ok?" Asked Mary Margaret, as Shae slowly rose from her stool, her blood red eyes wide with a strange sort of determination.

Shae didn't seem to hear her, and the vampire didn't speak a word as she promptly left the diner.

XX

Regina was in her vault, staring down at the spellbook sitting in her lap, unable to focus on the words written on the pages. She breathed out a frustrated sigh, snapping the book shut and shoving it angrily off of her lap, where it fell to the floor with a heavy thump. She rested her forehead in the palms of her hands, her eyes straying to the two pages sitting on the floor near her feet. They were the pages that did and did not belong in Henry's storybook, the ones that told stories of what could have been.

Regina's hand quivered slightly as she picked up the pages, and she smiled a sad, wistful smile as she stared down at the picture of her and Robin kissing inside the tavern. His story was much the same as Shae's. He and Regina could have lived happily ever after together, the whole kingdom could have, if only she had chosen to go to him on that fateful day. She slowly flipped to the other page, and her heart ached with misery as she gazed upon the picture of herself lying in Shae's arms in the forest, smiling up at her as she placed her hand gently on her cheek. She had thought of little else but Shae since their encounter in the library. Even when she was with Robin, lying in his arms, kissing him, her thoughts always wandered to Shae, to the life they could have had together. It was making her miserable.

"Regina."

The pages fell from Regina's hands as she nearly leapt right out of her skin. Shae herself was standing at the bottom of the staircase leading down into her vault. She hadn't even heard the vampire's footsteps.

"Shae?" Regina whispered, staring wide eyed at her. "W-What… What are you doing here?"

Shae didn't respond right way. She stared back at Regina for several long, quiet moments, and Regina saw confusion, and a deep sorrow in her blood red eyes. "Ever since Elsa came back into my life, I've been trying to think only of her." Shae finally replied, her tone as quiet as a whisper. "She's just so… So kind, patient, and gentle. I've been trying _so_ hard to give her all the care, and the attention, and the love that she _truly_ deserves."

Regina breathed out a heavy sigh, slowly rising to her feet. "Why are you telling me all this, Shae?"

Shae took another few moments to respond, her hands trembling as she stared into Regina's eyes. "Because, I can't." She whispered, her own eyes glistening with tears. "Not anymore. Not today."

Shae crossed the room in three long strides, and pulled Regina into her arms, placing a deep, passionate kiss on her lips. Regina immediately threw her arms around Shae's neck, returning her kiss with the same amount of deep, passionate urgency. She knew it was wrong, they both did, but, in that moment, their longing for each other was somehow greater than it possibly ever had been before.

Shae placed her hands on Regina's hips as their lips parted, pushing her quickly backwards. Regina kept her lips firmly locked with Shae's as her back hit the wall, and she moaned softly as Shae laced her fingers in with her own, pinning her arms above her head. Shae broke away from her lips for a moment, staring deep into her eyes. Regina felt no fear this time, no anger, only a deep, desperate desire. She saw the same desire in Shae's eyes, and they both silently agreed over what they wanted, even though it was truly and deeply wrong.

Several of the buttons on Regina's blouse popped off as Shae tore it open, but Regina didn't even care. She let out another quiet moan as Shae buried her face in her breasts, kissing them both as she dug her fingers into her lacey bra. Regina grinned as Shae teased her, brushing her cold, pale lips gently against her own. She quickly moved them away, and Regina moaned again, loudly this time as Shae bit roughly into the tender flesh of her neck.

"Easy…" Regina whispered as Shae bit down harder, knowing full well that it was going to leave a mark.

Shae completely disobeyed Regina's warning, and quickly switched to the other side of her neck, sinking her teeth even harder into her flesh. Regina cried out in part alarm, part pleasure, and she grabbed a fistful of Shae's hair, yanking her face away from her neck. Shae grabbed on to Regina's hand, pinning both her arms back against the wall again. She grinned into her eyes for a moment, listening to Regina's quick and ragged breaths. In the past, when she was Queen, Regina had been the more assertive and domineering one, reveling in the fact that her Protector submitted to her every whim. Now, she positively melted in Shae's strong arms.

Regina gasped as Shae suddenly spun her around, pinning her arms to the wall again. Shae's cold lips pressed against her neck again, but, this time, she only kissed it as she slowly drew her hands down Regina's arms. Regina grinned, biting her lip as Shae pressed slow, deep kisses up and down her neck, her fingertips brushing against her breasts as she continued to slide her hands downward. She slid them all the way down to her thighs, bringing them up again, Regina's gray, pencil skirt sliding up along with them. Regina gasped once more as Shae pushed her panties aside, and slipped two fingers between her folds.

"Oh god…" Regina whispered, gasping again in delight as Shae slowly slid her fingers deeper and deeper inside her. "Oh, Shae… Yes…"

"You feel so good." Shae whispered in her ear.

Regina tilted her head back, moaning against Shae's lips as she kissed her. She took Shae's other hand, which was curled around her waist, and quickly drew it up to her breasts, sliding it underneath her bra. Shae moaned with her as she slowly pumped her fingers, and Regina tried her best to enjoy the pleasure of Shae's skillful fingers deep inside her. However, her discomfort over being pinned to the wall was too great, and she reached down, removing Shae's hand from between her legs.

Shae opened her mouth to protest, but stopped as Regina placed a quick kiss on her lips. She then grabbed onto the front of Shae's shirt, and pulled her quickly down the long, stone hallway, toward her magical safe room, where there was a bed within. She waved her hand at the mirror, pulling Shae in for another kiss as she waited for it to magically swing open. Once inside, they began tearing at each other's clothes, and Shae immediately plunged her face between Regina's legs as soon as they fell naked upon the bed.

The blankets and sheets fell into a tangled heap onto the floor as the two of them mage urgent and vigorous love back and forth nearly all throughout the night. Regina sank her teeth deep into Shae's flesh, raked her nails up and down her back, pulled roughly on her hair. She had to be much gentler with Robin during their own passionate love making, but, with Shae, she was free to be as violent and savage as she wanted. Regina immensely enjoyed it, and so did Shae. Elsa was a gentle woman, and, though Shae did enjoy her time in the bedroom with her Ice Queen, it was nothing compared to the savage and carnal desire she shared with the once Evil Queen.

Neither of them spoke as they lie in each other's arms, totally and completely spent, and they did their best to ignore the aching pang of guilt over what they had just done. Regina eventually fell asleep, wrapped up in Shae's arms, the half heart within both their chests nearly whole again as their naked bodies pressed against one another. As Shae held Regina in her arms, left alone with her thoughts through another sleepless night, she desperately wished that she could fall asleep beside her. She wished that she could close her eyes and be swept up in a dream, a dream where the immeasurable, crushing guilt she felt deep within her heart no longer threatened to consume her.

XX

The next morning, Regina woke to the bed within her vault empty. She sat forward with a sigh, burying her face in her hands as she tried to quell the shame and the remorse over what she had done. Tears began to well into her eyes as she slowly began to get dressed, and she chose to ignore her cell phone that was ringing once again. She didn't know who had been trying to call her, her heart too heavy with painful misery to care. She had betrayed the man she loved, the man that had chosen _her_ over his wife, the mother of his child. Robin had risked everything for his love for her, and now…

"Well, look who's finally awake."

Regina whirled around, and found Shae smiling at her from the entrance to her safe room. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words were able to come out as she stared at her other true love's gorgeous, smiling face.

"I have something for you." Shae told her with another smile.

Regina stood in silence as Shae crossed the room toward her. She stopped just in front of Regina, who gasped when Shae removed her hands from where they had been tucked carefully behind her back. In Shae's hands, was a small, ornate hand mirror, it's handle and edges made of solid gold, a crack running down the middle of the glass.

"It's… The mirror. The one from our story." Regina breathed in wonder, staring down at the mirror now in her own hands. "It's… Actually real."

"Of course it is." Shae replied with a knowing wink.

Regina breathed out a surprised laugh, gently running her fingers along the mirror's cracked glass. "You know, in reality, it was actually The Genie that gave me a mirror." She whispered quietly. "But, now I know, that… It was always meant to be you."

Tears began to well into Regina's eyes as she gazed upon Shae's smile. Shae gently drew her into her arms, and placed a deep, passionate kiss on her lips. Regina sighed, curling her arms around Shae's neck as their lips parted. She smiled against Shae's lips as memories of the previous night washed over her, memories of their loving, happy life she had read about in their story of what could have been. As quickly as her smile came, it faded, and she gently pushed Shae back.

"Shae…" She whispered, staring remorsefully into the vampire's blood red eyes. "Shae, what are we doing?"

Shae raised an eyebrow at her. "I thought that was pretty obvious."

Regina folded her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes at the vampire. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

The grin on Shae's face slowly faded, and she breathed out a sad, heavy sigh, shoving her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket. "I… Don't know." She whispered softly. "All I know, is that ever since that night at the library, I just… All I can think about is you."

Regina sighed too, and she slowly nodded her head. "I know, you're all I've been thinking about too." She quietly agreed. "But… Shae, you have Elsa. And I have Robin."

"And Robin has a wife."

Regina bit her lip, nodding again. "I know, but, Shae, he… He chose _me_. He said as soon as we find a way to free Marian, he's going to sit her down and tell her that, as painful as it is, he just… Doesn't love her anymore. He loves _me_ , and I… I love _him_."

Regina paused for a moment, biting back the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. "And Elsa, she loves _you_." She went on, her voice quiet, heavy with sorrow. "She's seen what a complicated mess your life is, _our_ life is. Most people would just walk away, but she's willing to work through all of it, all for you. And, I… I know… I know that you love her too."

"Yeah, I know, I… I-I do." Shae whispered, her own eyes shining with tears. "But… I also love _you_ , Regina."

"I know." Regina whispered back. "And I love you too, Shae. But… We just… We can't do this. This can't happen again."

Shae breathed out a heavy, miserable sigh, and nodded. They stood in silence for a while, both of them thinking about the other people that they loved, their other _true_ loves, the ones that they had betrayed. Though they both knew that what they had done was truly wrong, it had somehow felt just so incredibly right.

"Well, the way I see it," Shae slowly began with a smile, gently taking the mirror out of Regina's hands, setting it carefully down on the table next to her. "If we don't leave this room just yet, it still only counts as the one time."

Regina couldn't help but smile as Shae pulled her into her arms again, couldn't resist her cold but lovingly warm kiss. They quickly began to undress each other once again as their lips parted, and they fell naked into the bed together, not at all aware of the chaos The Snow Queen had ensued upon Emma Swan's life.

XX

Mary Margaret and David were sitting at the table within their tiny apartment, Elsa tending to an injured Henry just upstairs. Their hearts hung heavy with sorrow and concern over their daughter. The previous day, Emma and Elsa had finally succeeded in capturing The Snow Queen, though, unfortunately, very briefly. Before making her escape, Ingrid somehow cast a spell on Emma, which caused The Savior's own magic to spiral out of control. After nearly demolishing The Sheriff's station by accident, Emma fled into the woods. Unbeknownst to his other mother, and his grandparents, the next morning, Henry went in search of Emma. He returned to the apartment with a large gash on the back of his head, caused, unwillingly, by his own mother. Emma was heartbroken over harming her own son, and utterly terrified of her own powers.

Mary Margaret received an alarming phone call from her daughter not long after Henry's return. Emma had somehow found a way to get rid of her magic, and was determined to do so, despite her parents insisting that she shouldn't. Elsa was alarmed by this news as well, and instructed that Mary Margaret and David should call upon Shae for help. She insisted that the woman she loved would be able to convince Emma not to get rid of the very thing that made her special. David and Mary Margaret agreed, and they were both confused when Regina had been the one to answer Shae's cell phone. They quickly told Regina everything, and she was startled and irate over learning what had happened to Henry. She told them that she would be on her away immediately, and David and Mary Margaret were once again left confused when she said she would be bringing Shae with her.

"Where is my son?" Regina demanded loudly as she burst through the apartment door, Shae hot on her heels. "Is he alright?"

"He's fine, he's upstairs with Elsa." Mary Margaret replied gently. "Where have you guys been? We've been trying to call you all night."

"Well, I'm sorry if I don't respond to your every summons." Regina snapped irritably. "Now, can I please see my son? I need to-"

"Your shirt's on inside out." David suddenly cut it, looking at Shae.

Shae glanced down at her t-shirt, which was indeed inside out, frowning as she tugged at the tag poking out from under her chin. "And… Backwards." She mumbled, breathing out a heavy sigh. "Awesome."

Suddenly, Mary Margaret drew in an audible gasp, slowly rising to her feet. Her eyes were wide as saucers, and she pointed a quivering finger at Regina. "Is… Is that a hickey on your neck?"

Silence fell over the tiny apartment as David and Mary Margaret stared wide eyed at both Regina and Shae. Regina softly cleared her throat, carefully avoiding their gaze as she placed her hand over the bright red mark Shae's teeth had left on her neck the night before. Mary Margaret and David then shifted their gaze onto Shae, who stared silently down at the ground, anxiously chewing on her lip ring, hands shoved into the pockets of her leather jacket.

"You didn't." David muttered quietly, looking appalled.

"Oh, save your moral judgement." Regina snapped at him.

"Oh my god…" Mary Margaret whispered. "You… You guys… You-"

"Snow, just… Calm down." Shae cut in slowly.

"Oh my god! This… This is all my fault!" Mary Margaret exclaimed, staring at Shae with her hands over her mouth. "I mean, I _was_ the one that basically told you to follow your heart. I… I just… I didn't think… Just… Oh my god!"

"SHH!" Shae shushed her, frantically waving her hands. "We know, ok? Just… Keep your damn voice down!"

"Oh, no… No, no, no…" Muttered Mary Margaret, shaking her head as she glared furiously at both Shae and Regina. "You need to tell them. You need to tell Elsa and Robin about what you guys did, you can't-"

"Shae!"

Shae whirled around, just in time to see Elsa, her other true love, rushing down the loft steps toward her. Shae exchanged a quick, anxious glance with the others as Elsa threw her arms around her, planting a grateful kiss on her lips.

"I've been so worried about you." Elsa said, placing her hands on either side of Shae's face, staring concernedly into her eyes. "Where have you been? You never came home last night."

"Yeah, I… I-I know." Shae stammered with a nervous smile. "I was, um… I-I was out hunting."

"Oh." Elsa muttered, brow furrowed in confusion. "Then… Why didn't you say something? I didn't-"

"I know, Elsa, I know. I'm sorry." Shae said in a rush, as a furious Mary Margaret opened her mouth to object to vampire's lie. "What exactly is going on? Is Henry ok? Snow said he's hurt, or something."

Elsa nodded, and she, David, and Mary Margaret (though a bit begrudgingly), quickly brought Shae and Regina up to speed on the situation with Emma. As soon as they were finished, Regina, who was, at the moment, more concerned about her son than The Savior, immediately headed up the loft steps to check on Henry.

"Elsa says that _you're_ the one that can stop Emma from getting rid of her magic." Mary Margaret said to Shae, narrowing her eyes at her.

Shae raised a curious eyebrow at Elsa. "Me? W-Why me?"

Elsa smiled at the woman she loved, and Shae smiled back, grateful that Elsa had not noticed Mary Margaret's accusing glare. "Because, when I lost control of _my_ powers, you were the one who convinced me that my magic was a gift, not a curse." Elsa replied, placing her hand gently on Shae's cheek. "You helped me accept who I truly was, and I'm certain that you can do the same for Emma."

Shae exchanged a quick, anxious glance with Mary Margaret and David, then nodded. "Alright, I'll find her." She told Elsa with a smile.

Shae placed a light kiss on Elsa's lips, and scooped up a sweater hanging off the back of a nearby chair, which she recognized as belonging to Emma. She avoided everyone else's eye as she hurried out of the apartment. Mary Margaret took a step toward the door, but stopped when her husband grabbed her by the arm. David ever so slightly shook his head, and Mary Margaret hesitated for a moment, glancing between the door, to her husband, and to Elsa's hopeful, smiling face. She then breathed out a relenting sigh, and nodded. Though she was still furious over what Shae and Regina had done, she was more concerned about her daughter. She and David both silently hoped against hope that Shae would find Emma, and stop her from whatever she was about to do.

XX

Shae used the sweater she had taken from the Charming family apartment to track Emma's scent, and trees sped past the vampire in a whirl of brown and green as she rushed through the Storybrooke forest. She slowed to a walk as she spotted Emma's tiny yellow bug parked along a small road. Emma herself was pacing back and forth along the road beside her car, her hands glowing with a bright white light, crackling with the force of her out of control magic. Shae could feel the pulse waves of magical energy emanating out of The Savior's body. She had felt something similar the first time she had seen Elsa, but Emma's magic was far more powerful, and far more unstable.

"Emma!" Shae called out as she neared the car.

Emma whirled around, and her eyes grew wide with shock and panic when she spotted Shae stepping through the trees toward her. "No! Shae, stop! Stay back!" She shouted.

"It's alright, your parents sent me. They told me what's going on." Shae said in a gentle tone, stopping where she stood with her hands carefully out in front of her. "Emma, I don't know what exactly it is you plan on doing, but, you just… You can't get rid of your powers."

"I have to!" Emma exclaimed, her hazel green eyes streaming with tears. "Just… Just look at this!"

Emma held out her glowing hands, and Shae leapt back as a pulse wave of energy shot unwillingly from them. "See? You see?" Emma shouted, her eyes wide and wild with fear. "I have to stop this, I have to get rid of this!"

"No, Emma, you don't, it's alright-"

"NO!" Emma screamed, choking out a strangled sob. "You didn't see what I did, the way my parents looked at me, the way Henry looked at me!"

"I know, I know…" Shae said, her tone quiet and gentle as she slowly and carefully moved toward Emma.

"No, you don't, you don't know." Emma muttered, vigorously shaking her head. She drew back a step as Shae continued to advance slowly forward. "No… Shae, no… STOP!"

Another violent pulsewave of light magic shot out from Emma's outstretched hands, but Shae reacted swiftly this time. She threw up her hands, using her own magic to stop Emma's just before it struck. Emma stumbled fearfully backwards, and Shae raced forward, pulling The Savior into her arms.

Emma choked out another miserable sob as Shae wrapped her in a tight embrace. Emma sobbed bitterly into Shae's chest, digging her fingers into the back of the vampire's black leather jacket. Shae could feel the electric pulses of Emma's magic shooting through her body, but she kept her arms wrapped firmly around her, gritting her teeth through the pain. Emma's knees buckled, and Shae went down with her as she fell to the ground. Shae continued to hold her tight, and she remained quietly kneeling upon the ground, her heart aching as she listened to Emma's desperate and miserable sobs.

"Oh god, Shae…" Emma whispered, her whole body trembling. "I just… I just want it to stop. I just… Want to be normal."

Shae sighed heavily, gently and soothingly rubbing Emma's back. "I know, I get it, I really do." She whispered. She then pushed Emma away from her chest, and placed her hands on her shoulders, staring determinedly into her eyes. "Look, I'm going to tell you something that I've never told anyone. Not even Elsa, and not even Regina."

Emma's bloodshot, hazel green eyes grew wide, and she stared silently into Shae's for a moment. When she nodded, Shae released her shoulders, and she leaned her back against Emma's tiny yellow bug. Emma followed suit, waiting patiently and anxiously as Shae took a long while to respond. Shae spoke very little about her past, so she had absolutely no idea what she was about to tell her. By the look on the vampire's face, she knew that it was something serious.

"I had powers before I became a vampire."

Emma's jaw dropped open in complete and utter shock. "W-What? Seriously?"

Shae slowly nodded her head, her blood red eyes suddenly a million miles away. "I had magic. It was a lot like yours. It was… Unique, powerful."

"What… What kind of magic?" Emma asked quietly, her eyes wide.

Shae took another long moment to respond. Slowly, she turned her head to face Emma, and Emma's brow furrowed in confusion and concern when she saw an immense fear in Shae's eyes. She had seen something slightly similar in Shae's eyes when she had spoken about The Snow Queen. This fear, however, was somehow far greater. It was a fear that Emma had never, ever seen before in another person's eyes.

"Emma, there's a reason I've never told anyone this." Shae whispered softly. "There's very little I can say about it, even while we're alone right now."

Emma nodded hastily in understanding. "I just… I want you to know that I understand what you're going through." Shae went on in the same quiet tone. "I had a hard time controlling my powers too, but I had Remus, and… And Nadia. They supported me, helped me through it all. Once, I even found out a way to get rid of my powers, but, Remus and Nadia, they convinced me not to. They insisted that my magic was a gift, just like yours is."

Shae paused for a moment, shifting slightly in her spot, to better face Emma. "Look, I know you have a hard time trusting people, I get it, but… Emma, you can't do this alone. Your family may not completely understand you, but… They love you. They want to help, and you need to let them. Shutting everyone out isn't the answer, it never is, trust me."

Emma nodded slowly, taking in everything Shae had told her. She squeezed her eyes shut, more tears leaking down her face, and Shae wrapped her arm around her shoulders. Emma rested her head against Shae's chest, keeping her glowing, crackling hands clenched firmly in her lap. The two of them sat in silence for a long while, Emma's thoughts filled with the horrifying fear she had seen in her parent's and her son's eyes, Shae's filled with confusion over Elsa and Regina. Shae desperately wanted to tell Emma what had happened, knowing that she was the one person who would listen and offer some sort of advice without judgement. However, she knew Emma was going through enough already, so she decided to keep her guilty conscience to herself.

"Thank you, for coming to find me, Shae." Emma whispered, smiling up into Shae's blood red eyes. "You're the one person who really _does_ understand me. Oh, and, don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

Shae nodded with a grateful smile, and Emma nodded back, leaning back against her car again. "I know things have been kinda… Weird between us, since New York." Emma quietly went on. "But, Shae, you're… You're my best friend, and I… I love you. In, you know, a best friend kind of way."

Shae laughed, and slowly nodded her head again. "I love you too, Swan Song."

Emma nodded too, more tears spilling down her face as Shae pulled her into another tight hug. Emma bit her lip as she stared down at her hands folded carefully in her lap, which were still glowing and crackling with a bright white light. She then softly cleared her throat, and pulled away from Shae's embrace, slowly rising to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Shae questioned her, as Emma placed her glowing hand on the handle of her driver's side door.

"Look, I get what you're saying, ok?" Emma replied carefully. "But… Shae, I have to do this. You didn't see what I did to Henry."

Shae quickly scrambled to her feet. "Emma, I just saw Henry, he's fine, he's ok."

"Yeah, but, what if next time, he isn't?" Emma cut her off, biting her lip again as she stared down at her still crackling hands. "No, I… I-I can't risk that, I can't risk hurting him again. I… Have to get rid of this."

"Emma, no!" Shae exclaimed, tightly gripping Emma's wrist. "Look, I once told Elsa the same thing. Your magic is a gift, it-"

"No, it's not!" Emma shouted back as she wrenched her arm out of Shae's grip, her hazel green eyes welling with tears once again. "I have to stop this, I have to-"

"Emma, NO!" Shae said again, reaching for Emma's hand.

"STOP!"

Another violent pulsewave of magical energy shot out from Emma's hand as she threw it out toward Shae. The vampire was not quick enough to stop it this time, and she took the magical pulsewave full to the face. Her world was a chaotic blur as she spiraled backward through the air. The last thing she saw was a facefull of concrete, then everything went black.

XX

"Shae… Shae!"

Shae's eyes snapped open at the sound of a female voice, and she blinked confusedly for a few moments, trying to focus her eyes on her dark surroundings. Apparently, night had fallen over Storybrooke. Suddenly, the vampire's eyes focused, and she realized that the distorted faces that were swimming before her were that of Mary Margaret, David, Henry and Regina. Shae sat bolt upright, and quickly realized that she was sitting in the middle of a road, Regina and Mary Margaret kneeling on either side of her, David and Henry standing behind them.

"Are you alright?" Asked Regina, eyeing the vampire with concern.

"Yeah… I… I-I think so." Shae muttered quietly.

"What happened to you, Shae?" Mary Margaret asked with a frown.

Shae fell silent for a moment, her mind still muddled from being knocked out. "Oh god… I… I-I found Emma." She whispered, her blood red eyes wide. "I tried to stop her, tried to convince her to keep her powers, but… But she…"

"We know, we know…" Mary Margaret whispered back, breathing out a sad, heavy sigh. "When you didn't come back with Emma, we kinda figured out what happened."

"Do you know where she went?" David asked in a rush.

Shae shook her head, then removed Emma's sweater from where it had been tucked inside her jacket. "No, but I still have this."

Mary Margaret and Regina both helped Shae up to her feet. The vampire sniffed Emma's sweater carefully, then sniffed the air. "This way." She said, pointing a finger down the road in front of them. "Come on. I just hope it's not too late."

They all followed after Shae as she set off at a brisk pace down the road. Shae continued to follow Emma's scent, which lead them all to a large mansion on the outskirts of Storybrooke. Shae had seen the mansion only once before. She had happened upon it when she had been running from the billowing green clouds of Peter Pan's curse. Then, it had been dark, still, and eerily quiet. Now, there were bright, white lights flashing in the windows, a strange and loud humming noise emanating out from it.

"My god…" Shae whispered, staring at the strange mansion with wide, horrified eyes. "Emma's magic is even more out of control than before."

"We've gotta hurry." David whispered in return, his own eyes just as wide as Shae's. "We have to stop her, before-"

Suddenly, a pulsewave of magical energy shot out from the mansion. They all stumbled backward, shielding their faces from the pulsewave, Regina throwing her arms protectively around Henry. The air was suddenly quiet and still, and they all glanced back up at the mansion. There were no more flashing lights, no more loud humming. They stood rooted in their spots for a moment, their mouths gaping open in pure horror.

"No." Henry muttered, his eyes shining with tears.

"Oh no…" Whispered Mary Margaret. "Oh god… Emma!"

The others all hurried after Mary Margaret as she sprinted toward the mansion. They raced up onto the porch, Mary Margaret the first to reach the door. She wildly turned the handle, tugged on it, then breathed out a frustrated sigh.

"It's locked." She said to the others.

Shae shoved Mary Margaret, a bit roughly, out of her way, and outstretched her hand toward the door handle. She stopped suddenly, and they all whirled around when they heard rushing footsteps from behind them. It was Emma, followed closely by Hook, and also Elsa.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret exclaimed. "Did… D-Did you do it?"

Emma shook her head. "No." She replied, smiling as she took Elsa by the hand. "All thanks to Elsa. She… Convinced me not to."

They all breathed out collective sigh of relief. Mary Margaret threw her arms around her daughter, and David threw his arms around both of them. "I'm so, _so_ glad." Mary Margaret whispered, her eyes welling with grateful tears. "Please, don't ever change."

"We love you, no matter what." David said with a smile.

Emma nodded, her own hazel green eyes shining with tears, and her parents pulled her into another tight hug. Elsa stepped up to Shae, and Shae smiled back at her as Elsa smiled up into her blood red eyes.

"It wasn't me after all, it was you." Shae told her with a grin. "Looks like _somebody_ was wrong. That doesn't happen often."

Elsa rolled her eyes, and Shae laughed as she gently shoved her shoulder. "I was only slightly wrong." Elsa replied with a grin of her own. "You _did_ help, in a sense."

When Shae raised a curious eyebrow, Elsa stepped closer to her, gently placing her arms around her neck. "When I landed in this strange town, I was certain that without Anna, and without you, I was doomed." She went on with another smile. "But, I got control over my powers without you both. I realized that it's important to have people in our lives that accept us for who we are, but that alone isn't enough."

Elsa paused for a moment, and placed her hand on Shae's cheek. "We have to love ourselves too, and that's what I told Emma." She whispered, gently caressing Shae's cheek with her thumb. "She has to love herself the way her family does, and so do I, the way Anna loves me, the way _you_ love me."

As Shae stared into Elsa's dazzling blue eyes, her heart ached with painful remorse over what she had done with Regina. She slowly removed Elsa's arms from around her neck, and she took both her hands into her own. She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey." Emma said when Shae spun around. "Sorry about earlier. Are… You ok?"

Shae nodded, biting back the tears that had welled into her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine." She replied with a smile. "So, I'm guessing you're in control of your magic again, right?"

Emma nodded back, a wide grin stretching across her face. "Absolutely."

Shae, Elsa, and the others watched as Emma stepped up to the edge of the porch, raising her hands toward the night sky. They all gasped in wonder as The Savior created a bright, dazzling display of fireworks amongst the stars. Emma turned her head back to smile at Hook as he placed his hands on her hips, and Mary Margaret smiled too as her husband wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Shae curled her arm around Elsa's waist, and Elsa rested her head against her shoulder, both of them smiling as they watched the grand and magical fireworks display.

For a moment, just a moment, all of the guilt and the sorrow that had been plaguing Shae's heart and soul was lifted as she held Elsa in her arms. She then slightly turned her head, and caught Regina's eye, who had her arms wrapped around her son. Shae quickly turned away again, and she clenched her jaw tight as she heard a soft cough from beside her. Mary Margaret gave Shae a pointed, knowing glance, then turned her eyes onto Elsa, and tilted her head toward the mansion. Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, knowing exactly what Mary Margaret meant.

"Hey." Shae whispered to Elsa. "Let's go inside. There's… T-There's something I need to tell you."

Elsa nodded, brow furrowed in confusion at the grave and serious look on her lover's face. She followed Shae inside the mansion, and sat down in the chair Shae gestured toward. She waited patiently as Shae took a moment to speak. When she finally did, she slowly paced back and forth in front of Elsa, words tumbling from her mouth in an anxious stammer as she told her everything.

Shae started with what she had read within the mysterious storybook page, and she told Elsa the whole story. Elsa sat in quiet, reserved silence, her face a calm and collected mask as Shae told her what had happened between her and Regina in the library, and everything else afterwards, that she had lied when she said she had been out hunting the night before. When Shae was finished, Elsa continued to sit in silence for a moment, her lips pursed into firm line as she stared down at the floor.

"I see." She whispered quietly.

Shae's mouth gaped open, and it opened and closed several times in utter disbelief. "That's… T-Thats it? That's all you have to say?"

Elsa breathed out a heavy sigh, slowly turning her eyes up onto the woman she loved. "What exactly do you want me to say?"

"I don't know!" Shae exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air. "Yell at me, scream at me, hit me, even! Just… Tell me that you hate me, that I'm a fucking monster!"

Elsa sighed once again, and slowly shook her head. "I'm not going to do any of that, Shae."

"WHY NOT?" Shae shouted furiously, her blood red eyes wide and wild, shining with tears. "Dammit, Elsa… Why are you like this?"

"Like what?" Elsa asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"So… So kind, and patient, and understanding!" Shae shouted back. "It's just… It's… I-It's not fair."

Elsa breathed out a bemused laugh, slowly shaking her head again. "You're saying that my kindness isn't fair?"

"No, it's not!" Shae replied, biting back a sob as tears began to flow freely down her face. "Because… All I've done is… Take advantage of it."

Elsa remained silent as Shae squeezed her eyes shut, running shaky hands through her messy black hair. "It's… It's just…" Shae whispered, choking out a miserable, strangled sob. "Dammit, Elsa… It's just… NOT FUCKING FAIR!"

"Don't yell at me!" Elsa shouted, angrily rising to her feet.

"Sorry, I-Im… I'm sorry." Shae stammered quietly. She then choked out another strangled sob, placing her hands over her face as more tears streamed from her eyes. "Oh god, Elsa… Elsa, I'm… I'm so sorry."

Shae's knees buckled under the weight of the painful misery plaguing her heart and soul, and she fell on her hands and knees in front of Elsa, sobbing bitterly upon the floor. Elsa remained where she stood for a long while, staring down at the miserable, broken vampire sobbing at her feet. Her own heart ached with the pain of Shae's betrayal, for the way that she had blatantly lied to her. But, most of all, Elsa's heart aced with pity. After a time, she slowly sank down onto her knees, and pulled Shae gently into her arms.

"I forgive you, Shae." Elsa whispered to her, tears streaming down her face. "I forgive you."

Shae continued to sob into Elsa's shoulder, unable to find any words to say to the kind and gentle woman that loved her so very much. She wrapped her arms even tighter around Elsa, holding her desperately, gratefully. Elsa held Shae tight as well, placing her trembling lips on the side of her head.

"It hurts that you didn't keep your promise to give your all to me, to us." Elsa whispered, slowly and gently rubbing Shae's back. "But, you also said that this wasn't going to be easy. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into, but, I just… I… I didn't think…"

Elsa trailed off into silence, biting back a sob as more tears rushed down her face. Shae pulled away from Elsa's shoulders, staring miserably into her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Elsa." She whispered, her voice quavering with emotion.

Elsa nodded, smiling through her tears as she placed her hand on Shae's cheek. "I know, and I forgive you." She whispered back. " _I_ can't promise that it'll be easy, but, I am willing to try and… Move past all this, and move forward, with you. If… If that's what you want, of course."

Shae nodded too, and she choked out another sob, placing a grateful kiss on Elsa's lips. "Yes, I… I-I do, of course I do." She whispered, pressing her forehead against Elsa's, smiling as she cupped her face in her hands. "Thank you, Elsa, I… I'm so sorry. I love you."

"I know." Elsa replied, gently brushing a stray lock of hair off of Shae's forehead. "I love you too, Shae."

Shae sobbed again with pure joy, placing another kiss on Elsa's lips. "Oh, Elsa…" She muttered, smiling as more grateful tears spilled down her face. "I… I don't think I really deserve you."

Elsa breathed out a laugh, and slowly shook her head. "Of course you do, Shae." She replied, gently caressing Shae's cold, pale cheek. "I truly wish that, one day, _you_ can love yourself, the way _I_ love you."

Shae sobbed with joy once more, and wrapped her arms tightly around the woman she loved, kissing her with grateful and desperate passion. She was left astounded by Elsa's uncommon kindness and patience, and, just around the corner, so was Regina.

The once Evil Queen had hidden herself in the shadows, watching and listening quietly as Shae bared her soul to Elsa. Part of her had been wishing and hoping that Elsa would never forgive her, leaving Shae free to be hers once again. Though her heart ached with misery over once again losing the woman she loved to Elsa, she was still grateful that Elsa found it in her heart to forgive Shae, glad to know that Shae was, once again, on the path to her happy ending. Her heart ached even more when she thought about Robin, about her own happy ending that she had possibly ruined. She hoped against hope that, like Elsa, Robin would be able to forgive her.

XX

Over the next several days, Shae spent every spare moment she had with Elsa, giving the woman she loved as much care and attention that she could, trying desperately to repair the damage that she had done. It was proving a difficult task, as Elsa's heart was still raw over Shae's betrayal, and Shae's still longed desperately for Regina. Though Shae no longer spoke of it, Elsa could sense that Shae's thoughts were never far from her other true love, the one that she shared a heart with. Still, though, the both of them worked hard to repair their relationship, determined to make things work, despite all odds.

Regina had tried to do much the same with Robin, which was proving equally hard. Much like Elsa had, Robin remained calm and collected when Regina told him all about what she and Shae had done. Also, much like Elsa, Robin was uncommonly kind and patient, and he forgave Regina for her betrayal. Still, though, Regina could see the immeasurable pain in his eyes. She was heartbroken when Robin told her that he needed some time alone, to think, and to process everything. She knew, however, that it was for the best, and she kept a careful distance from Robin, continuing her endless search through her spellbooks to find a way to free his wife, Marian. Just like Shae, her thoughts were never far away from her other true love.

Regina was sitting at her kitchen table one evening, pouring over yet another spellbook, when there was a knock at her door. When she opened the door, who she saw standing on the other side made her half heart nearly stop. She stuck her head out the door slightly, glancing all around her, perplexed when she found no one but Elsa standing on her porch.

"You know this is _my_ house, right?" Regina asked, staring wide eyed at The Ice Queen. " _I_ live here."

"Yes, I understand that." Elsa replied, a bit dryly. "May I come in?"

Regina hesitated for a moment, still confused, and a bit frightened, by Elsa's presence. She then stepped aside, allowing The Ice Queen into her home. "Can I get you anything?" Regina asked politely, and a bit nervously. "I have cider, made fresh this morning."

"Honestly, I could use something a bit stronger, if you have it." Elsa replied with an equally polite smile.

Regina nodded, and left Elsa in her living room to fetch some wine from the kitchen. Her hands shook slightly as she retrieved a bottle and two glasses from the cabinet. She wasn't sure why Elsa had come to see her, but, she _did_ know, if the powerful and formidable Ice Queen decided to turn her into a frozen statue, even the once Evil Queen might be powerless to stop her.

"So, why exactly are you here?" Regina asked of Elsa, as she handed her a glass of wine. "Have you come to turn me into an ice statue?"

Elsa didn't respond right away. She carefully sipped at her wine, staring silently down at the carpet. She then breathed out a heavy sigh, and set her glass down on the nearby end table. Regina took a small step back as she did, watching Elsa carefully, readying herself for a fight.

"No."

Regina blinked several times in surprise, her mouth hanging open. "No?" She asked, breathing out a shocked laugh. "You're… Not angry?"

Elsa breathed out a laugh of her own, slowly shaking her head. "Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm quite furious." She quietly and calmly replied. "Honestly, I don't even think, 'furious,' is the right word."

"I see." Regina said with a slow nod. "You… Certainly hide it well."

Elsa laughed once again. "Yes, I suppose I do." She muttered. "'Conceal, don't feel,' my father used to tell me, in regard to my magic, _and_ my emotions."

"That seems… Rather unhealthy."

Elsa laughed again, loudly this time. "You're not wrong. I kept my emotions so tightly bottled up that, one day, I completely lost control. I plunged my entire Kingdom into an eternal winter by accident."

"Well, I can tell you from experience, leaving your emotions completely unchecked isn't exactly healthy either." Regina replied, laughing as well. "I was so angry and obsessed with vengeance that I cast a dark curse on _my_ entire Kingdom. But that was on purpose."

Elsa laughed some more, picking up her wine glass again and raising it in the air. "Well, here's hoping that we both can find some sort of happy medium."

Regina chuckled as well, raising her own glass. "I'll certainly drink to that."

The two women stood in silence for a moment, both sipping at their wine. Though Regina was relieved to know that Elsa had not come to exact revenge upon her, she still continued to watch The Ice Queen's movements carefully.

"Regina, listen…" Elsa eventually said, her tone slow and quiet. "Shae doesn't know I'm here. She is… What I came to speak to you about."

Regina breathed out a heavy sigh, and nodded. "I thought as much." She said, gesturing toward her couch. Once she and Elsa were both seated, she went on. "Elsa, I want you to know that, despite how I feel, and what I've done, I… Have no desire to interfere in your relationship with Shae any more than I already have."

Regain paused for a moment, taking another sip of her wine, swallowing the hard, painful lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "You make Shae very happy," She went on quietly, managing a small, weak smile. "And I've done nothing but cause her pain. If _you_ are what she truly wants, then… I will not stand in the way."

"Funny, I came here to tell _you_ the same thing."

Regina coughed and sputtered as her wine suddenly went down the wrong pipe. "I… I-Im sorry… What?"

Elsa bit her lip, staring quietly down into her glass for a moment. "I know Shae does love me, or… She wants to, and is… Trying to." She quietly replied. "But… I know she still loves you too. She's constantly thinking about you."

Regina shook her head bemusedly, still in shock over Elsa's words. "She… Told you that?"

Elsa slowly shook her head. "No." She whispered. "She didn't have to. I can see it in her eyes, the pain, the confliction. It's tearing her apart, and it… Pains _me_ to watch."

Elsa breathed out heavy sigh, and Regina saw tears welling into her sparkling blue eyes. "I know that things with Robin are complicated as well." Elsa went on quietly. "But… I came here to tell _you_ that, despite how _I_ feel, if Shae is what _you_ truly want, I will… Step aside."

Regina bit her lip, slowly nodding her head as she processed The Ice Queen's calm and gentle words. "Honestly, I'm not sure what I want, not anymore." She whispered softly. "Robin says that, once we unfreeze Marian, he will tell her that he's chosen _me_. But… I'm not so sure he should. I'm not sure if I can truly give my all to him, not with how I feel about Shae."

Elsa nodded in understanding, then chuckled lightly. "This is all just an awful mess, isn't it?" She asked, to which Regina nodded earnestly. "I suppose, since neither of us are sure what Shae wants, it would be best to let _her_ decide."

Regina chuckled herself. "I'm not so sure even _Shae_ knows what Shae wants."

Elsa opened her mouth to reply, but stopped when Regina's cell phone started ringing from inside her pocket. Regina pulled it out, frowning when she saw that it was Emma calling her. She held up a finger to Elsa, who nodded once again.

"Emma? What is it?" Regina said into the phone.

Elsa waited patiently as Regina fell silent for a moment. Her brow then furrowed in concern when Regina quickly stowed her phone back in her pocket, and leapt to her feet.

"We have to go." Regina whispered, staring down at Elsa with eyes full of panic. "NOW."

XX

"You're nothing but a filthy, blood sucking monster!"

"And _you're_ nothing but a no good, two bit thief!"

Will Scarlet and Little John seized both of Robin Hood's arms, attempting to drag him backwards. "Come on, Robin, that's enough!" Will exclaimed.

David and Hook grabbed on to both of Shae's arms, desperately trying to pull her away as well. "Shae, stop it! Calm down!" Shouted David.

While Elsa and Regina were having a calm, quiet discussion, both Robin and Shae had been drowning their sorrows in alcohol. Robin was already deeply drunk when Shae stumbled in to Granny's Diner, having already gone through her stash of whiskey at her cabin. In his inebriated state, Robin's rage over what Shae had done with Regina boiled over. He immediately confronted the vampire as soon as he spotted her. Having already gone through nearly an entire shelf of whiskey herself, Shae was even more drunk than Robin was, and things quickly got out of hand. After Shae hurled a chair at Robin's head, and missed spectacularly, both her friends and Robin's dragged them out of the diner. Now, they were in the midst of a full on brawl in the middle of the street, more startled onlookers gathering around them by the second.

"What do we do?" Mary Margaret asked of her daughter as they watched from the sidewalk.

Emma breathed out a heavy sigh, and pulled out her cellphone. "I'll call Regina." She muttered as she dialed Regina's number. "She's probably the only one that can calm them both down."

"Let go of me!" Robin snarled at his friends Will and Little John.

"Get your stupid fucking hook off me!" Shae shouted at Hook. "Seriously, what kind of idiot has a hook for a fucking hand?"

Hook narrowed his eyes at Shae, grunting slightly as he attempted to keep Shae's furiously struggling arm firmly in his grip. "You're awfully drunk, mate, so I'll choose to ignore that slight."

"Regina! You need to get down to Granny's, fast." Emma said into her phone. She then chuckled, slowly rubbing her aching forehead. "Oh, you know, your two true loves are drunk and brawling in the street."

Mary Margaret raised her eyebrows in shock as Emma stored her phone back in her pocket. "Did you just hang up on her?"

"She already hung up on me." Emma replied, waving her hand dismissively.

"You don't even deserve her!" Robin spat at Shae in a drunken slur.

"Oh, and _you_ do?" Shae demanded with a mocking laugh, hiccuping slightly as she did. "At least _I_ can protect her!"

"Protect her from what, exactly?" Robin snarled, momentarily yanking his arm out of Little John's grip. "Way I see it, the only thing she needs protecting from is _you_!"

Shae let out a roar of rage, and Hook doubled over with his hand on his stomach as Shae slammed her elbow into it. Shae quickly freed herself from David's grip, and she rushed toward Robin. She cocked her fist, and took a swing at the thief, only to miss, and tumble drunkenly to the ground. As Hook and David both dragged the swearing and struggling vampire away from Robin, Mary Margaret and Emma heard a strange whooshing noise from beside them. Regina had appeared on the sidewalk in a puff of purple smoke, with Elsa in tow.

"Oh dear." Elsa muttered, staring wide eyed at the scene before them.

"Y-You're here… Together." Mary Margaret stammered, looking confused.

Regina sighed, brow furrowed as she watched her two true loves screaming at each other. "Yes, well, it looks like while Elsa and I were mending our differences with words," She began, heaving another sigh. "Robin and Shae decided to use their fists."

"Quite poorly, it seems." Commented Elsa, as Shae attempted to take another swing at Robin, only to miss again.

Suddenly, Robin broke free of Will and Little John's grip. Before either David and Hook could stop him, Robin swung his own fist at Shae, and it actually struck, colliding with the vampire's jaw. Shae fell backward to the ground, knocking both David and Hook off of their feet in the process.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to hit a woman?" Shae snarled at the thief from her spot on the ground.

"You're not a woman, you're a bloody demon!" Robin shouted furiously.

The vampire's blood red eyes flashed with rage, and she staggered up to her feet. "Call me that again!" She warned, pointing a shaky finger at Robin.

"DEMON!

"AAAHH!"

Shae rushed at Robin, and the gathered crowd all gasped in alarm as she tackled him off his feet. As the vampire and the thief wrestled around on the ground, attempting to land more blows on each other, Regina and Elsa both rushed forward, along with David and Hook, and Will and Little John.

"Stop it!" Regina shouted, standing firmly between Shae and Robin as the others pulled them to their feet.

Elsa stood beside Regina, glaring furiously at the two drunkards. "This is beneath you! Both of you!

"That's what she said!" Shae exclaimed, bursting into a fit of drunken giggles.

"That didn't even make any sense." Robin snapped at her.

" _You_ don't make any sense!" Shae snapped back.

"ENOUGH!" Regina commanded, her and Elsa shoving both Shae and Robin back as they attempted to get at each other again. "Elsa, get Shae out of here!"

Elsa nodded, and seized Shae by the front of her jacket, as Regina seized Robin by the front of his. Elsa continued to drag a stumbling and grumbling Shae all the way back to the cabin in the woods. Shae's vision faded into a hazy blur as Elsa pulled her along, the whole world starting to spin wildly around her. She could hear Elsa's furious and chastising voice, but couldn't make out a single word she was saying. Suddenly, her drunken world gave a violent heave, and the last thing she saw was a hardwood floor rushing up to meet her, then everything went black.

XX

Shae woke slowly, her blood red eyes fluttering open and closed. She finally opened them all the way, staring up at the familiar sight of the ceiling of her cabin. She slowly sat forward, and realized that she was now in the bedroom, sitting on the bed. She frowned down at the beam of morning sunlight falling across her legs from the window. She had no memory of going back to the cabin. She buried her face in her hands, her head throbbing as she tried to piece together what had happened the night before. She remembered drinking alone in her cabin, then going to Granny's, and Robin Hood shouting angrily and accusingly at her. She remembered shouting back at him outside the diner on the street, but, after that, everything was incredibly hazy.

The vampire clambered out of the bed, and slowly staggered out into the living room, her head still spinning. She peered through still slightly foggy vision, and spotted Elsa sitting on the couch. Elsa turned around in her seat at the sound of Shae's footsteps, and Shae's heart sunk when she saw the look on her face. She was furious.

"Did… Did I pass out last night?" Shae muttered, rubbing her still aching forehead.

"Yes, you did." Elsa replied, raising an irritated eyebrow at her. "Has that ever happened before?"

"Once." Shae answered with a grimace. "I woke up in a brothel dressed in pink dress and a blonde wig. I'm still not totally sure what happened."

Elsa sighed heavily, obviously not at all amused. She slowly rose from the couch, and turned to face Shae. "Do you remember anything from last night?"

Shae bit her lip, nodding slowly in embarrassment. "Elsa, I… I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Neither do I." Elsa snapped in reply, her icy tone causing Shae to wince. Elsa then breathed out a heavy sigh, and Shae saw tears welling into her sparkling blue eyes. "No, that's not true." She went on in a whisper. "I know exactly what caused you to get as drunk as you did. You were trying to numb the pain."

Shae hesitated in remorseful silence for a moment, and when she opened her mouth to speak, Elsa cut her off. "It's alright, Shae, I've known about it for some time now." She said, doing her best to smile through her own pain. "I see it in your eyes every time you look at me, the pain, the confliciton. At first, I thought the two of us could work through it together, and, one day, you'd be able to put it all behind you."

Elsa paused for a moment, her voice cracking with emotion, and Shae watched in miserable silence as tears started to flow down her face. "That is clearly not the case, not anymore." She whispered, turning her back on Shae and slowly sinking down onto the couch. "I was convinced that, after all Regina has put you through, _my_ love could help you overcome the feelings that you still have for her. Cleary, I was wrong, and now… Now I must move on."

"Move on?" Shae exclaimed, her jaw dropping open in horror. "Elsa, what… What are you saying?"

Elsa turned her head slightly toward Shae, her dazzling blue eyes streaming with tears. "It's clear where your heart truly lies, Shae." She whispered, her voice quavering with emotion. "And it's… Not with me."

Tears began to well into Shae's own eyes, and she quickly crossed the room, dropping to her knees in front of Elsa. "Elsa, no, don't… D-Don't do this." She stammered, gripping Elsa's trembling hands in both her own. "Don't give up on me. Please!"

"Shae, please, don't make this any harder than it has to be." Elsa pleaded, choking out a miserable sob. "I'm not giving up on you. I love you more than you could ever possibly know, but I told you that we must love ourselves too, and… And that is what I'm choosing to do. This is all… Shae, it's just too much. I… I just… I can't."

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut, biting back another sob as Shae broke down into bitter tears, dropping her head into Elsa's lap. Elsa wrapped her trembling arms around her, burying her face in the back of Shae's head, holding her tight as she cried with her. They wept in silence for a long while, both their hearts aching with painful sorrow, their bodies shaking with miserable sobs.

The guilt over all the heartache and the sorrow she had caused Elsa weighed heavily upon Shae. She had tried to give Elsa everything that she deserved, and she had failed. She failed the one person who had done nothing but love her, and, despite how much it hurt, despite how desperately she wanted to beg her to stay, she knew that she shouldn't, that it wasn't fair. She had to let Elsa go, just like she had been forced to do all those years ago.

"I'm sorry, Elsa." Shae whispered, staring miserably up into The Ice Queen's bloodshot blue eyes. "I'm so sorry. I wish… I wish I could fix all this."

"I know." Elsa whispered back, smiling through her tears as she placed her hand gently on Shae's cheek. "So do I. If only my cursed Aunt had never interfered in our lives, then, well… I suppose we could have gotten _our_ happy ending."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, nodding slowly as more tears spilled down her face. Elsa opened her mouth to speak some more, but stopped when, suddenly, Shae's eyes snapped open again. The vampire's tear stained, blood red eyes grew wide, and they were shining with a sudden realization.

"What if we still can?"

Elsa blinked several times in confusion. "I-I'm sorry… What?"

Shae didn't respond right away. Elsa watched her expectantly as she stared down into her lap, her eyes shifting wildly back and forth as she thought. After a few moments, Shae turned her gaze back up onto Elsa. Slowly, a strange sort of smile stretched across the vampire's face. Elsa gasped in alarm as Shae suddenly reached out and took her face in her hands, placing a firm kiss on her lips.

"Don't worry, I can fix this." Shae whispered, her blood red eyes sparkling with excitement. "I can fix… Everything!"

XX

Mr. Gold was behind the counter in his shop, staring down at the pointed blue hat sitting on the counter in front of him. He watched the stars magically swirling about on the fabric, silently seething with rage. When Emma Swan had come to him a few days ago, begging him for a way to get rid of her magic, The Dark One had been nearly beside himself with glee. He managed to trick The Savior into going to The Sorcerer's mansion, where the magical hat was lying in wait. If he could absorb The Savior's magic into the hat, then it would have more than enough power to free him from the tether that was The Dark One's dagger. He had been so tantalizingly close to his goal, before The Ice Queen decided to intervene. Though he _was_ angry at this sudden wrench in his plans, he was still confident that he could attain his goal, especially now that he had his old nemesis, Captain Hook, carefully under his thumb.

Suddenly, the door to his shop burst open, and he quickly stowed the hat out of sight. "Ah, if it isn't our friendly neighborhood vampire." Gold said to Shae, putting on his warmest and most welcoming smile. "What can I do for you this fine day?"

"Cut the crap, Gold." Shae snapped, pointing an accusing finger at him.

Gold raised an eyebrow at the vampire. "I merely asked what it was I could do for you."

Shae opened her mouth to retort, but shut it again, and she slowly lowered her arm. "Oh. Right." She muttered with a frown. "Sorry, I'm used to you always being an asshole."

Gold chuckled amusedly. "That, dearie, is what I believe people in this world refer to as, 'The pot calling the kettle black.'"

Shae breathed out an irritated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I don't have time for this." She grumbled. "Listen, I'm looking for a book, a book that used to belong to me."

"Ah, yes, your fabled book of ancient elven blood magic." Gold replied with a knowing grin. "I'm quite familiar with it. Completely indescifrable by anyone who tries to read it, except, it seems, for you, and your friend Remus. Isn't that interesting?"

"Yeah, yeah. Fascinating." Shae muttered, waving her hand dismissively. "So, it's here, then?"

Gold chose not to answer Shae's question. Instead, he turned his back on the vampire, and disappeared into the back of his shop. Shae waited patiently for him to return, and, when he finally did, she smiled excitedly when he placed her old book on the counter in front of her. She reached for it, and her smile quickly faded when Gold placed his hand on top of it, wagging a finger at her.

"What the hell, man?" Shae exclaimed. "I thought you were done with this shit."

"I may a dutiful husband now, but I _am_ still a businessman." Gold replied with a shrug, keeping his hand carefully on top of Shae's book. "In my line of business, it is important to see value in things that most people would not. And I know for a fact that, this dusty old book of yours, is quite valuable indeed."

"Is that so?" Shae asked dryly, raising an impatient eyebrow at Gold.

Gold nodded, and he remained silent for a moment as she slowly began to flip through the ancient pages of Shae's book. "Do you remember a certain potion Regina gave to you, the one that made you human in the land without magic?" When Shae nodded, Gold went on. "And where, pray tell, do you suppose she got such a potion? Powerful magic like that, and your book here, simply does not exist in The Enchanted Forest, after all."

The irritated glare faded from Shae's face, and her jaw slowly dropped open. "You…" She breathed, her blood red eyes wide. "You've been to my homeland."

Gold gave her a nod of his own. "Indeed I have. Though it's not quite as you've described it in the past, is it? I daresay it is somehow… Entirely different."

When Shae remained in shocked and fearful silence, Gold emitted a low, dark chuckle, and went on. "You see, when I was there, I happened upon some… Certain magical creatures." He said, grinning in a way that Shae did not like one bit. "Not vampires, as you'd think, but, in fact, elves. I learned that their language can only be read and understood by someone of elven blood. Curious that mere undead, bloodsucking creatures such as you and Remus are able to decipher their writing."

Shae clenched her fists, glaring into The Dark One's grinning eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Gold chuckled once again. "Of course you don't, dearie." He replied, waving his hand dismissively. "Don't worry, your secrets are free to remain just that. I'm more interested in what it is you can offer me in exchange for your book."

"What do you want, Gold?" Shae snarled at him.

"My price is twofold." Gold replied, snapping Shae's book shut and sliding it toward her. However, his hands remained carefully atop the cover. "You will keep this conversation, and this deal, a secret from my wife. If you do not, then, well… I'm sure Regina will be interested to hear your own secrets, as would Elsa, I imagine, and The Charmings, and-"

"Fine!" Shae shouted, slamming her fist into the counter. "What else do you want?"

Gold fell silent for a moment, continuing to grin at Shae in a dark and devious way. "One day, I just might want you to translate this book of yours." He replied. "Who knows? There might be a spell or two in here that might be of interest to me."

"Fine." Shae said again. "You've got a deal."

Gold held out his hand, which Shae shook, though a bit begrudgingly. She then scooped up her book from off the counter, and headed toward the door. "Just out of curiosity," Gold called out to her. "What exactly are you planning to do with that book? You're going to need an awful lot of blood, or an awful lot of magic, to cast any of it's spells."

Shae paused with her hand on the door handle, smiling down at the book in her other hand. "I'm getting my happy ending."

Just around the corner, in the back of Gold's shop, Killian Jones swallowed the hard, fearful lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. He had been returning from another despicable task that The Dark One had sent him on, when he happened upon his tense and hushed conversation with the vampire. He quickly made his way out back out of the back door of Gold's shop. He had no idea what it was that Shae was planning to do, but, he could tell by the tone of her voice, it was nothing at all pleasant. He knew that she was desperate to get her happy ending, no matter the consequences.

"Emma! It's Killian." He said into the cellphone that Emma had given him. "I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but… We might need to stop Shae."

XX

Hook met up with Emma and her parents at their apartment. Elsa was also present, as she had run into Emma at Granny's. She had been in frantic search of Shae ever since she left the cabin in such a rush. The Ice Queen was left unsettled at the strange look in the vampire's eye, and her fears grew even worse when Hook told them all about what he had overheard in Gold's shop. With his heart still firmly in the clutches of The Dark One, Hook was careful to leave out the details of the deal that Shae had made with Gold, and the things he had heard about Shae's secrets. He simply told the others that Gold had freely handed over the book to Shae, nothing more.

With both Elsa and Hook convinced that Shae was up to something dubious, the others all decided to call upon more help, in the form of Regina. Elsa _did_ remember seeing Shae's book of ancient blood magic, but, in the years they had spent together, Shae never spoke much about it. All Shae had told Elsa was that the spells within it were the most powerful and most dangerous form of dark magic she had ever seen. They thought that, maybe, Shae had talked more about the book with Regina, since had once been The Evil Queen, and had been as dark and black hearted as Shae once was. Their suspicions were, a bit unsurprisingly, correct, and they all waited with bated breath as Regina tried to recollect exactly what kind of dark spells were within Shae's book, and which one was she was planning on using.

"There was the one that could drain someone completely of their blood." Regina muttered, rubbing her chin as she thought. "That's how Remus and I saved her from the werewolf bite."

"Yes, yes." Hook replied, waving his hook dismissively. "What else?"

Regina bit her lip, frowning down at the ground as she racked her brain. "Let's see… There were several where you could use someone's own blood to control their minds, make them your puppet." She muttered quietly. "There was one that was basically necromancy, using a blood sacrifice to raise someone who was dead."

"I don't think so." Said David, quickly shaking his head.

Regina nodded in agreement, and fell silent for another moment, squeezing her eyes shut as she thought "There were a few that were used to summon demons." Regina went on. "We actually tried one once."

"You summoned a demon?" Mary Margaret asked, looking horrified.

"Well, we ended up having to banish it back to The Underworld. It wreaked total havoc on my castle." Regina replied with an innocent shrug. "Oh! There _was_ one that Shae said could open up a portal to The Underworld itself-"

"The Underworld?" Emma exclaimed, her hazel green eyes wide with horror. "Jesus Christ! What kind of book is this?"

"Shae _did_ say it was evil." Elsa said, breathing out a laugh. "I also remember her saying that most of the spells were… Unstable."

"Yes, she said that's why the elves outlawed blood magic." Regina replied, nodding in agreement. "Unlike regular magic, blood magic requires a lot more power, and it's possible to… _Over_ power it. That's actually what happened with our demon. We wanted to summon a low level one, one that we could bend easily to our will. Instead, we ended up getting a very powerful one, and it went wild, despite what we did. Shae named him, 'Quincy.' I'm not sure why."

"Sorry, Regina, but… None of that is helpful right now." Emma grumbled, then turned to Elsa. "What exactly did Shae say before she ran off?"

"She said that she was going to fix _everything_." Elsa replied, frowning down at her feet. "The way she said it made me think that she wants to fix more than just _our_ relationship. I just… Don't know what she meant by, 'everything _._ '"

Suddenly, Regina drew in a sharp gasp, and she grabbed Emma's arm, who was standing beside her. "Oh my god…" She whispered, her brown eyes wide. "I think _I_ do."

"What?" Asked Emma, staring back at Regina with equally wide eyes.

"I… I-I think…" Regina slowly stammered in reply. "I think Shae wants to… Go back in time."

Silence fell over the apartment as their jaws all dropped open in shock. "What?" The others all exclaimed in unison.

"Yes, I remember now, there's a time spell in the book." Regina went on in a rush. "Shae said that it's the most powerful and unstable of them all. She told me that she tried to cast it once, but it didn't work, and nearly leveled Dracula's entire castle. She said that, in order to cast it successfully, someone would need to cast it in a place where magic itself is weaker, someplace like-"

"Storybrooke." Hook finished for her.

"Wait, wait a minute." Said Emma, quickly shaking her head. "This is a book of blood magic, right? So how much blood would it cost to cast this time spell?"

"A hell of a lot, I'm guessing." Muttered David.

"Yes, _but_ …" Regina slowly began.

Their brows all furrowed with concern over the knowing look in Regina's eye. "But what?" Elsa dared to ask.

"With enough magical power, any blood magic spell can be cast without an actual blood sacrifice." Regina explained. "Since Shae has, well… Changed, I'm guessing she doesn't actually want to sacrifice anyone, not this time, at least."

"So, how the hell is she going to cast this spell?" Asked Emma.

"If I had to guess," Regina began, breathing out a small laugh. "Using Storybrooke itself."

The others all glanced around at each other with confused expressions. "What the bloody hell does that mean?" Asked Hook, his eyes wide with fearful apprehension.

"She's going to drain Storybrooke of it's magic."

Their mouths all gaped open in complete and utter shock, and they stared wide eyed and confused at the once Evil Queen. "What exactly would happen if she did that?" Mary Margaret asked quietly, clutching baby Neal fearfully to her chest.

"Well, one of two things could happen." Regina slowly began to explain. "Storybrooke would, potentially, simply go back to the way things were when I first cast the curse. Except, there would be no magic at all, including no cloaking spell. It would simply be a regular town, which _anyone_ could happen upon."

"And… What's the second thing?" Emma asked, though she looked to be quite afraid of the answer.

Regina took a moment to respond. She stared around at everyone's apprehensive but expectant faces, then breathed out a slow, heavy sigh. "The entire town could be destroyed."

XX

Shae was deep in the Storybrooke mines, the same spot where, not that long ago, she had been standing beside her true love, ready to die for her. Now, however, everything was different, and she had a different woman that she loved, one that loved _her_ , and only her. She thought of nothing but Elsa as she drew a magical circle into the ground, her hands covered in blood. She left a small gap in the circle, leaving it, for the moment, unclosed. She rushed over to the body of the deer that she had killed, dipping her hands into more of it's blood, and began to draw strange and ancient runes upon the ground within the circle.

The vampire moved quickly and carefully, knowing that it was only a matter of time before the heroes of Storybrooke found her. She had seen the alarmed and confused look on Elsa's face, knew that Captain Hook had been listening in on her conversation with The Dark One. She didn't care, for, soon, none of it would matter. She was going to go back in time, to fix _everything_. She was going to stop Ingrid from casting her spell on her, and, if she needed to, stop Regina from ever casting her dark cuse. Despite her still intense and urenlenting feelings for her once Evil Queen, she knew that Regina had done nothing but cause her pain. Elsa, however, had brought her nothing but joy, nothing but love, and she desperately wanted to feel that love and joy again, without the baggage and the heartache of Regina's deeds.

"SHAE!"

Shae snapped her head up, momentarily distracted from her work when she saw a group of people rushing toward her. She clenched her jaw, and turned her attention back to her book, carefully following the instructions laid out on the open pages.

"Shae, STOP!" Regina shouted.

Shae ignored her, continuing to hastily draw runes into the dirt with blood. The Charmings, Hook, Elsa, and Regina all slowed to a stop, staring with wide, horrified eyes at the circle of blood that Shae was kneeling in the center of.

"My god…" Mary Margaret whispered. "Shae, what did you do?"

"Oh, calm your tits." Shae snapped irritably, not even bothering to glance up from the ground. "It's only deer blood."

Shae gestured to the dead deer that was lying a few feet behind her, and the others were slightly relieved to know that Shae had not sacrificed an actual human being. They all exchanged wary, uncertain glances for a moment. Then, Elsa stepped forward, her dazzling blue eyes welling with tears as she gazed out at the woman she loved.

"We know what you're trying to do!" Elsa called out desperately, her voice quavering with emotion. "But, Shae, you could destroy Storybrooke with this spell!'

"You don't know that!" Shae shouted back, pointing a shaky, bloody finger at Elsa, then turned her attention back to her work. "Besides, even if that's true, it won't matter. If I can actually do this, then Storybrooke will never exist in the first place. I'll stop Ingrid from casting her spell, stop Regina from casting her curse. Everyone will live happily ever after."

"What about Henry?" Emma exclaimed, her hazel green eyes welling with fearful tears. "Huh? What about him? I know you care about him just as much as the rest of us do. If you do this, then he'll never even be born."

"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!"

They all gasped at Shae's furious, roaring outburst. "Who knows? Maybe you and Neal will still find each other!" She shouted, pointing another quivering, bloody finger at them, her blood red eyes wide and wild. "And even if you don't then… Then so what? You won't even remember him anyway."

"Shae, just listen to yourself!" Cried Regina, tears welling into her eyes as well. "Even if Henry really _is_ born, then he'll never be _my_ son! Please, Shae, just listen, I-"

"I AM LISTENING!" Shae roared again, her whole body trembling with rage. "I've listened to you go on and on about happy endings, and about how you _do_ still love me, but you also love Robin. Well, you know what? Elsa loves _me_ , and only _me_!"

Shae paused for a moment, and her body began to shake even more violently, tears streaming from her eyes. "Elsa, I'm doing this for _you_." She whispered, turning her desperate, miserable eyes onto The Ice Queen. "I want us to have our happy ending, and this is the only way."

"Shae, NO!" Elsa sobbed, stumbling forward another step. "That's all I want too, but, not… Not like this, not with so much at risk!"

Shae paused again, squeezing her eyes shut, more tears rushing down her face. The vampire stood silently staring down at the ground, and, for a moment, it seemed that she was reconsidering her drastic and dangerous plan. As the others all exchanged quick, hopeful glances, Shae vigorously shook her head, and she balled her hands into fists, turning her red, bloodshot eyes back onto Elsa.

" _You_ might not be willing to risk everything for our love," She whispered softly. "But _I_ am."

Shae slapped her bloody palm onto the ground, atop the small, hand sized gap she had left in the circle surrounding her. The magical circle that she had created suddenly sprang to life, and it and the runes within began to glow with a bright, burning red light. The others all clamped their hands over their ears as an incredibly loud humming noise began to resonate off the walls of the mine.

"STOP!" Shae shouted as they all rushed toward her, firmly putting out her hand. "This spell is incredibly unstable! If you cross over the circle, the whole thing could explode!"

They all stopped in their tracks, watching in horror as Shae scooped up the book that was sitting at her feet, and began reading from it out loud in a strange language that only Regina had ever heard before. They stumbled backwards shielding their eyes as the glowing red light from the circle grew brighter and brighter, humming louder and louder with magical energy.

"GO!" Regina shouted over the din, throwing her arms over her head as rocks and pebbles cascaded down upon them. "Just run! I'll stop this!"

"Regina, no!" Emma shouted back. "You heard what she said, the whole thing could blow up, it could-"

"Dammit, Swan, for once, just don't argue with me!" Regina bellowed, tightly gripping both of The Savior's arms. She then glanced around at all the others for a moment, and, finally, her gaze rested on Elsa. "She's doing this because of _me_ , because of all I've done to her. Please, let _me_ fix this, let me stop her."

For another moment, one impossibly long moment, Regina and Elsa both gazed into each other's desperate, tear stained eyes. Elsa then tore her eyes away from Regina, and glanced over at Shae, the woman that she loved, the woman that was about to risk countless lives, all for her. She then glanced back at Regina, and nodded. Regina nodded back, and turned her back on them, taking a step forward toward Shae, and the sinister, glowing circle of magic that she had created. The others all immediately turned away, and raced back down the tunnel from whence they had came.

They ran, and ran, and ran, fast as all their legs would carry them, their feet pounding wildly into the dirt. As soon as they sped through the entrance to the mines, a massive, powerful, magical pulsewave eminated through the air. They all cried out in varying tones of shock and alarm as they were blasted off their feet. They landed face first in the dirt, their heads spinning, their bodies screaming in pain. All of them remained where they were for a few moments, heads spinning from the force of the blast. Elsa was the first on her feet, and she stared at the tunnel entrance of the mines. She waited patiently for the dust to clear, her whole body shaking. When the dust finally did clear, she waited still for another beat. Her heart dropped out of her chest when she saw the cave in.

"NO!" She screamed in horror, her sparkling blue eyes streaming with tears. "Regina? Shae? SHAE!"

XX


	20. Chapter 20, Shattered Sight

**Author's Note: The song being played in this chapter is Best of Me by Sum 41**

CHAPTER 20

"Why didn't you fight for me, Shae?"

Shae picked her head up from the floor of her dungeon cell, peering up at the hazy figure of a person standing before her. She didn't even need to see her visitor to know who it was. She knew that voice all too well.

"Regina, please…" Shae whispered, her whole body trembling. "Please… Just leave me be… I… I-I can't."

Shae knew it was only a matter of time before her phantom Queen appeared before her again. She was battered, beaten, and broken after spending several hours in the torture chamber within Prince Charming and Snow White's castle. She insisted that she knew nothing about The Evil Queen's curse, but her words fell on deaf ears, and she was poked, prodded, gouged, and sliced with a silver dagger, over and over and over again. Now, back in her cell, her whole body screaming with pain, she knew that her madness was bound to return, and produce the woman that she loved once again.

"You said that you would fight for me." The phantom Regina snarled, glaring down at the broken vampire sobbing at her feet. "But you didn't, you didn't even try. You lied to me."

"No… I… I-I didn't…" Shae sobbed, pushing herself up feebly onto her hands and knees, hanging her head in sorrow. "I… I-Im sorry… I'm so sorry."

"Are you?"

Shae snapped her head up, and realized that Regina was now gone. Another voice had spoken from behind her, another very familiar voice. Shae slowly turned herself around, her whole body trembling violently. She choked out a strangled, horrified sob when she saw bright blonde hair, almost white, a glittering blue dress, and the most dazzling blue eyes she had ever seen in her life.

"Oh, god…" Shae whispered, burying her face in her quivering hands, unable to gaze upon the phantom of the woman she had once loved. "Elsa… Elsa, please… No…"

"You said you would never leave me again." Elsa said, her voice barely above a whisper, but heavy with accusation. "You didn't even try to come back to me, did you?"

"Of course! Of course I did!" Shae cried, bitter tears streaming down her face. "But, Ingrid, she… I… I-I couldn't-"

"You could have found a way." Elsa whispered, her beautiful blue eyes filled with nothing but malice. "Instead, you just gave up. You didn't even try."

Shae sobbed into the silence of the dungeon, collapsing forward and burying her face in the stone floor. "I tried, Elsa." She whispered, her voice cracking and quavering with emotion. "I swear to you, I did, I-"

"Why didn't you save me, Shae?"

Another voice once again spoke from behind her, and Shae's whole body tensed, her miserable sobs catching violently in her throat. She knew that voice. She hadn't heard it in many, many years, and she was starting to forget what it had sounded like. Still, she knew it immediately, and it chilled her right to the bone.

"Why didn't you save me?"

Slowly, hesitantly, Shae once again turned herself around to face yet another figment of her madness, another painful memory. She choked out another strangled sob, squeezing her eyes shut, unable to bare the sight of another woman that she had once loved, one that she had lost so, so long ago.

"LOOK AT ME!"

Shae flinched, and, for a moment, she kept her eyes shut tight. Then, slowly, fearfully, she peeled them open, and they began to stream with more tears as she stared miserably up into Nadia's eyes. They were green, like they had been when she was human, the same shade as her brother's. She had the same shade of chestnut brown hair as well, which fell in loose curls just past her shoulders. She was just as tall as Shae herself was, and she stood towering over the vampire, her usual dazzling smile missing, replaced with a furious, accusing scowl.

"You let me die, Shae." Nadia whispered, her brilliant green eyes filled with sheer contempt. "You didn't even try to save me."

Shae vigorously shook her head, her body shaking with miserable, violent sbos. "No… N-No, I did, I-I swear it!" She stammered desperately. "Nadia, I tried, I swear… I… I loved you!"

Nadia's furious, accusing glare suddenly softened, and she smiled down at Shae. The vampire choked out another miserable sob when she saw that smile, the one that she had so terribly missed, for so terribly long. Nadia smiled again as she knelt down in front of Shae, and Shae stared miserably into her beautiful, brilliant green eyes.

"Oh, Shae…" Nadia whispered, slowly shaking her head. "Haven't you learned anything?"

Shae gasped as Nadia leaned forward, and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Through the pain riddling her body, Shae could swear she felt the warmth of Nadia's lips upon her cheek, and she could even smell the scent of her hair. Lavender, just like it always had been. Shae gasped again as Nadia whispered softly into her ear, and her heart ached with bitter, painful misery.

"Love is nothing but pain."

XXXXX

Shae's eyes snapped open, and she drew in a startled gasp. She was no longer in Snow White and Prince Charming's dungeon, but somewhere entirely different, staring up at bright, fluorescent lights. She glanced down at her own body, and saw that she was wearing the same clothes that she had been wearing in Storybrooke, which were now tattered and torn, and covered in a layer of gray dust. It had all just been a dream. Shae sat forward, and she realized that, actually, it hadn't been a dream at all, but a memory. A horrible, painful memory.

"Hey! She's awake!"

Shae blinked several times, roused from her daze at the sudden shouting. She stared all around her for a moment, and, suddenly, she realized exactly where she was. She was in the Storybrooke Sheriff's Station, sitting on a cot inside one of the holding cells. Shae scrambled to her feet, and found the door shut and locked tight, a group of people gathered around outside the bars. Both the Sheriffs, David and Emma, were present, along with Mary Margaret, Hook, and Regina.

"No… No, no, no…" Shae muttered, staring wide eyed at them all.

"Shae, just stay calm." Emma said slowly.

"No… No, no, NO!" Shae shouted, slamming her fist into the bars of her cell. "DAMMIT! I didn't go back in time, did I?"

The others all exchanged a sad, knowing glance. "No." Replied Regina. "I managed to stop you just before you finished your spell."

"Aye, and she likely saved your bloody life." Said Hook, folding his arms across his chest. "You both would have been crushed when the tunnel collapsed if it wasn't for her magic."

Shae breathed out a bitter, sour laugh, running a dust covered hand through her hair. "Great, that's just great." She muttered. "Congratulations! You stopped me. Now will you let me the hell out of here?"

The Charmings, Hook, and Regina all exchanged another sad and anxious glance. "No." Mary Margaret replied simply.

"Mom, come on-" Emma began to say.

"No, Emma, your mother's right, we've been over this." David cut in sternly. "She's staying right where she is until we deal with The Snow Queen. We'll figure out what to do with her then."

Shae eyed them all in complete and utter shock, her jaw hanging open. "Seriously?" She exclaimed. When David and Mary Margaret only glared silently back at her, Shae groaned in frustration. "Fine. I'll just do it my fucking self."

Shae stepped up to the door to her cell, and waved her hand in front of the lock. When she didn't feel the familiar tingle of magic at her fingertips, she frowned down at her own hands. She noticed something strange poking out from beneath the sleeve of her black leather jacket, and she quickly pulled it back. There was a black leather cuff on her wrist, and Shae was horrified to realize that she recognized it. It was the one that Greg Mendell had placed on Regina when he tortured her nearly to death, the one that had drained her of all her magic.

"No." Shae whispered, staring at Regina with wide, horrified eyes.

Regina quickly averted Shae's gaze, staring quietly down at the ground. "Shae, just… Stay calm, ok?" Emma said gently.

"No… No, no, no…" Shae muttered, furiously tugging at the cuff. When it continued to remain firmly clasped to her wrist, she let out an enraged snarl, shoving her arm through the bars. "Get this fucking thing off me, RIGHT FUCKING NOW!"

"NO!" Mary Margaret shouted back. "Shae, you brought this upon yourself, and you are _exactly_ where you belong! You were going to destroy countless lives!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" Shae roared, her blood red eyes wide and wild with rage. "For all you idiots know, everything could have worked out just like I said! I could have given _everyone_ a happy ending, not just myself!"

" _You_ don't know _that_!" Shouted David, pointing an accusing finger at Shae. "You were willing to risk everyone's lives, even Henry's! No, we can't just let you get away with what you've done."

"And what about what _he's_ done, what _she's_ done?" Shae demanded, pointing at Hook, then Regina. "You guys have been awfully forgiving to them."

"Because they've changed, Shae!" Mary Margaret cried desperately, her eyes shining with tears. "They've both done a lot of good, and so have you. But now… All you've done is take ten steps backwards. We thought you'd changed too, Shae. Clearly, we were wrong."

Shae watched in horror as Mary Margaret took her husband by the hand, and headed toward the door. "Wait!" She called out. "W-Where's Elsa? I need to talk to her."

"She doesn't want to see you, Shae." Mary Margaret replied, stopping and turning back toward the vampire for a moment. "At least… Not now. She's really upset over what you did. I'm sorry."

Shae clenched her jaw, fighting back against the tears that were welling into her eyes. "I'll get out of here, you know." She muttered quietly, glaring maliciously at both Mary Margaret and her husband. "Even without my powers. I've done it before, remember?"

Mary Margaret sighed heavily, once again taking her husband's hand. Emma hesitated for a moment, giving Shae a sad, pitiful glance. She then hurried off after her parents, with Hook in tow. Regina, however, remained behind, and she watched sadly as Shae slowly sunk down onto her cot, burying her face in her hands.

"How exactly _did_ you get out last time?" Regina asked as she stepped up to the bars of Shae's cell. "You… Never really told me."

Shae breathed out a heavy, miserable sigh, leaning her back against the wall. "It doesn't matter." She muttered quietly. "It's in the past. I could have changed all that, but _you_ had to go and stop me."

"Shae, I didn't have a choice." Regina whispered, her deep brown eyes welling with tears. "If you had actually stopped me from casting my curse, then none of us would have ever came to this world, and I never would have gotten Henry. He may have still been born, sure, but… But he wouldn't have been _mine_."

Shae remained silent, glaring at the bars in front of her, and Regina sighed herself. "You know I love you, Shae." She went on in a whisper. "And I love Robin as well. But, Henry, he is… My world, my everything. He's been my rock through all of this, and I…"

Regina's voice broke with emotion, and she paused for a moment, wiping at the tears that were leaking from her eyes. "I regret a lot of the things that I've done." She went on. "But I _do not_ regret casting my curse. It gave me my son, and I… Wouldn't give that up, not for you, and not for Robin. I would never give him up, not even for my happy ending."

Shae nodded slowly, breathing out another sad, heavy sigh. "I understand." She replied quietly, finally turning her gaze onto Regina. "I'm sorry."

Regina's brow furrowed in confusion. "You are?"

Shae nodded again, her blood red eyes filled with sorrow. "I know what I did was wrong." She admitted, her eyes beginning to glisten with tears. "When I was stuck in the past with Emma and Hook, I caught a glimpse of my past self doing… Horrible things."

Shae paused, her voice cracking with emotion, and tears began to flow freely down her cold, pale face. "Trying to cast that spell, it reminds me of what I used to be." She went on, her voice soft, thick with sorrow. "I was so desperate that, in the moment, I didn't even care about anyone else. All I cared about was what I wanted, and I was willing to do anything to get it."

Regina watched with a heavy heart as Shae squeezed her eyes shut, more tears rushing down her cheeks. "I don't know, maybe Snow was right." Shae muttered bitterly.

"About what?" Asked Regina.

Shae wiped away more of her tears, breathing out a sour laugh. "Maybe I really haven't changed." She whispered, smiling at Regina through her tears. "Maybe I'm still just a villain."

XX

The next day, the heroes of Storybrooke continued to desperately search for a way to stop The Snow Queen from casting her spell, The Spell of Shattered Sight. Emma thought a lot about Shae during these discussions, but she remained quiet about it. Though she knew what Shae had done was truly and thoroughly wrong, Shae was still her truest and dearest friend, and she couldn't help but feel sympathy for the vampire. Her parents, however, were a different story. They were furious over what Shae had tried to do, and had demanded immediate action. Emma had persuaded them to focus their attention on Ingrid, and leave Shae's fate to be decided later. She hoped that, once The Snow Queen was no longer a threat, her parents would have time to calm down.

That same night, Shae was sitting alone in her cell within The Sheriff's station, strumming on her old guitar. Unbeknownst to her parents, Emma had given Shae the guitar, as well as a fresh change of clothes, since hers were tattered and torn, and covered in dust after Regina had dragged her, unconscious, out of the cave in. Shae hadn't seen Regina since the previous day, and Elsa even longer. She desperately wanted to see Elsa, to hold her in her arms, and tell her how sorry she was. Though her heart still did yearn for Regina, she thought of nothing but Elsa as she sang, her voice echoing through the silence of the dark and empty Sheriff's Station.

"It's so hard to say that I'm sorry,  
I'll make everything alright.  
All these things that I've done,  
Now what have I become, and where'd I go wrong?

I don't mean to hurt, just to put you first,  
I won't tell you lies.  
I will stand accused with my hand on my heart,  
I'm just trying to say.

I'm sorry, it's all that I can say.  
You mean so much,  
And I'll fix all that I've done if I could start again.  
I'll throw it all away, to the shadows of regret,  
And you would have the best of me."

Shae strummed out another melody, and opened her mouth to sing more, but shut it again as tears welled into her eyes. She set her guitar aside, and leaned her head back against the wall. She squeezed her eyes shut, bitter, remorseful tears leaking down her face. Suddenly, she snapped her eyes open again when she heard footsteps. She sprang to her feet when she saw who was walking toward her cell.

"Elsa!" She exclaimed, her face plastered with shock.

"Hello, Shae." Elsa replied with a small smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Shae smiled back at her, and they stood in silence for a few moments, neither of them knowing exactly what to say. "It's… I-It's really good to see you." Shae stammered, finally breaking the silence.

"It's good to see you too." Elsa replied with another smile. "That song, it was… Beautiful."

"Thanks, it's just, uh… A little something I've been working on." Said Shae, smiling anxiously back at her. "I don't really have a whole lot else to do in here, so…"

Shae trailed off into silence, and it lingered for another few moments. Elsa then stepped up the bars of Shae's cell, and sat down onto the ground beside it, leaning her back against the wall. Shae watched her silently for a moment, once again unsure of what to say.

"Do you remember those nights back in Arenedelle, the nights where I couldn't sleep?" She asked, smiling a small, wistful smile. "I was always worrying about one thing or another, and, some nights, we would go walking through the gardens together. Sometimes, you would bring your lute, and you would sing to me under the stars."

Shae stood in silence, watching with a heavy heart as Elsa's dazzling blue eyes welled with tears. "Your voice always made me feel so calm, so safe." Elsa whispered. "Oh, I miss those nights."

Shae sighed, and sat down beside the bars of her cell next to Elsa. "Yeah… Me too." She whispered back. She then turned her head toward Elsa, her own blood red eyes glistening with more tears. "Elsa, I… I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to cast that stupid spell, it was wrong. I'm just… I'm so sorry."

Elsa sighed as well, staring back into Shae's eyes. "I know you are, Shae." She quietly replied. "I was so angry, I think I still am, a bit, but I… Understand why you did it, why you _wanted_ to do it. You were just trying to ease your pain, to get rid of it. Honestly, if I were in your position, I imagine I would have done much the same."

Shae breathed out a bemused laugh, slowly shaking her head. "There you go again, using logic and reason to explain away my bad decisions."

Elsa laughed too, and they both fell silent for another moment. Elsa then carefully reached through the bars, and gently took Shae's hand. Shae stared down at her hand in Elsa's, then back into Elsa's eyes. As she stared into those beautiful, sparkling blue eyes, she wanted so desperately to hold Elsa in her arms, to kiss her, to tell her, again, how sorry she was. Suddenly, she found her thoughts wandering to the dream she had while she had been unconscious. She had seen nothing but malice and rage in Elsa's eyes, but, now, she saw nothing but sorrow, nothing but pity.

"Elsa, I… I want you to know, that I _really_ did try to get back to you." Shae whispered softly. "After Ingrid sent me away, I… I tried _so_ hard to get back to you. But… I had to give up. There… There was no way."

Elsa's brow furrowed in confusion at Shae's sudden earnest and heartfelt confession. "I know, Shae, I know." She whispered, reaching up and placing her hand on Shae's cheek.

Shae nodded, placing her hand on top of Elsa's, relishing the warmth of her touch. "I could let you out, you know." Elsa suddenly said.

Shae's arm dropped back down to her side, and her jaw dropped open in shock. "What?" She breathed. "W-Where… Where would I even go?"

Elsa pulled her arm back through the bars, and folded her hands in her lap. Shae waited patiently as Elsa bit her lip, her eyes filled with a sudden confliction. "I… I shouldn't even be telling you this." Elsa muttered quietly. "But… David and Mary Margaret, they are talking about… Banishing you, once my aunt is dealt with."

"What?" Shae exclaimed, her lips curling into an indignant snarl. "Oh, those _assholes_!"

"Shae, please, just… Listen." Elsa pleaded, reaching her arm back through the bars, taking Shae's hand again. "They said that once the ice wall surrounding the town is gone, they're going to send you out into this world. But, I was thinking, maybe… I could ask them to release you into _my_ custody."

Shae's blood red eyes grew wide. "What?" She breathed in shock. "W-What exactly does that mean?"

"Well, once Ingrid is dealt with, I plan on returning to Arendelle." Elsa quickly explained. "I've been gone for over thirty years, so who knows what sort of state my kingdom is in. But, first, I have to find Anna, and then actually find a way back, which will be difficult. Emma is certain that it's possible, but I don't-"

"Elsa, what are you saying?" Asked Shae, cutting her off.

Elsa sighed, and reached her other arm through the bars, holding Shae's hand in both of her own. "I'm saying that, once I find a way back, I… Would like you to come with me."

Somehow, Shae's eyes grew even wider. "Seriously?"

Elsa nodded, smiling as she once again placed her hand gently on Shae's cheek. "Shae, I know part of you does love me." She whispered. "I mean, you were willing to change history for me, and possibly destroy an entire town in the process. I think it would all be quite romantic, if it wasn't so… Horrifying."

Shae chuckled, and Elsa laughed lightly with her. Elsa then cleared her throat, and went on. "But, I also know that part of you loves Regina." She said, her smile slowly fading. "I know how hard it's been for you. I know I tried to end things between us, and I'm sorry… I know it caused you a lot of pain."

Elsa paused for a moment, staring deep into Shae's blood red eyes, her own welling with tears. "You know I still love you, Shae. I… Think I always will." She went on, smiling through her tears. "I just want to help you. Maybe, going back to Arendelle and… Getting away from everything will… Help."

Shae nodded slowly, processing everything Elsa was telling her. "But, that's why I want to let you out of here." Elsa went on quietly. "I don't know how long it's going to take to find Anna, to find a way back to Arendelle, so-"

"Elsa, no." Shae interjected, quickly shaking her head. "Snow and David, they won't be too happy if they find out you set me free. Besides, I'm… Right where I belong."

Elsa sighed, gently squeezing Shae's hand. "Shae, no, don't say that-"

"No, it's the truth." Shae cut in again sternly. "What I did was wrong, and I deserve to be locked up for it, _and_ stripped of my magic."

Shae raised her arm, where the black leather cuff was still clamped firmly to her wrist. Elsa sighed once again, and she nodded, smiling sadly into Shae's blood red eyes. "I understand if you don't want to go, if you'd rather go find your friend Remus." She whispered. "But, please, will you at least… Think about all that I've said?"

Shae nodded, smiling back at her. Elsa nodded back, and she leaned forward toward the bars. Shae followed suit, and she smiled as Elsa kissed her through the bars of her cell. She reached through the bars, wrapping her arms around Elsa's waist, holding her as close as she could through the confines of her cell. Once, she had been given a choice just like the one Elsa had given her. She had turned it down, and watched as Ruby, a woman she had cared for so very deeply, a woman that could have saved her from her torment, leapt through a portal to The Enchanted Forest, and was gone from her life, possibly forever. She knew that she did still love Regina, and likely always would, but she also loved Elsa. She also knew, above all else, that, despite all she had done, she deserved to be happy. She deserved her happy ending.

XX

The very next morning, the residents of Storybrooke awoke to the sounds of thunder and lightning crackling in the air. They took to the streets, pointing up in horror at the rolling blue clouds looming ever closer to the town, clouds that sparkled like thousands of pieces of shattered glass. It had finally begun. Ingrid, The Snow Queen, had finally cast The Spell of Shattered Sight, and the Heroes of Storybrooke gathered together once again to face yet another threat. Regina quickly deduced that they had till sundown, and, then, the whole town would start tearing each other apart.

Meanwhile, Shae was sitting alone in her cell, still locked up tight, and completely powerless. Though she no longer had access to her heightened senses, she could still hear cries and shouts of fright from outside The Sheriff's station. She had no idea what was going on outside the confines of her cell, but she knew it was nothing good. She sat in her cell for hours, hoping and praying that someone, _anyone_ , would come by, and finally tell her what the hell was going on.

Though Shae's mind was fraught with worry, she couldn't help her thoughts wandering to her conversation with Elsa the night before. It seemed that she was, at some point, going to be presented with a choice. Either she could return to New York, to Remus, her oldest and dearest friend, or, she could return to Arenedelle with Elsa, the woman that she loved. Either way, she knew that she was going to be forced to leave Storybrooke for what she had done. Her heart ached with misery over the thought of leaving Regina behind, and her blood began to boil with rage over the thought of the other woman that she loved, her other _true_ love, rushing right back into the arms of Robin Hood. Shae let out a grumble of frustration, and buried her face in her hands, both Elsa and Regina's faces swimming before her eyes.

The sun was glowing a burnt orange, and hanging low in the sky when the door to The Sheriff's station burst open. Shae immediately leapt to her feet, just as David and Mary Margaret rushed into the empty room. Mary Margaret was carrying baby Neal in her arms, and both her and her husband's faces were stark white, and full of panic.

"Good news, Shae." David announced as he hurried toward the vampire's cell. "You're being transferred."

"Transferred?" Shae asked, brow furrowed in confusion. "Transferred where?"

David pulled out his keys, and quickly unlocked Shae's cell, swinging the door open wide. "Not sure yet." He muttered, removing his handcuffs from his belt. "Come on, let's just-"

Suddenly, the door on the other side of the room burst open again. Shae's eyes grew wide with shock as she watched both of her true loves, Elsa and Regina, enter the room, followed closely by Emma. Two more people were hurrying along behind them, two people that Shae thought she'd never, ever, see again.

"Anna?" Shae breathed, her blood red eyes wide with shock. "K-Kristoff?"

Both Anna and Kristoff stopped in their tracks, both their eyes equally wide as they stared at the vampire. "Shae?" Anna whispered.

"Oh my god…" Shae whispered back, an excited, joyous smile slowly creeping across her face. "Oh my god! It's so good to see you, it's-"

Shae rushed across the room, her arms spread wide as she made to embrace her two old friends. She stopped suddenly as Anna drew back her fist, and punched her right in the nose. The others all cried out in alarm, and a loud thump resonated around the walls of The Sheriff's station as Shae crashed backwards onto the floor.

"Jesus, FUCK!" Shae shouted, clapping both hands over her aching nose. "Why? Why always in the nose?"

"Oh, WOAH!" Anna exclaimed, clutching her fist, staring wide eyed down at it. "Oh my god! Her head, it's so hard! I-It's… It's like punching a boulder!"

"Are you alright?" Asked Kristoff, placing a hand on Anna's shoulder in concern. When Anna nodded, he turned his attention back onto Shae, and his face fell into an enraged scowl. "Good. Cuz it's _my_ turn."

Shae was helped back up to her feet by Emma and Regina, and she threw her arms over her head as Kristoff rolled up his sleeve, cocking his fist. "STOP!" Elsa exclaimed, stepping quickly in front of him. "It's alright, it wasn't Shae's fault!"

Kristoff slowly lowered his arm, exchanging a curious glance with Anna. "What wasn't her fault?" Asked Anna.

"All of it, none of it!" Elsa replied hastily, waving her hands in the air. "It would take much too long to explain, but… Shae didn't murder Kai and the others, she was framed, by Ingrid. She only left me because Ingrid forced her to. She cast a spell on her, made it so that she had to leave Arendelle and could never return."

Anna and Kristoff exchanged another baffled glance, and they gaped silently at each other for a moment. "Oh." Anna said, staring wide eyed at her sister. "So… She isn't a despicable hellspawn who deserves to rot in the deepest, darkest depths of Tartarus for all eternity?"

Shae relaxed her arms, and she also stared at Elsa with wide, horrified eyes. "You said that?"

"I was very angry." Elsa replied, shrugging one of her shoulders.

"So… We're not mad at Shae anymore?" Kristoff asked of Elsa.

Mary Margaret chuckled sourly, narrowing her eyes at Shae. "Well, not for all that, at least."

"Oh. Oh, I-I see." Anna stammered, giving Shae a sheepish, embarrassed smile. "Um… Sorry I punched you in the face."

Shae chuckled, and quickly shook her head. "It's cool, it's all good." She said with a smile. "I've gotta said, though, you Arendelle chicks got one hell of a right hook."

Anna laughed, her bright blue eyes shining with tears. She threw her arms around Shae, and Shae laughed too, hugging her tight. The others watched as Shae also exchanged a tight, joyous embrace with Kristoff, and the three of them stood silently smiling at each other for a moment, all of their eyes glistening with grateful tears.

"You look great." Said Kristoff, beaming at Shae as he clapped the vampire on the shoulder.

"Yeah, so do you." Shae replied, smiling back at him. Her face then fell into a confused frown as she looked both Kristoff and Anna up and down. "You… You guys haven't aged a day. Did you get trapped in an urn too?"

"No, we were frozen!" Anna exclaimed excitedly. "Ingrid, she cast a spell, and-"

"You guys, I'm sorry, but we really don't have time for this." Emma cut in, then turned to Regina. "Regina, you need to get Shae out of here, and then lock yourselves up, alright?"

"What?" Shae asked as Regina nodded at Emma. "Why? What's going on?"

"It's Ingrid." Elsa replied in a dark tone. "She's finally cast her spell."

Shae blinked several times in surprise. "Oh." She muttered. "So… What do we do? How do we stop it?"

The others all exchanged sad and nervous glances for a moment. "That's the thing." David slowly replied. "We haven't found a way yet, and… We're out of time."

"What?" Shae exclaimed, staring around at all of them with wide, horrified eyes. "What the hell does that mean?"

"All we can do now is… Prepare for the worst." Regina explained, heaving a heavy sigh. "Which is why you and I need to lock ourselves up somewhere. We're the ones that can do the most damage."

"Wait, no, hold on." Said Shae, quickly shaking her head. "This spell probably isn't gonna affect me, most don't. Take me with you, I can help, I can-"

"Shae, no." Elsa cut in quietly, placing her hand gently on Shae's arm. "You don't know that for sure. Please, you have to go with Regina."

Shae opened and closed her mouth several times, glancing between Elsa, Regina, and around at all the others. "But… What about you?" Shae asked of Elsa, her blood red eyes filled with fear.

"I'll be alright." Elsa whispered with a smile, gently and soothing rubbing Shae's arm. "Since Emma and I are the ones that Ingrid wants, we'll be immune to the spell. And Anna has already had it cast on her, so she will be as well."

"Woah, wait, Ingrid cast her spell on _you_?" Shae asked, raising an eyebrow at Anna.

"Yeah, she did." Anna replied, swiftly nodding her head. "I trapped Elsa in an urn. It was insane!"

Shae eyes grew wide with shock, and she opened her mouth to question Anna more, but shut it again when Elsa cut her off. "Shae, please." She whispered, placing her hand gently on Shae's cheek, her dazzling blue eyes shining with tears. "There's no time, you… You have to go."

Shae stared back into Elsa's eyes for a moment, and her own slowly began to well with frightened tears. She then breathed out a relenting sigh, and nodded. Elsa nodded back, fighting hard to maintain her composure. She threw her arms around Shae's neck, tears spilling out of her eyes as she held her tight.

"Hey, it's ok, it's gonna be ok." Shae whispered to her, slowly and gently rubbing Elsa's back. "You guys are gonna find a way to stop this, I know you will."

Elsa nodded, and she placed a deep, desperate kiss on Shae's lips. "I love you, Shae." She whispered, more tears streaming down her face as she stared deep into Shae's blood red eyes. "No matter what happens, I… I-I want you to try and remember that."

Shae nodded back, tears rushing down her own cold, pale face. "I love you too, Elsa."

Elsa placed one last kiss on Shae's lips, then released her, stepping back out of her arms. She nodded at Regina, who nodded back, and placed her hand on Shae's shoulder. With panic bubbling in her stomach, Shae smiled what she hoped was a reassuring smile at Elsa, before she was engulfed in a whirl of purple smoke.

A moment later, Shae and Regina both appeared in the Storybrooke cemetery, Regina's mausoleum lying a few short yards ahead of them. "The cemetery?" Shae asked, raising an eyebrow at Regina. "What are we doing here?"

"Well, I'm going to lock myself in my vault, and cast a protection spell so I can't break free." Regina quickly explained. "Right after I do the same for you, in… Ah! In there."

Shae hurried after Regina as she marched quickly through the rows of headstones. She stopped in front of another, much smaller, mausoleum, and waved her hand in front of the door, magically unlocking it.

"Here?" Shae asked as Regina threw open the door. "But… There's a dead guy in there."

Regina rolled her eyes at the vampire. "Oh, please. Don't tell me you're afraid of a corpse."

"No! I'm not afraid!" Shae cried indignantly. When Regina folded her arms across her chest, eyeing her impatiently, Shae breathed out a relenting sigh. "Fine."

Shae stepped into the tiny mausoleum, where only a stone coffin lie within. She eyed the coffin apprehensively for a moment, then turned back around, shoving her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket. She waited for Regina to close the door before her, and her brow furrowed in confusion when Regina hesitated for a moment. She stood rooted in her spot, hand on the door handle, her deep brown eyes welling with tears as she stared into Shae's.

"What?" Shae asked her.

Regina bit her lip, slowly shaking her head. "I'm just trying to… Memorize you like this."

"Like what?" Asked Shae, snorting loudly. "Freaked out and creeped out?"

Regina chuckled, shaking her head again. "No, just… Like this, like… You." She replied quietly. She quickly glanced over her shoulder at the setting sun, then turned back to Shae, her brown eyes filled with fear. "This spell is going to bring out the worst in me, in all of us. After all that's happened, I'm afraid I'll become The Evil Queen all over again, and you'll be-"

"Evil Shae." Shae finished for her, breathing out a sour laugh. "Yeah, that's… Not great. Those two need to be locked up tight, that's for damn sure."

Regina chuckled again, wiping away a few stray tears from her face. She remained where she stood for another moment, staring into Shae's eyes, her own filled with fear. Regina then slowly swung the door to the mausoleum shut, and Shae's world was engulfed in darkness, only a few rays of burnt orange light shining through the two small windows of the mausoleum. She turned toward the coffin lying behind her, eyeing it apprehensively once again, but immediately spun around again as the door swung back open.

"What the hell are you doing?" Shae asked of Regina. "You need to-"

The rest of Shae's words were cut off as Regina rushed toward her, and threw her arms around her neck, planting a kiss firmly on her lips. Shae stood rigid in shock for a moment, but then she wrapped her arms around Regina's waist, holding her tight as their lips parted. For a moment, just a moment, all of Shae and Regina's worries were forgotten as they kissed. The Snow Queen's spell no longer mattered, and neither did the other people in their lives that they loved, their other true loves.

At the exact same moment as Robin's face flashed before Regina's eyes, Elsa's also flashed before Shae's. She and Regina broke apart, both of them taking a step backward. They stood in shocked silence for a few moments, staring bewilderedly into each other's tear stained eyes.

"I-I'm… I'm sorry." Regina whispered, her voice quavering with emotion. "I… I-I don't know what's going to happen, and, I needed to… Just… One last time."

Before Shae could do or say anything, Regina whirled around, and slammed the mausoleum door shut. Regina leaned her back against the door, hanging her head in misery, in guilt. Just a short while ago, she had been kissing Robin goodbye, trying memorize _his_ face before it twisted into something she wouldn't recognize. She couldn't resist the urge to kiss Shae, to feel her lips upon her own one last time. Elsa had told her about her plan to take Shae back to Arendelle once The Snow Queen was dealt with, and Regina agreed that, if Shae decided to go, then it would likely be best for her. Now that The Spell of Shattered Sight was imminent, she had no idea what was going to happen to either of her true loves, to her son, or to herself. As she cast a protection spell around Shae's mausoleum, and headed toward her own, all she knew was that she was terrified. She hoped against hope that, somehow, some way, Elsa, Emma, and Anna would find a way to stop it all.

XX

Shae stood in shocked silence for a long time, staring at the back of the door to the mausoleum. She slowly brushed her quivering fingers across her lips, which were still tingling from Regina's kiss. She then turned around, and leaned her back against the door, slowly sliding down onto the floor. She sat there for a long time, watching the orange beams of sunlight falling across her legs growing darker and darker, slowly fading as the sun continued to set. Her head spun with thoughts of Regina, of Elsa, of the impending spell that was about to befall the whole town. She had tried so hard to leave the person that she once was behind, but she had prodded the beast once again by trying to cast her time spell. Now, with The Spell of Shattered sight, she was doomed to awaken the monster that she once was all over again.

The sun had finally set, and the vampire slowly rose to her feet, panic boiling in her stomach as she waited for the spell to befall her. She gasped, staring up at the ceiling as what looked like tiny particles of glass began to fall through it. She squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her fists, clenching her jaw, waiting for the moment that she would turn into a monster once more.

That moment never came. Shae slowly peeled one eye open, then the other, staring bewilderedly all around her. The tiny, magical particles of glass were falling all around her, disappearing into the stone floor of the mausoleum. Shae blinked several times, brow furrowed in confusion. She didn't feel any different. She didn't feel any different at all.

"HA!" Shae shouted, throwing her arms triumphantly up into the air. "I was right! I was _fucking_ right!"

The vampire stood grinning proudly to herself for a few moments, watching the magical particles of Ingrid's spell falling harmlessly all around her. Her grin slowly faded, and she frowned down at her feet.

"Now what?" She muttered. She then glanced down at the black leather cuff that was still attached to her wrist, and she breathed out an angry and frustrated growl. "Damn Charmings…"

Shae pressed her ear to the door of the mausoleum, listening hard for any sounds from outside. After a while, she gave up, and began to angrily pace the miniscule length of the room. Once again, she decided to give up, and she sank back down onto the floor, feeling hopeless and helpless. Her mind was fraught with worry, for Elsa, for Emma, and for Anna. Shae was powerless to break free from the tomb that was now her prison, so it was up to the three of them to put an end to Ingrid's spell, and, possibly, to Ingrid herself.

The vampire sat alone in the dark and tiny mausoleum for what felt like an eternity, her only company the dead body of whoever had been laid to rest within the stone coffin. She stared at the beams of pale moonlight shining across her legs, thinking about the offer Elsa had made her, her mind and heart once again filled with confliction. She knew that going back to Arendelle with Elsa would only help ease her pain, but the thought of leaving Regina behind with Robin Hood made her blood boil. She also knew that, if Elsa, Emma, and Anna couldn't stop Ingrid, then none of her worries would even matter.

Suddenly, Shae was roused from her silent musings as a pulsewave of magical energy emanated from all around her. She drew in a startled gasp, and leapt to her feet, her blood red eyes wide as they shifted all around the dark mausoleum. She stood in silence for a moment, listening hard, completely and utterly confused. She then took a step forward, and placed her hand on the door. She breathed out an astonished laugh as it slowly swung open. The vampire laughed once again as she stepped out into the cemetery, still confused, but grateful to finally be free of her prison.

"GO! RUN!"

Shae snapped her head to the side, and her blood red eyes grew wide when she saw Emma sprinting through the headstones, closely followed by Elsa. "Hey!" Shae called out to them.

The two women stopped in their tracks when they saw Shae rushing toward them. Shae stopped too as both Emma and Elsa raised their hands, falling back into battle ready stances. "Woah, woah, woah!" Shae cried, raising her own hands in surrender. "It's alright, it's me, I-I'm still me!"

Emma and Elsa exchanged an anxious, curious glance. "Really?" Asked Emma, eyeing Shae suspiciously.

"Yes!" Shae exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air. "Ingrid's spell didn't affect me, just like I said it wouldn't!"

The two women hesitated for a moment, hands still raised and at the ready. They then slowly lowered them, and breathed out sighs of relief. Elsa then rushed forward, and Shae laughed as she threw herself into her arms.

"Oh, thank god." Elsa whispered as she held Shae tight, gently gripping a fistful of her messy black hair. "Thank god it's still you. We could really use your help."

Shae held Elsa out at arm's length, raising an eyebrow curiously at her. "Help with what?"

"SWAN!"

Emma, Elsa, and Shae nearly leapt out of their skin at the sudden, furious scream. Shae turned her head toward the source of the noise, and she was horrified when she realized that the doors to Regina's vault were now standing wide open.

"Oh shit." Shae whispered, staring at Emma and Elsa with wide, fearful eyes. "You… You let Regina out? Why?"

"She's not Regina, not anymore." Elsa whispered back, her eyes just as wide as Shae's.

Somehow, Shae's eyes grew even wider, and they shone with frightened understanding. "The Evil Queen."

"Come on, we've gotta go." Emma muttered, quickly grabbing Elsa's arm. "Run. RUN!"

Emma and Elsa both took off running again, leaving Shae alone in the graveyard. Shae watched them go for a moment, standing in fearful and horrified silence. Suddenly, she heard the sound of stomping footsteps coming from the mausoleum behind her. She slowly turned around, just in time to see Regina stepping out of her vault. Except, just like Elsa said, it was no longer Regina. Shae was now staring at The Evil Queen.

"You." Regina whispered, her lips curling into a vicious and familiar snarl.

Shae's jaw hung, and she experienced a strange sense of deja vu as she gazed upon Regina. She was now garbed in an ornate but still sinister flowing black dress, ordained with red and silver. It was one that had always been a favorite of Shae's, as it was strikingly low cut, and accentuated her Queen's cleavage quite nicely.

"Did… Did you put on my favorite dress just to distract me?" Shae asked, raising an eyebrow at Regina. "If so, then… Just… Well played."

Regina emitted a dark chuckle as she slowly sauntered toward Shae. "I'm glad you like it." She said with an equally dark and devious grin. "At least you'll get to gaze upon something pleasing to your eye before I take back that half heart of yours."

Shae replied by throwing out her arm, attempting to blast Regina back. When nothing happened, she frowned down at her own two hands. She had momentarily forgotten about the black leather cuff that was draining her of her magic. The vampire dropped her hands back to her sides, swallowing the hard, fearful lump that had suddenly formed in her throat.

"Uh oh." She muttered.

Shae was sent careening backwards as Regina threw out her own hand. She smacked into several gravestones as she rolled and tumbled across the ground, toppling most of them right over. When she finally came to a stop, she pushed herself shakily to her feet, her blood red eyes shifting all around her, searching for Regina.

"Oh, I've waited a long time for this."

Shae whirled around, letting out a startled gasp when she found Regina standing behind her. "No! Regina, STOP!" She shouted, as Regina summoned a fireball into her hand. "Dammit, you need to snap out of it! This isn't you, it's Ingrid's spell!"

Regina barked out a mocking laugh. "I'm sure I don't care." She replied, her lips curling into another vicious snarl. "I'm finally going to get my revenge."

Regina hurled her fireball at Shae, who attempted to leap out of the way, but, without her superhuman speed, she was too slow. The fireball hit her right in the shoulder, and she crashed hard onto the ground. She howled with pain, clutching her aching shoulder as her flesh smoked and sizzled, a gaping, smouldering hole burnt straight through her black leather jacket.

"That's for betraying me all those years ago!" Regina shouted, pointing a furious finger at Shae.

"Hey, remember that one time you stole my heart for twenty eight years?" Shae shouted back.

Regina bellowed out a roar of rage, and threw her hand out at Shae again. Shae's world was a tumbling chaotic blur as she went spiraling through the air. She crashed into a tree, and, somehow, managed to land on her feet. She staggered forward, turning in her spot, searching the graveyard. She finally spotted Regina a few yards ahead, just in time to see her launch another fireball. Shae threw herself straight back to the ground, rolling out of the way of another, and quickly ducked behind a gravestone just as another fireball crashed into it. She breathed out a sigh of relief, only to have it catch in her throat as Regina appeared in front of her in whirl of purple smoke.

Shae grunted in pain as Regina bent over her, and shoved her hand straight into her chest. "Wait!" Shae cried, grabbing on to Regina's arm as she felt her fingers curling around her half heart. "What are you wasting your time on me for, huh?"

Regina paused for a moment, raising an eyebrow curiously at the vampire, who hastily went on. "Isn't there someone else who you want to get revenge on, someone who you've been trying to kill for _years_?"

Silence fell over the graveyard as Regina continued to hesitate, glaring into Shae's blood red eyes. Shae stared back into Regina's eyes, her own wide fear, Regina's hand still clamped firmly around her heart. Suddenly, Regina released her heart, and Shae grunted once again as Regina removed her hand from her chest.

"You know what? You're right." Regina said as she straightened up, grinning wickedly down at Shae. "I suppose I can deal with you later. First, I'm going to take Snow White's heart, and I'm finally going to crush it."

The Evil Queen's dark and maniacal laughter rang across the quiet cemetery as she disappeared in another puff of purple smoke. Shae breathed out another sigh of relief, leaning her head back against the gravestone, clutching her burnt shoulder, her chest aching from where Regina's hand had been. She sat there for a few moments, trying to calm her reeling mind. She then breathed out a frustrated groan as she made a sudden realization.

"Dammit…" She grumbled, pushing herself back to her feet. "Now I gotta go save Snow."

XX

The town of Storybrooke had erupted into chaos, friends and families alike attacking each other in the streets. Shae kept to the side streets and alleyways, carefully avoiding the eyes of the enraged townsfolk. She quickly ducked behind a nearby building when she spotted Leroy and Granny in the midst of a crazed brawl upon the sidewalk. She ran as fast as her non-magical legs could carry her down the backstreet, slowing to a stop when she saw Henry running toward her.

"Henry!" Shae cried in alarm. "What are you doing out here? You should be- OW!"

Henry kicked the vampire right in the shin, and shoved her away from him. "I hate you!" He shouted at her. "You slept with both my moms!"

Shae stood in bewildered silence for a moment, watching as Henry rushed off again. "Well, I guess you got me there." She muttered.

The vampire sprinted back down the sidestreet again, hoping and praying to whatever powers that be that Henry would remain safe. Without her powers, she knew she wouldn't be able to keep him safe, as well as Snow White, whom she had sicked an enraged Regina upon. She had no idea how exactly she was even going to stop Regina, but she knew she had to do something.

Though Shae no longer had her power of superhuman speed, she still didn't get winded like humans did, so she made good time as she sped through the streets of Storybrooke. Finally, she made it to her destination: The Sheriff's Station. She glanced quickly over her shoulder, watching for a moment as Tinkerbell and Mother Superior threw punches at each other. The two of them seemed too wrapped up in their brawl to notice Shae, so she quickly and quietly slipped into The Sheriff's Station.

Shae was met with an alarming sight. Regina and Mary Margaret were both armed with swords, and in the middle of a heated battle. David was locked in the holding cell that once belonged to Shae, shouting angry threats at both Regina and his wife as the two women fought. Baby Neal was sitting next to one of the desks in his stroller, sleeping peacefully, seemingly unbothered by the battle that was raging all around him.

Shae stood in baffled silence, watching as Mary Margaret and Regina crossed blades several times. Somehow, Mary Margaret gained the upper hand, and she shoved Regina into the corner desk, files, papers, and other various items scattering about the floor. Mary Margaret then grabbed the back of Regina's dress, and bellowed out a furious war cry as she sent Regina crashing through the glass wall of Emma's office. Regina quickly righted herself, and she spun around, sending Mary Margaret shooting backwards into the bars of David's cell with a blast of magic.

"You said no magic!" Mary Margaret cried from her spot on the floor.

" _You_ said you could keep a secret!" Regina shouted back, her clenched fists shaking with rage.

Mary Margaret's face fell into a vicious, uncharacteristic snarl, and she slowly pushed herself to her feet. "I was TEN!"

Mary Margaret raised her sword into the air, and charged at Regina. Regina raised her own sword, but they were both stopped by Shae as the vampire stepped between them. "WOAH!" Shae shouted, grabbing on to the blades of both their swords. "That's enough!"

"You!" Regina snarled.

"Where the hell did you come from?" Growled Mary Margaret.

"Your mother's butt!" Shouted Shae.

Mary Margaret cried out in pain as Shae ripped her sword out of her hand, and headbutted her right in the forehead. As Mary Margaret crashed to the ground, Shae wrenched Regina's sword away from her. She gasped when she realized that the blade was tinted blue, and there was a black gem gleaming in the pommel.

"This is mine!" Shae cried indignantly, shaking her sword called Soul Eater at Regina. "Mine! Not yours!"

Regina narrowed her eyes at Shae, her lips curling into a furious snarl. "No matter." She muttered, glaring around at Shae, Mary Margaret, and David. "It looks like I get to kill two birds with one stone. No, actually… Three."

Regina waved her hand in David's direction, and Shae whirled around, just in time to see the door to his cell swinging open. Suddenly, a sword appeared in his hand with a puff of purple smoke. David stared down at the sword in his hand, then glanced back up. Just like his wife, his lips curled into an uncharacteristic sneer as he stared at Shae.

"Good." He snarled, pointing the tip of his sword at the vampire. "I've been waiting for a chance to take a crack at you."

"Me?" Asked Shae. "What the hell did I do?"

"You almost destroyed countless lives!" Shouted Mary Margaret, who had made it back to her feet, sword once again in hand.

"Yeah, ok, but-" Shae began to say.

" _And_ you slept with our daughter!" Shouted David.

Shae opened her mouth to retort, but then shut it again, grinning as an idea suddenly sprang into her head. "Yeah… Yeah, that's right. I did." She muttered, slowly backing away, sword at the ready. "She's a total freak in bed, and _super_ good. Even better than you, Regina."

Regina let out a roar of rage, another sword made of black steel appearing in her hand. "You take that back!" She shouted.

"Make me!" Shae shouted back.

Regina bellowed out another vicious war cry, as did both Mary Margaret and David. Shae swiftly dodged a fireball, and sprinted out the door. She burst out onto the street, stopping for a moment as she took in the chaotic scene before her. Almost the entire town had taken to the streets, and everyone was brawling with their friends and loved ones, in a total frenzy due to Ingrid's spell.

"HEY!" Shae shouted at them, rushing forward, waving her sword free arm in the air. "Hey, everyone, over here!"

Several squabbles stopped as the townsfolk turned their attention onto Shae. "Look! Look at me!" Shae continued yelling. "Yeah, that's right! Remember me, asswipes?"

Mary Margaret, David, and Regina all rushed out onto the street, and Shae eyed them carefully, as well as the other people glaring viciously at her. "Yeah, that's right, it's me, The Evil Queen's pet!" Shae shouted at them, spreading her arms wide. "Remember all the awful shit I did, all the misery I caused?"

Shae's eyes shifted wildly along the street as more fighting continued to cease, more and more eyes turning onto her. "Hey, Doc, remember when I burned off your beard?" Shae asked of the dwarf.

"It took me months to grow it back!" Doc shouted furiously.

Shae laughed loudly and mockingly, her lips curling into a devious grin. "Oh! Marco, you were there when I hung your friends from those trees! Remember that?"

"Of course I do!" The old man snarled. "I will _never_ forget it!"

"That's right, that's right, you all hate me, don't you?" Shae exclaimed. Suddenly, every single eye was on her, and Shae's grin grew even bigger. "Hey, Tink, you know what? You're a shit fairy! And Blue, _you're_ a bitch!"

"How _dare_ you!" Mother Superior shouted.

"GRANNY!" Shae bellowed, pointing a quivering finger at the old woman. "I slept with your granddaughter, remember? Yeah, I had my grubby little hands all over her. _And_ I knew she was leaving, but I didn't tell you."

"You BITCH!" Granny shrieked, hefting her crossbow.

Granny fired off a bolt, and Shae leapt to the side, but was, once again, just a moment too slow. She cried out in pain, clutching her already damaged shoulder as Granny's silver bolt grazed her burnt flesh. She laughed through the pain, slowly backing away as the mob of angry townsfolk began to bare down upon her.

"Prince Charming!" Shae shouted, pointing at David. "You're just a stupid shepherd, not at all fit to rule a kingdom!"

David remained silent, only glaring viciously at Shae as he followed the mob forward, fist clenched around the pommel of his sword. "Snow White!" Shae shouted again, turning her pointed finger onto Mary Margaret. "You're just a spoiled little brat, only in charge because your stupid Daddy was a King!"

"Don't you _dare_ talk about my father like that!" Mary Margaret snarled.

"And _you_!" Shae went on, turning her attention, finally, onto Regina. She paused for a moment, looking Regina up and down. "That dress makes you look fat."

"HOW DARE YOU!" Roared Regina.

"GET HER!" Shouted Granny.

The mob of townsfolk all bellowed out vicious war cries, and charged after the vampire as Shae sprinted down the street. Shae glanced over her shoulder, grinning as she watched the mob chasing after her, completely ignoring each other, just like she planned. She turned her head back forward, and cried out in alarm as she saw a column of purple smoke. Shae threw herself to the ground as Regina hurled a fireball at her, and she rolled and tumbled across the pavement. Once she came to a stop, she scrambled back onto her feet, holding her sword out at the ready. Her blood red eyes shifted around at all the angry faces of the mob as they began to bare down upon her once again.

"Too bad we don't have any silver." Grumbled Leroy.

"Oh, I think I can fix that." Replied Regina, with another dark, devious grin.

Regina waved her hand in the air, and Shae's eyes continued to shift wildly amongst the mob, watching the dozens and dozens of puffs of purple smoke. Suddenly, every single member of the mob was armed with weapons, weapons that Shae could immediately tell were made of silver. The townsfolk all grinned around at each other for a moment, then turned their malicious gazes back onto the unfortunate vampire.

"Oh…" Shae whispered, her blood red eyes wide with fear as she slowly back away. "Oh no…"

"GET HER!" Granny shouted once again.

Shae took off running, as fast as her legs could possibly carry her. The mob's cries and shouts of rage rang in Shae's ears as she ran, her black leather boots pounding into the pavement. Despite their short stride, several of the dwarves managed to catch up with Shae. She swung her sword wildly behind her, causing them to jump backwards. Suddenly, Shae lost her footing as a bolt from Granny's crossbow buried itself into her back. She stumbled and fell to the ground, groaning in pain as the silver poisoning shot through her body.

The mob quickly surrounded Shae, forming a circle around the injured vampire. Shae pushed herself shakily to her feet, turning in her spot, panic boiling in her stomach. She was trapped, surrounded on all sides by enraged townsfolk, all of them possessed by a vicious blood lust due to The Spell of Shattered Sight. They shouted threats at her, every single one of their eyes filled with unadulterated rage. Shae's heart sunk as Regina, now, once again, The Evil Queen, stepped forward, pointing the tip of her silver sword straight at Shae's heart.

"Stand back!" Regina commanded to the crowd. "If anyone is going to kill this loathsome parasite, it's going to be me."

"Rip her heart out, Regina." Mary Margaret snarled, glaring maliciously at Shae.

"Crush it to bits!" Shouted Granny.

Shae breathed out a nervous laugh, raising her hands in careful surrender. "Ok, ok, t-there's a chance I didn't actually think this all the way through." She muttered, taking another step backwards.

"Raise your sword!" Regina ordered, pointing a furious finger at Shae. "I want this to be a fair fight."

Shae glanced around at the circle of angry townsfolk, relieved to see that every single eye was still on her. "Yeah, ok." She said, grinning as she raised her sword, falling back into a battle ready stance. "Bring it, Queenie."

Regina bellowed out a furious war cry, and charged at Shae, sword in the air. Shae blocked Regina's blow with her own sword, and the two of them crossed blades several more times. The gathered mob yelled angry threats at the vampire as her and Regina fell into strange and dangerous sort of dance, their swords flashing through the air, the sound of steel striking steel echoing around the street.

"I may not have my powers." Shae snarled as she pressed her sword against Regina's, grinning into her eyes. "But I've still got centuries of skill on you, bitch."

"Yes, but _you_ were the one who taught me how to use a sword in the first place." Regina snarled back, matching Shae's devious grin.

Shae casually shrugged one of her shoulders as she nodded. "Yeah, well, that also means I know what you were always bad at; Watching your feet."

Before Regina could react, Shae swiftly swept her legs out from under her. The crowd cried out in alarm as Regina hit the ground hard, her now silver sword clattering to the ground as it fell from her hand. The Evil Queen glared up at Shae as the vampire pointed the tip of her sword straight at her nose, barking out a triumphant laugh.

"And just like that, it was all over." Shae announced with a grin. "I have to say, I'm really disappointed. I spent months training you, and you haven't practiced at all. Practice makes perfect, you know, and I-"

Regina rolled her eyes, emitting a frustrated groan. "Oh, just shut UP!"

The mob emitted cries of shock once again as Regina threw out her arm, sending Shae hurtling backwards through the air. Soul Eater went shooting from Shae's hand as she crash landed onto a pickup truck parked along the street.

"My truck!" Cried Leroy, his mouth gaping open in horror. "Dammit, I _just_ paid it off!"

All eyes turned onto Regina as she slowly rose to her feet, scooping up her fallen sword. She disappeared in a column of purple smoke, reappearing in front of Shae, who was groaning in pain as she slid off the windshield of Leroy's truck.

"Not cool!" Shae snarled, pointing an accusing finger at Regina. "You said you wanted a fair fight!"

"And _you_ said you loved me!" Shouted Regina, pointing a finger back at Shae.

"I _do_ love you, Regina!" Shae shouted back.

The crowd of townsfolk stood watching the argument in silence from a few yards away. Their heads bounced back and forth between the two angry women, as if they were watching a furious game of ping pong.

"Then why did you go running off with Elsa?"

"Why did _you_ go running off with Robin?"

"Remember when you slept with Emma?"

"Remember when you ripped out my heart?"

"YES!" Regina screamed, her eyes wide and wild with rage. "I should have _never_ given it back! I should have _never_ given you half of my own heart!"

"THEN TAKE IT BACK!" Shae screamed back at her, spreading her arms wide. "I asked you to once, remember? Why don't you go ahead and do it already?"

Regina emitted a dark and dangerous chuckle, grinning deviously at the vampire. "As you wish."

Shae's angry snarl fell, and her blood red eyes grew wide. "Oh no… I shouldn't have said that."

Regina bellowed out another furious war cry, and she charged at Shae with her sword in the air once again. Shae managed to leap to the side just in time, and she quickly ducked as Regina swung her sword toward her head. Shae let out a war cry of her own, and she sprinted head long at Regina, tackling her bodily to the ground. Regina clung tight to her sword as she hit the pavement, but Shae pinned both of her arms down, grunting in exertion as Regina struggled furiously.

"That's it, I'm breaking this fucking curse." Shae muttered.

The vampire leaned down, and pressed a kiss firmly on Regina's lips. Regina stopped her struggling, and her body went rigidly still. She then wrapped her arms tightly around Shae, emitting a soft moan as their lips slowly parted. Shae kissed her deeply, desperately, and, slowly, the whole world began to melt away around them, just as it always did when the two lovers kissed. Shae pulled away from Regina's lips, smiling into her true love's beautiful brown eyes. Regina smiled back at her, and she placed her hand gently on Shae's cheek.

"Regina." Shae whispered, her blood red eyes welling with tears.

"Shae." Regina whispered back.

Shae leaned back in toward her true love's lips, but stopped suddenly, drawing in a startled gasp when she felt a sharp pain in her chest, right over her heart. She glanced down, and saw wisps of purple smoke dissipating into the air around Regina's hand, which was clenched firmly around the pommel of her sword, the silver blade buried deep into Shae's chest. Shae glanced back into Regina's eyes, and saw the same malice and hatred as before. She still wasn't Regina, she was still The Evil Queen.

"True love's kiss won't save you, Shae." Regina whispered in the vampire's ear. "Not this time."

Shae grunted as Regina wrenched her sword from her chest, her true love's dark, maniacal laughter ringing in her ears as she slumped sideways onto the ground. Regina continued laughing as she slowly rose to her feet, her sword stained with Shae's blood. She then tore her malicious gaze away from Shae, and turned it onto the gathered mob. They all gasped as Regina disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, crying out in alarm as she reappeared behind them.

"Now then." Regina sneered, summoning a fireball into her hand. "Who's next?"

The crowd began pushing and shoving each other as they ran from The Evil Queen. Regina raised her fireball into the air, her deep brown eyes flashing with rage. Suddenly, she stopped, everyone stopped, as a strong gust of wind barreled by. They all stumbled backwards, shielding their faces from the rushing, icy wind. Then, they turned their faces upwards, staring up at the sky, as flurries of snow suddenly began to fall toward them.

A deafening silence fell over the town of Storybrooke as it's residents stood rigid in their spots, gaping up at the sky. They then turned their eyes onto each other, and, slowly, smiles began to creep across their faces.

"David?" Whispered Mary Margaret, staring at her husband with wide, baffled eyes.

"Mary Margaret!" David exclaimed.

David and Mary Margaret threw their arms around each other, holding each other tight. All around them, friends and families were doing the same. It was over, it was finally over. Ingrid's spell had been broken.

"What am I wearing?" Muttered Regina, staring down at her dress in confusion.

Mary Margaret and David broke apart, staring wide eyed at the once Evil Queen. Regina turned her wide eyes onto the two of them, and, suddenly, Mary Margaret started to laugh. David began to laugh with her, and so did Regina. Their laughter grew and grew, and they all grabbed onto each other for support, suddenly weak at the knees. Their giggles and guffaws mingled with everyone else's, and, suddenly, the entire town of Storybrooke was filled with the sounds of joyful, raucous laughter.

"MOM!"

Regina whirled around, and found her son, Henry, jogging toward her. He stopped in his tracks when he saw his mother's attire. "What are you wearing?" He asked, looking Regina up and down.

"Oh, right." Regina mumbled. For a moment, she was engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke, dressed once again in her usual sensible pantsuit when it cleared. "Better?"

"Better." Henry agreed with a smile.

Regina laughed with joy, her eyes welling with tears as Henry threw his arms around her. A moment later, they spotted Emma, Elsa, and Anna walking toward them through the whirling flurries of snow, all with smiles on their faces. Mary Margaret and David both embraced their daughter, and Henry embraced his other mother, all of their eyes shining with joyous grateful tears. The three women had finally defeated The Snow Queen, and the town of Storybrooke was safe once again.

"Where's Shae?" Asked Anna, brow furrowed as she searched the crowd.

"Oh! Yes, is she alright?" Asked Elsa, her brow also furrowed in concern.

Mary Margaret gasped, her eyes wide with horror as she gripped Regina's arm. "Oh my god…"

"SHAE!" Regina shouted.

Regina and Mary Margaret whirled around, and the others gave chase after them as they sprinted down the street. Shae was still lying curled up on the ground near Leroy's truck where Regina had left her. Regina dropped to her knees beside Shae as soon as she reached her, urgently shaking her shoulder, her eyes streaming with tears, her heart hammering in her chest.

"Shae! Shae, are you alright?" Regina asked her in a rush.

Shae emitted a feeble groan, turning over onto her back, her face contorted in pain. "No, I'm not fucking alright!"

Regina drew in a startled gasp, clapping her hands over her mouth. "Oh my god… You're… Y-You're alive!" She exclaimed. "But, I… I-I don't understand, I stabbed you right in the heart, with silver!"

Shae groaned again as she sat forward, clutching the gaping stab wound in her chest. "Well, good thing I've only got half a heart." She muttered, grimacing in pain once again. "Otherwise, yeah, I think you would have gotten it."

Regina let out a strangled sob of pure joy. "Oh, thank god!"

Regina threw her arms around Shae's neck, holding her tight as more grateful tears streamed down her face. Shae blinked several times in surprise, her blood red eyes growing wide as she stared around at everyone else. Her eyes grew even wider when she saw Elsa, and her pale face lit up with joy.

"Elsa!" Shae exclaimed.

"Shae!" Cried Elsa.

Shae pushed out of Regina's arms, and scrambled to her feet. Elsa laughed with grateful joy as Shae threw her arms around her. Regina remained where she was kneeling upon the ground for a moment, watching as her true love placed a kiss on her other true love's lips. She then slowly rose to her feet, turning her face away, her heart aching with sorrow, with regret over what she had done while under Ingrid's spell.

"Regina!"

Regina whirled around, and she drew in a shocked, joyous gasp. "Robin!"

As Robin pulled Regina into his arms, Anna threw hers up into the air. "Anna!" She shouted. She then gave the others a sheepish grin as they all raised an eyebrow at her. "Sorry. Just wanted to be a part of the group."

"What happened to Kristoff?" Asked David, glancing curiously all around him.

Anna suddenly drew in a startled gasp, her bright blue eyes wide with horror. "Oh no! Kristoff!" She exclaimed. "I left him unconscious on the beach. Long story. Be right back!"

They all chuckled amusedly as Anna raced off down the street. Suddenly, Shae emitted a strangled groan of pain, doubling over with her hands on her knees. They all gasped in horror as the veins in her neck pulsed black.

"Oh my god!" Cried Elsa. "There's an arrow in your back!"

"Yeah, I know." Shae grumbled, gritting her teeth as she glanced up at Elsa. "Can you get it out for me? Just, be gentle, you know, don't just-"

Shae grunted painfully as Elsa ripped the arrow out of her flesh. She then breathed out a sigh of relief, and straightened herself up. "My god…" Elsa breathed, looking Shae up and down, her eyes wide with horror when she saw the gaping burn in her shoulder. "What happened to you, Shae?"

"She saved us."

They all whirled around, and found Mother Superior standing just behind them, smiling gratefully at the vampire. Tinkerbell was standing next to her, and the seven dwarves, Granny, and Marco were gathered just behind her, all of them with smiles of their own stretching across their faces.

"What?" Asked Emma, staring wide eyed at Shae.

"It's true." Tinkerbell replied, nodding in affirmation. "We were all in a frenzy due to Ingrid's spell."

"Shae used our blind rage, and turned it onto herself." Said Marco, his eyes shining with grateful tears.

"She nearly sacrificed herself." Said Granny, smiling in admiration at Shae.

"Again." Leroy added with a light chuckle.

The others all turned their eyes onto Shae, who stared sheepishly down at her feet. "Um… I-I mean, you know…" The vampire stammered, ruffling her own messy black hair. "I just… Wanted to make sure no one got hurt."

Emma suddenly turned to her parents, raising a knowing eyebrow at the both of them. David and Mary Margaret exchanged a quick, uncertain glance. Mary Margaret then took her daughter by the arm, and pulled her off to the side and onto the sidewalk. They were joined by David, Regina, and Robin, and they all began to, once again, argue over the vampire's fate.

"Look, I get what Shae just did was heroic." David said in a rush, as Emma opened her mouth to speak. "But we can't just excuse what she tried to do before."

"And why not?" Regina demanded, folding her arms across her chest. "She may have just saved this entire town."

"Are you really defending her right now?" Asked Robin, eyeing his true love incredulously.

Regina breathed out a heavy sigh, placing her hand gently on Robin's arm. "Robin, please…"

"I'm sorry, but David's right." Mary Margaret cut in, nodding at her husband. "We can't just let her walk free, not after what she tried to do. Sure, she may have played hero today, but tomorrow she could be a villain all over again."

"You guys, come on!" Cried Emma, throwing her arm up in the air. "Shae just saved countless lives, I think-"

"SHAE!"

Emma, her parents, Regina, and Robin all whirled around at Elsa's sudden shout. Their eyes all grew wide with shock when they spotted Shae standing in the middle of the street, her sword in one hand, and one of the dwarves' pickaxes in the other.

"Shae, what the hell are you doing?" Mary Margaret demanded.

"Something I should have done a long time ago." Shae muttered in reply.

Shae threw her sword onto the ground, raised the pickaxe into the air, and swung it straight down upon the black gem inlaid into the pommel of her sword. Everyone leapt back in fright as a pulsewave of magical energy shot out of the gem as soon as it was struck. Their eyes grew wide, and they watched in astonished and fearful wonder as hundreds and hundreds of tiny white wisps of what looked like smoke began to rise into the air, dissipating amongst the clouds. They turned their eyes back onto Shae's sword, and found that nothing remained of Soul Eater except for a small, sword shaped pile of glittering blue ashes.

"Goodbye, old friend." Shae whispered, staring down at the pile of ash in sorrow.

"Shae… What did you just do?" Asked Emma, slowly turning her wide eyes onto the vampire.

Shae heaved a heavy sigh, and tossed the pickaxe to the ground next to the ashes. "That gem was filled with the souls of people killed by the sword." She answered quietly. "And now-"

"They're free." Elsa finished for her with a smile.

Shae nodded, smiling sadly back at her. Suddenly, they all heard the sound of keys jangling. It was David, removing his handcuffs from his belt. "Seriously?" Shae exclaimed as David stepped toward her.

"I'm sorry, Shae, but I have to place you back under arrest." David replied sternly. "You did a lot of good today, but you're still guilty."

"Guilty of what, causing a cave in?" Shae cried incredulously.

"You're guilty of a lot more than that, Shae, and you know it." Mary Margaret replied, narrowing her eyes at the vampire.

Shae stared around at them all as David cuffed her hands in front of her, her mouth gaping open in indinant shock. Emma gaped back at her, and Elsa stood in reserved and conflicted silence, her hands over mouth, her dazzling blue eyes shining with tears. Regina carefully avoided Shae's gaze, staring down at the ground as she laced her fingers in with Robin's. Robin gently squeezed her hand when he saw tears welling into her eyes as well.

"Wait!" Shae exclaimed in a quiet whisper, as David gave her a push forward. "Look, I'll go quietly, just, please… Hide the cuffs, ok? I… I don't want everyone else to see."

David exchanged a quick glance with his wife, then sighed, and removed his own jacket. He carefully tucked it around the handcuffs on Shae's wrist, effectively hiding them from view. Shae gave him a grateful nod, to which he nodded curtly back. David kept his hand placed on Shae's shoulder, and walked beside her back toward The Sheriff's Station, Mary Margaret following closely behind them. The others watched them go silently for a moment, then turned back to each other as soon as they were lost from view.

"What do we do now?" Asked Elsa, her eyes wide with concern.

Emma breathed out a heavy sigh, slowly shaking her head. "I don't know." She muttered. "First, lets deal with the ice wall. Then, hopefully, I can convince my parents to let Shae go."

XX

Just as Emma instructed, she and Elsa immediately rushed off to the town border, where the ice wall had first been raised. Elsa was able to successfully remove it, but, Emma sensed that some of Ingrid's magic still remained. They quickly realized that Ingrid had cast another cloaking spell, even more powerful than the one originally cast by Regina. They deduced that if someone were to cross the town border, they would never be able to cross back again.

Emma thought that this new revelation would sway her parents into making a different decision about Shae's fate, but, to her dismay, they remained insistant that Shae be banished for her crimes. The three of them, along with Elsa and Regina, argued and bickered for hours. Elsa finally told them of her plan to bring Shae back to Arendelle with her, to which Mary Margaret and David also protested against. Shae needed to be punished for what she had tried to do, and they knew that returning to Arendelle, to her life with someone she loved, would not at all be a punishment.

Regina insisted that, since she was Mayor, she should be allowed to pardon Shae, and release her from her cell. However, Mary Margaret quickly reminded her that she had abandoned her position, making Mary Margaret herself Mayor of Storybrooke. The sun began to set over the horizon, and still they had not swayed either Mary Margaret or David in the slightest. Regina decided to give up for the time being, and returned to her home, where her other true love, Robin Hood, was waiting for her.

While Emma and Elsa had been dealing with the ice wall, Regina and Robin left for Robin's camp, where Marian's ice covered body had been kept. Now that Ingrid was dead, the ice covering her body was gone, and she finally woke once Regina placed her heart back in her chest. Just as he had promised, Robin sat his wife down, and told her that his own heart had moved on. Robin told her that he had chosen Regina, and, surprisingly, Marian agreed to her husband's decision. She knew that, for many years, she had been dead to Robin, and coming back into his life did not mean that his love for her had been restored. Marian told Regina that she did not harbor any resentment toward her, and, though it would be strange and difficult at first, she hoped that the two of them could even, one day, become friends.

Though she was wrapped up in the arms of her true love, Regina barely slept that night, her mind too fraught with worry over her other true love. She knew that Shae didn't deserve to be banished, not after nearly sacrificing herself to save the town, again. However, she also knew that if Shae remained in Storybrooke, it would make her relationship with Robin that much harder. Regina admitted to Robin that she did still love Shae, and that she likely always would. Robin, in his uncommon kindness and patience, understood, but decided to remain by her side regardless. Regina knew that Elsa had done the same thing for Shae. She hoped and prayed that Mary Margaret and David would at least consider banishing Shae to Arendelle, so she could finally be with someone who could give her the love and the care that she truly deserved.

The next morning, Regina's prayers were actually answered. Mary Margaret and David announced that they had thought about allowing Shae to return to Arendelle. They agreed that, should Shae choose to go, rather than return to New York, then they would allow it. Elsa was overjoyed by their decision, as were Anna and Kristoff, both of them excited to possibly have their old friend and Protector back in their lives again. Before they could pose this decision to Shae, however, they needed to actually find a way back to Arendelle.

Once again, their prayers were answered. Hook arrived at Granny's diner, announcing that, by way of Mr. Gold, he had found a portal to Arendelle. Hook said that Gold had found a magical door leading to Arendelle within the strange mansion on the outskirts of town, which apparently belonged to a powerful sorcerer. Unbeknownst to the others, Hook was not providing this information to them of his own accord. Mr. Gold was using the pirate's heart to speak through his lips. Gold was worried that Anna would ruin his plans to rid himself of the Dark One's dagger, so he decided to get her and her sister out of the way, as fast as possible. He also knew that it wouldn't hurt to push Shae's banishment along. She and Hook were the only ones that knew he truly hadn't changed.

The others were positively overjoyed, and immediately decided to go tell Shae, and have her finally make her choice. However, Emma couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was off about Hook. She decided to ignore it for the time being, and followed her parents, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff toward the door of Granny's diner. She stopped when she realized that Regina was not following them.

"Hey, aren't you coming?" Emma asked of her.

Regina breathed out a heavy sigh, and slowly shook her head. "I truly hope Shae decides to go with Elsa." She quietly replied. "I'm afraid that with me there, she might… I don't know. Not."

Emma sighed herself, and nodded in agreement. "Just, tell her…" Regina went on, biting her lip as her half heart gave a painful lurch, and her eyes welled with tears. "Tell her that I said goodbye, and… Good luck."

Emma nodded again, and turned back around, following her parents and the trio from Arendelle out of the door. They made their way quickly to The Sheriff's Station, where Shae was still being held within. She was sitting on her cot when they arrived, staring sullenly at the bars in front of her. She slowly rose to her feet when the door to the station burst open, narrowing her eyes at Mary Margaret and David, who were the first to enter.

"Oh good, it's Snow White and Prince Charming." She said, smiling with sarcastic chipperness. "Come to have me tortured like last time?"

"Woah, what?" Anna exclaimed, staring wide eyed at David and Mary Margaret. "You had her tortured?"

"Only a little." Mary Margaret admitted with a slight shrug.

"'A little?'" Shae echoed, snorting in amusement. "Your guards laid into me with a silver dagger for hours. At one point, they held it over the fire, and stuck it in my ear!"

"Oh my." Elsa breathed, looking appalled. "Why would you do such a thing?"

"Well, it was just after Regina threatened us with her curse," David slowly explained, glancing nervously at his wife. "And we, you know… Wanted information."

"Information that I didn't even have!" Cried Shae.

"That's not important right now!" Mary Margaret shouted, waving her hands in the air. "Listen, we've made a decision." She paused for a moment, glancing at her husband, at her daughter, then at Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff. "Shae, you are hereby banished from Storybrooke."

"Super." Shae replied blandly, folding her arms across her chest. "Where exactly am I being banished to?"

Mary Margaret glanced at her husband once again, both of their eyes wide with shock over Shae's modest and seemingly unsurprised reaction. "That is… Your choice." David slowly went on. "Either you can go back out into this world, or you can go back to Arendelle with Elsa."

Shae nodded slowly, exchanging a quick glance with Elsa, deciding to keep the same information The Ice Queen had shared with her a few days prior to herself. She had thought about little else since Elsa had told her of Mary Margaret and David's plan, especially in the last twenty-four hours. She had been fraught with uncertainty, and continued to turn her options over and over and over again in her mind. Finally, in that moment, she made her decision, and she nodded her head once again.

"Ok."

The others all stared around at each other in confusion. "Ok… What?" Emma asked slowly.

"I'll go." Shae replied with another nod.

"Go where?" Asked David.

"Oh! Uh, sorry… Arendelle. I'll go back to Arendelle."

Elsa drew in an audible gasp, her face lighting up with joy. "Really?"

Shae nodded once again. "A while ago, I was given a choice a lot like this one." She replied, smiling back at Elsa. "I chose to stay here, which was just… A mistake. A mistake that I won't make again."

Elsa smiled at her sister and at Kristoff, who were both beaming back at her. She tightly gripped Anna's hand, waiting patiently as David removed his keys from his belt, and unlocked Shae's cell. As soon as the door swung open, and Shae stepped out of her cell, Elsa rushed forward, and threw herself into Shae's arms. Shae laughed loudly, holding Elsa tight, her blood red eyes welling with tears as she kissed her other true love. She ignored Mary Margaret and David's reproachful glares, and exchanged tight, joyous embraces with both Kristoff and Anna. Though she was still apprehensive about leaving Regina behind, she was excited to start her new life, and finally leave all her heartache and misery behind her.

"Um, real quick, you should know…" Anna slowly began to tell Shae. "Arendelle as been conquered… By Hans."

"What?" Shae exclaimed, looking alarmed. "How the hell did you let _that_ happen?"

"He's got twelve brothers!" Kristoff exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air. "Twelve!"

Shae burst out laughing, and Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff laughed with her. "Looks like you're gonna have your hands full." Emma said, laughing as well.

"Yeah. I guess so." Shae agreed with a grin.

Elsa placed another kiss on Shae's lips, and took her and her sister both by the hand. "Come on." She said, smiling at the two people she loved most in the world. "Let's go home."

XX

They all immediately rushed off to The Sorcerer's mansion, where they found, just as Hook had promised, a door. It was standing right in the middle of a large room, and was ornately decorated with crocuses, a flower that was native to Arendelle, and a part of the royal family's sigil. This was it. It was finally time for Arendelle's Queen, Princess, Ice Master, and their Royal Protector to return home.

"Make sure you tell Remus what's going on, ok?" Shae asked of Emma as Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff said their goodbyes to Mary Margaret and David.

"I will, I promise." Emma replied with a nod.

"It's probably best to call him." Shae went on. "He's pretty much mastered how to answer a phone, but he's still working on texting. It's mostly just gibberish because of autocorrect, and a lot of emoji's that don't make any sense."

"Got it." Emma said with another nod.

"Oh! And tell Terry and Rosa I said goodbye, too." Shae quickly added.

Emma nodded some more, and Shae nodded back, smiling through the tears that were welling into her blood red eyes. "Oh, and, Henry too." She went on quietly. "Tell him… Tell him that I'll miss him, and that… I'm sorry if I let him down."

Emma's brow furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"I mean, he used to look up to me." Shae replied, shrugging one of her shoulders in sad sort of way. "And, now… I… I-I don't know. I'm sorry if I let _you_ down too."

Emma slowly shook her head, smiling as her own eyes began shining with tears. "You didn't, Shae. I don't really agree with what you tried to do, but… I get it." She replied, shrugging herself as she wiped away a stray tear. "I'm just sorry it had to end this way, especially after what you did during Ingrid's spell. I tried to convince my parents to let you stay, we all did, but-"

"No, it's ok." Shae interjected, shaking her head as well. "They're right. One good deed doesn't make up for a really bad one. That's just… Not how things work. This is for the best, for everyone."

Emma nodded, her face twisting in sorrow as tears began to fall freely down her face. She choked back a sod, and threw her arms around Shae's neck, holding her tight, for what was, quite possibly, the last time. Shae wrapped her arms firmly around Emma, her own eyes streaming with tears.

"I'm gonna miss you, Shae." Emma whispered.

"I'll miss you too, Swan Song." Shae whispered back.

The two women stepped away from each other, both of them smiling through their tears. Shae then cleared her throat, wiping the moisture away from her face as she turned around. She cleared her throat again, awkwardly this time when she saw David and Mary Margaret staring expectantly at her.

"So, you gonna get this thing off me now?" Shae asked of them, holding out her arm.

David nodded, and stepped up to Shae, finally removing the black leather cuff from her wrist. Shae felt the magic surging back into her body almost immediately. The vampire breathed out a sigh of relief, rubbing her wrist, grateful that it was finally free again.

"Good luck, Shae." Said David, giving Shae a curt nod. "I hope you can find some sort of happiness in Arendelle."

"Me too." Mary Margaret agreed with a nod of her own. "I know we're the ones banishing you and everything, but… I truly hope that you and Elsa will be happy together."

Shae nodded back at them, smiling a slight, awkward smile. She then turned back to Elsa, who was exchanging a tight, misty eyed embrace with Emma. "Thank you, Emma. For everything." Elsa whispered. "I don't think I can ever repay you."

Emma nodded as Elsa released her, wiping more tears away from her face. "It's just… What we do around here." She replied with a smile. "Good luck, and… Take good care of Shae."

Elsa nodded as well, and smiled at the woman she loved, who smiled back at her. "I hope Hans hasn't gotten too comfortable on that throne." Anna muttered, her face falling into a furious scowl. "I'm gonna knock him right off of it the minute we're back."

"And maybe the second minute we could, you know, actually get married?" Kristoff asked of his fiancee. "Just a thought."

They all chuckled amusedly. Elsa then took Shae by the hand, smiling up into her blood red eyes. "Ready?"

Shae smiled back at her, and nodded. "Ready." She replied. Shae then turned back to Emma. "Um… Tell Regina I said, 'goodbye.'" She said, her eyes welling with tears once again. "And that I… I hope she gets her happy ending."

Emma nodded silently, trying to fight back against the tears that continued to flow down her face. She threw her arms around Shae once again, holding her former lover, who had become her best friend, tight for one last time.

"Goodbye, Shae." Emma whispered.

"Goodbye, Emma." Shae whispered back.

Emma released Shae, and, finally, she, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff turned toward the door standing in the center of the room, the door that was ready to take them all home. Elsa slowly and carefully pulled it open, and they found nothing but a strange sort of green, shimmering mist on the other side.

"It's time." Elsa said with a nod. She glanced back at Emma and her parents one last time, smiling through the tears in her eyes. "Thank you, again. And please, thank Hook and Mr. Gold for us."

Emma, David, and Mary Margaret all nodded at her. Elsa then turned back to the door, and took Shae by the hand with another smile. Shae smiled back at her, her heart aching with sorrow over leaving Emma and Regina behind, with anxiety over returning to a kingdom and a world that she had not been a part of for such a long time. However, her heart also soared with joy. Though, technically, going back to Arendelle with Elsa was a punishment for her foul deeds, she saw it as nothing but a blessing. After so much heartache and misery, she might just finally be getting her own happy ending.

Emma Swan's heart gave a painful lurch as Shae stepped through the door, hand in hand with Elsa. The two of them were swallowed up by the strange shimmering mist, and, suddenly, Shae, her closest and dearest friend, was gone. Emma squeezed her eyes shut, more tears streaming down her face. Despite her sorrow over losing Shae, she was happy for her. She really and truly hoped that she and Elsa would live a happy life together.

Elsa and Shae were quickly followed by Kristoff, but Anna hesitated before stepping through the door, turning back to Emma and her parents. "You know, I really wish I could have met this, 'Mr. Gold.' He seems super helpful." She said with a warm smile. "Who is he? Er, I mean… Who was he, back in our world? Probably some sort of fairy godfather, right?"

Mary Margaret and David both emitted a dark chuckle. "Actually, he was an evil sorcerer, one that you should be glad you never met." David replied, slowly shaking his head. "'Rumplestiltskin.'"

The smile immediately faded from Anna's face. "Wait… What?" She whispered, her bright blue eyes wide with shock.

"Hold on… Do you… Know him?" Emma stammered. When Anna slowly nodded, Emma exchanged an utterly shocked glance with her parents. "He specifically told us that he knew nothing about you."

This time, Anna breathed out a dark and knowing chuckle. "Well, that's a lie." She replied with a quick shake of her head. "Honestly, I'm not really surprised. All he does is lie."

"W-Wait… Wait a minute…" Mary Margaret sputtered in confusion.

"Gold was playing us this whole time." Mumbled Emma, her hazel green eyes wide as saucers. "But… Just… Why?"

None of them had time to ponder The Savior's question further. Suddenly, something came shooting out of the door to Arendelle, and Anna cried out in alarm as it barreled right into her, knocking her off of her feet. They all gasped in horror when they realized what it was; Shae, lying on the ground next to Anna, her entire body covered in blue, shimmering ice.

Elsa and Kristoff came racing back through the portal after her, their eyes wide with fright, just as the ice covering Shae's body shattered to pieces. "GAH! Fuck!" Shae shouted, her own eyes wide as well as she stared bewilderedly around the room. "W-What… What the hell?"

"Shae!" Elsa exclaimed, kneeling next to the startled vampire as she sat shakily forward. "Shae, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I… I-I think so." Shae stammered uncertainly.

"What happened?" Asked Anna, as Kristoff helped her back onto her feet.

"She… S-She turned to ice, as soon as we stepped through the portal." Answered Kristoff, staring wide eyed down at Shae.

"Ingrid's spell." David muttered, furrowing his brow at his daughter. "I don't understand. Ingrid's dead, her magic should be undone."

Emma opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again, slowly shaking her head, completely and utterly confused. "So… What do we do?" Anna asked, looking just as startled and confused as the rest.

"I don't know, but we'd better figure it out fast." Said Kristoff, suddenly staring at the door to Arendelle. "It doesn't look like this door is going to stay open for long."

They all followed suit after Kristoff, and turned their eyes onto the door. They all gasped in alarm at what they saw. The shimmering green mist hanging within the door frame seemed to be fading, and was growing fainter and fainter by the second.

"Oh god…" Elsa whispered, placing her hand over her mouth as she glanced back into Shae's eyes, her own beginning to stream with tears. "Oh, Shae… Shae, I'm so sorry."

For a moment, Shae stared back into Elsa's eyes, brow furrowed in confusion. Suddenly, realization took over her, and her blood red eyes grew wide with horror. "No… No, no, no…" She whispered, vigorously shaking her head. "No, Elsa, you… You can't, you can't go."

"Shae, I have to." Elsa whispered back, her face twisting in sorrow. "Arendelle is my home. My kingdom needs me."

Shae scrambled up onto her knees in front of Elsa, tightly gripping her arms, shaking her head even more. "No… No, please… Please, you can't!" She cried desperately, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Elsa!" Anna exclaimed, staring apprehensively at the ever shrinking mist. "Elsa, I'm sorry, but… W-We… We have to go!"

"NO!" Shae screamed, choking out strangled, terrified sob. "No, you can't… You can't go!"

"Shae, please, listen to me." Elsa said in a rushed whisper, placing her quivering hands on either side of Shae's face. "I want you to remember something. I want you to always remember-"

"Elsa, no, please!" Shae pleaded, her whole body shaking with horrified sobs. "Please, don't, you can't-"

"LISTEN!" Elsa shouted, holding Shae's face firmly in her hands, staring desperately into her eyes. "In your darkest hours, I want you to always remember that… That you are loved. You are so deeply loved."

"Elsa!" Cried Kristoff.

Elsa threw her arms around the woman she loved, placing one last kiss on her cold, pale lips. "I love you, Shae." She whispered, her lips trembling against Shae's. "I will always love you."

"Elsa, we have to go! NOW!" Shouted Anna.

Shae clung desperately to Elsa, her whole body quaking in fear as she held her tightly in her arms. Suddenly, Elsa was torn from her grip as Anna took hold of her sister's arms, and pulled her to her feet. Shae held on to Elsa's hand for as long as she could, staring helplessly up into her beautiful, tear stained blue eyes.

Time seemed to slow to a horrifying crawl as Elsa's hand slipped from Shae's grasp. Shae caught one last glimpse of the dazzling blue eyes that she loved so very much, before they were swallowed by the now faint shimmering mist. Suddenly, the door to Arendelle faded away, dissipating into the air. Suddenly, Elsa, the woman that Shae loved, her other _true_ love, was gone.

A horrible, deafening silence fell over the mansion. Shae remained where she was kneeling upon the ground, staring silently at the spot where Elsa had been standing just a moment ago. Her mouth gaped open in silent horror, more and more tears spilling down her cold, pale face. Emma and her parents stood quietly watching her, all of them horrified themselves over what had just transpired. Emma then rushed over to Shae, dropping to her knees in front of her.

"Oh god, Shae…" She whispered, tears streaming down her own face as she tightly gripped the vampire's shoulders. "Shae… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…"

Shae didn't say a word, she couldn't. She continued to stare blankly out in front of her, her mouth gaping open. She could hear Emma speaking to her, could see her lips moving, but her words were drowned out by the deafening ringing in her ears. Next, she felt Emma's arms around her. Shae rested her head against her shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut, and began to weep bitter, agonized tears.

Emma had no idea how long exactly she remained kneeling upon the hardwood floor of The Sorcerer's mansion, holding Shae as she violently sobbed. David and Mary Margaret stood rigid in their spots as well, both of their eyes streaming with tears, at a complete and utter loss for what to do or say. Emma's knees screamed in pain, but she didn't move a muscle. She kept her arms firmly wrapped around Shae, her heart aching as the vampire's body trembled, her tears soaking into her red leather jacket.

They all listened to Shae's miserable sobs for a long while. Finally, the vampire's tears subsided, and the quaking in her limbs stopped. Emma eyed her with concern as she removed herself from her arms, and got shakily to her feet.

"Just, uh… Give me an hour, or so." She muttered quietly, wiping the tears away from her face. "Then, I'll be outta your hair."

Emma exchanged a confused glance with her parents. "Shae, what are you talking about?" Asked Mary Margaret.

"I'm banished, remember?" Shae replied with a shrug, her tone flat and lifeless, completely devoid of emotion. "My only option left is to go back to New York."

Shae started toward the door, and Mary Margaret bit her lip, glancing quickly at her husband. "Shae, wait!" She called out. "We can talk about this. Maybe… Maybe you don't have to leave."

"NO!"

They all gave a start at the vampire's sudden outburst. Shae whirled back around, and pointed an accusing, quivering finger at Mary Margaret. "You don't get to do that, Snow White!" She snarled, her blood red eyes wide and wild with rage, with pain. "You don't get to decide you want me gone one second, then back the next!"

Mary Margaret opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again as, suddenly, Shae started to laugh. "God, I was just kidding myself, wasn't I?" She muttered, to seemingly no one in particular. "It's obvious, now… It's all so fucking obvious…"

"What's obvious?" Asked Emma, continuing to eye Shae with immense concern.

Shae barked out another loud, slightly deranged laugh. "You were right!" She exclaimed, pointing at Mary Margaret once again. "I really haven't changed, have I? I'm still just a fucking villain!"

Emma breathed out a heavy sigh, her hazel green eyes filled with immense sorrow. "Shae, come on, don't say that."

"Why not? It's the truth!" Shae replied, throwing her arms up in the air. "You know how I know?"

Emma bit her lip as her eyes welled with more tears, and she exchanged a quick, uncertain glance with her parents. "Villains don't get happy endings." Shae went on, laughing loudly once again. "And I just watched mine walk away. Forever."

XX

Shae spent the next hour packing up her belongings, and loading them into her turquoise VW bus. She felt nothing but a gaping, empty void within her heart and soul, and no more tears were able to spill from her eyes as she drove toward the Storybrooke town line. She barely saw the road in front of her as she drove, the terrible, horrifying sight of Elsa disappearing through the portal to Arendelle playing itself over and over again in her mind. Elsa was gone, and Regina, her other true love, was with Robin Hood. Shae truly had nothing left, and was completely and utterly broken.

Shae spotted a car parked along the side of the road as she approached the town border, a car that she recognized as Regina's. She felt the powerful urge to just keep on driving, to avoid the painful conversation that she was likely about to have, but slowed to a stop regardless. As soon as she parked her car just before the town line, Regina got out of her own. Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, and rolled down her window as Regina approached her driver's side door.

"Shae, I… I heard what happened." Regina told her quietly, her deep brown eyes full of remorse, of pity. "I'm just… I'm so-"

"Don't." Shae sharply cut her off. "Just… Don't."

Regina bit her lip, staring silently down at the ground as she nodded. "What do you want, Regina?" Shae asked her, staring blankly out of her windshield, carefully avoiding Regina's sad, pitying gaze.

"I… Spoke with David and Mary Margaret." Regina slowly replied. "They've reconsidered banishing you. You can stay, if… I-If you want."

"Is that what _you_ want?"

Regina blinked several times in surprise. "What?"

Slowly, Shae turned to her head to face Regina, and she stared intently into her true love's deep brown eyes. "If you want me to stay, then tell me that you don't love Robin." She whispered, her blood red eyes shining with tears. "Tell me that you need me, that you love _me_ , and only me. Tell me that the only happy ending you're interested in is ours."

Regina's mouth hung open in shock, and her own eyes began to well with tears. "Shae, I… I-I can't."

Shae nodded slowly, turning her eyes back onto the road in front of her. "Then there's no reason for me to stay." She muttered quietly. "It's for the best, anyway. I don't belong here anymore, I don't think I ever did."

"What do you mean?" Asked Regina, brow furrowed in confusion.

Shae breathed out a light chuckle, though the smile on her face didn't quite reach her eyes. "This is a town full of heroes, and _you're_ one of them now." She replied, her face a blank and emotionless mask as she gazed out of her windshield. "Rumpelstiltskin was right, someone like me can't ever be a hero. I'm still just a villian, and there's no more room in this town for villains."

Once again, Shae slowly turned her head, and Regina saw nothing but pain in the vampire's blood red eyes. "There's nothing left for me here, Regina." Shae whispered softly. "Not anymore."

Shae turned her eyes back onto the road, and shifted her bus back into drive. Regina didn't say a word, she couldn't, and she stood silently watching as Shae, her other true love, drove away from her. The air shimmered around Shae's bus as she drove across the town line. She glanced into her rearview mirror, catching one last glimpse of Regina's gorgeous brown eyes. The sign that read, 'Welcome to Storybrooke,' completely disappeared as Shae's bus crossed fully over the border, and so did Regina. All she saw in her rearview mirror now was an empty road, and an empty forest. Once again, Shae's true love was gone.

The gaping, empty void of numbness threatened to consume Shae as she continued driving. Suddenly, the vampire was reminded of a time long ago when she had felt the same sense of hopelessness after the woman she loved was taken away from her. Back then, Shae had been blessed with some helping hands that had returned her to her Queen. She knew that she would likely never receive help like that again, not this time.

XXXXX

"Love is nothing but pain."

Shae choked out a strangled sob of misery, staring into the brilliant green eyes of the phantom of Nadia that her madness had conjured. "Nadia… Oh, Nadia…" She whispered, her whole body trembling violently. "Nadia, I'm so sorry."

"Are you sure this is the woman we're looking for?"

"She seems awfully pathetic, darling. Not at all the terrifying creature that you described."

Shae spun herself around upon the stone floor of her dungeon cell, startled by the sound of more voices. They were more female voices, but, this time, they were ones that Shae did not recognize. She peered through hazy vision, and could make out three figures standing in the darkness of the dungeon, just behind the bars of her cell.

"Trust me, this is her." Said the figure in the middle. "Just look at that pale skin, and those red eyes. It seems that Snow White and her Prince have really done a number on her."

"I guess that damn tree was right." The figure on the left replied with a chuckle. "I guess those two really aren't the valiant heroes we thought they were, not if they did _this_."

"Oh, I highly doubt they did this themselves." Commented the figure on the right, chuckling as well. "Those cowards probably had their soldiers do their dirty work."

"W-What?" Shae stammered, pushing herself shakily to her feet. "Are… A-Are you another vision?"

Shae was met with a round of amused, mocking laughter. "Of course not, darling." The figure on the right spoke again. "Mal, would you be so kind as to shed some light onto this godforsaken dungeon?"

Suddenly, a bright ball of light appeared before the bars of Shae's cell. Shae stumbled backward a step, shielding her eyes from the sudden brightness. Slowly, she lowered her hand, and blinked furiously through still foggy vision. When her eyes finally focused, she saw three women standing on the other side of the bars of her cell, all of them grinning at her.

The woman on the left garbed in a flowing green dress was unfamiliar to Shae, as was the one on the right, who was wearing an elegant, white fur coat. However, Shae recognized the woman in the middle dressed all in black, holding a staff ordained with a silver dragon at the very top, the ball of light magically shimmering between its wings. For a moment, Shae couldn't quite place how exactly she knew this woman. Suddenly, she remembered. She had heard stories about a sorceress matching the woman's exact description, stories for her Queen's own lips.

"Y-You…" Shae whispered, pointing a quivering finger at the woman with the staff. "Y-You're… Maleficent."

"Guilty as charged." Maleficent replied with another grin. "These are my associates, Ursula, and Cruella de Vil."

Maleficent gestured to woman on her left, then the one on her right. "You know, when I heard that my old friend Regina had taken up with a vampire, I was quite intrigued." She went on, her grin falling into a disappointed frown as she looked Shae up and down. "Frankly, I just don't see the appeal."

"Oh, I certainly do." Cruella replied with a sultry grin.

"Behave yourself, Cruella." Ursula chided her with an eyeroll.

Shae swallowed the hard, fearful lump that had formed in her throat, drawing back another step. "W-What… What are you doing here? What do you want?"

"It's not what _we_ want, darling." Said Cruella, still grinning at Shae. "It's what _you_ want."

"You want to break free of this prison, and return to your Evil Queen." Said Maleficent. "We would be willing to help you do just that, for a price."

Maleficent held out her staff free hand, and Shae watched with wide, baffled eyes as a thick green tentacle that looked like it belonged to some sort of sea creature rose into the air behind her, and dropped a set of keys into her hand. Shae turned her eyes downward, and they grew even wider when she saw that the tentacle was coming out of the bottom of Ursula's dress.

Shae remained rooted in her spot as Maleficent used the keys to unlock her cell door, and pulled it open. "What kind of price?" She asked, eyeing the three women warily.

"Your Queen is going to cast a dark curse." Answered Ursula, folding her arms across her chest as her tentacle disappeared within her dress once again. "A curse that she stole from Mal, here."

"This curse will take the entire kingdom to a new world, a world without magic." Cruella went on in a dark and dangerous tone. "She wants to destroy everyone's happiness, especially Snow White's."

"There is no way to stop this curse, I have foreseen it." Muttered Maleficent, her tone just as dark as Cruella's. "However, that does not mean that we are without options."

Shae sank down onto the cot within her cell, gritting her teeth as the pain riddling her body made her knees quiver. "What exactly do you want from me?" She asked quietly.

Maleficent handed her glowing staff over to Ursula, and Shae eyed her apprehensively as she stepped into her cell. "Just like you and your Queen, the three of us are villains." She explained as she came to stand just in front of the vampire. "All we want are the happy endings that we have been denied our whole lives. In this new world, we might just have a chance. In this new world, we might just have the power to finally triumph over the accursed heroes like Snow White and Prince Charming."

Shae flinched slightly as Maleficent reached out, and gently cupped her hand under her chin, turning her gaze upward. "Isn't that what you want, Shae?" She whispered, smiling down into the vampire's blood red eyes. "Don't you want your happy ending with the woman that you love?"

Shae nodded slightly, staring back into Maleficent's eyes. "Yes." She whispered, her own eyes welling with tears. "More than anything."

Maleficent emitted a low, dark chuckle. "Good." She whispered back, placing her hand on Shae's cheek.

Suddenly, Shae's vision was engulfed in a cloud of black smoke. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt her body being lifted into the air, spinning wildly round and round and round again. Finally, her feet touched solid ground, and she fell forward onto her hands and knees. She peeled her eyes open, and found that she was now staring at grass and dirt.

Shae pushed herself shakily to her feet, shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight, something that she hadn't seen in what felt like ages. When her eyes finally focused, she saw Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula standing before her. Her blood red eyes grew wide when she saw what was standing behind them, off in the distance: Regina's castle.

"I… I-I don't understand." She muttered, her whole body still quivering and riddled with pain from her hours of torture. "What is this price that you spoke of?"

Both Ursula and Cruella turned expectantly to Maleficent, eyebrows raised. Maleficent, in turn, took a moment to respond. She glanced behind her at the pointed spires of The Evil Queen's castle, the castle that Shae had been so desperately longing to see again.

"You will tell Regina of what we have done for you today, what we have done for _her_." Maleficent finally replied, turning her eyes back onto Shae. "She will be grateful to us for returning her Protector to her, and, perhaps, grant us some sort of power in this new, magicless world of hers."

Shae nodded silently, grimacing as more pain shot through her body from her various wounds. "The future is uncertain." Maleficent went on in a soft whisper. "All I know is that there will come a time when our happy endings will be within our grasp. You will do everything that you can to help us get them."

"I will, I swear it." Shae replied, nodding some more.

A dark, devious grin suddenly spread across Maleficent's face. She glanced at her counterparts, Ursula and Cruella, who grinned right back at her. Maleficent then nodded in a satisfied sort of way, turning her attention, once again, back onto Shae.

"Good." She whispered with a smile that gave the vampire chills. "Shall we seal our deal, then?"

Shae raised a curious eyebrow at her. "How?"

"How else?" Maleficent replied, grinning once again as she stepped up to Shae. "With a kiss."

Before Shae could do or say anything, Maleficent placed both her hands on either side of Shae's face, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Shae felt a strange surge of magical energy course through her, and her whole body began to tingle, like millions of tiny pin pricks. As suddenly as it came, it was gone, and Maleficent pulled away from Shae's lips.

"Oh, I think I _do_ see the appeal." She whispered, grinning into Shae's eyes.

An icy shiver ran down the vampire's spine as Maleficent gently traced her finger down the side of her face. Shae found herself unable to move, completely and utterly transfixed as she stared back into the dark and powerful sorceress's eyes. Suddenly, Maleficent's smile fell into a menacing glare, one that chilled even Shae, a terrifying, bloodsucking creature, right to the bone.

"You _will_ tell Regina of what we have done here today." Maleficent whispered, glaring into Shae's blood red eyes. "Otherwise, you _will_ suffer the consequences. And, trust me, they _will_ be dire."

XXXXX


	21. Chapter 21, Darkness All Around

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay. Work and just life in general got in the way of my writing process for a while, but I'm back now and will hopefully be able to continue updating on a more regular basis. Thank you all for your patience, and I hope you enjoy Chapter 21.**

CHAPTER 12

The bright city lights sped past Shae in a blur as she drove a flashy red sports car through the streets of New York at an exceptionally dangerous speed. She used her lightning quick reflexes to weave in and out of traffic, while simultaneously glancing down at her phone, trying to choose a song to listen to on her drive back to the garage. She stopped when Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars popped up on her screen. She grinned, cranking up the lamborghini's stereo to full blast, drumming on her steering wheel as she sang along.

"This hit, that ice cold,  
Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold.  
This one for them hood girls,  
Them good girls, straight masterpieces.  
Stylin', wilin', livin' it up in the city.  
Got Chucks on with Saint Laurent,  
Gotta kiss myself, I'm so pretty."

Passersby on the street stared at the flashy red sports car as Shae momentarily stopped at a red light, the bass from the speakers shaking the entire car. Shae continued to sing along, grinning at a group of scantily clad women standing on the street outside of a night club.

"I'm too hot, hot damn.  
Called a police and a fireman.  
I'm too hot, hot damn.  
Make a dragon wanna retire, man.  
I'm too hot, hot damn.  
Say my name, you know who I am.  
I'm too hot, hot damn.  
Am I bad 'bout that money?

Break it down."

Shae gave the women gaping silently at her a wink, and punched the gass as the light turned green. She lit up a cigarette as she continued driving, the tires screeching as she made a sharp left, and pulled in to the parking lot of a tiny, run down auto body shop. The parking lot was empty, the metal garage door shut tight. The shop appeared to be closed, but Shae knew better.

The vampire lightly honked her horn twice, waited for a beat, then honked a third time, just like she had been taught. She bobbed her head to the music, taking another drag off of her cigarette as she patiently waited. Finally, the garage door began to rumble upward and open. A man dressed in a gray tracksuit waved her forward, to which Shae nodded, and slowly proceeded into the garage. There were two other men in inside, one of them also dressed in a tracksuit, the other in a snappy suit and tie. They were sitting around a table piled with a variety of guns, stacks of money, and various bags of drugs. As soon as Shae pulled into the garage, they immediately leapt to their feet, their eyes wide as they stared at the lamborghini.

"I can't believe it! You actually managed to jack it!" The man in the suit cried as Shae got out of the car.

"Come on, Vinny, was there ever really any doubt?" Shae replied with a grin, lightly tossing him the keys. "Oh, and I sold those bricks you gave me."

"All of 'em?" Asked Vinny, raising an eyebrow skeptically at Shae.

Shae nodded, and removed a thick wad of cash from inside her leather jacket, pressing it into Vinny's hand. "All of 'em." She replied with another grin. "Oh, and you should check the trunk. I got you guys a little surprise."

The two men in tracksuits both raised an eyebrow as well, but, this time, at their boss. Vinny gave them a nod, and they nodded back, hurrying over to the trunk of the car. Shae leaned casually against the driver's side door, taking another drag off of her cigarette as the two men popped the trunk.

"Holy shit!" One of them exclaimed, staring wide eyed at Vinny. "It's Ronnie the Rat! She found the bastard!"

Vinny's eyes grew wide too as he watched his men dragging another completely unconcious man out of the trunk. "Nice work." He said, grinning at Shae in admiration. "You know, I was a bit nervous when your pal Remus told us to bring you on, with you bein' a girl, and all. But I'm sure as shit glad we did."

"Well, in the immortal words of Queen Beyonce," Shae replied, grinning back at him as she spread her arms wide. "'Who run the world? Girls.'"

Vinny chuckled amusedly, and momentarily turned his back on Shae as he stepped back over to the table he had been sitting at. When he returned to Shae, he held out several stacks of fresh bills to her. Shae quickly snatched them up, and held them up to her ear, flipping through them with her thumb.

"Ah, now that's a sound I love to hear." She said, breathing out a contented sigh.

"Yeah, well, you'll be hearin' it a lot more if you keep this up." Vinny replied, lighting up a cigarette of his own. "So, what's your boy Remus up to tonight?"

"If I had to guess, probably trollin' for dudes at the club." Shae answered with a shrug.

"Yo, you ever seen that guy work?" One of Vinny's men chimed in. "It's a damn spectacle. Dude probably gets more action in a week than any of us do in a fucking year."

Shae laughed loudly. "Yeah, he brings, 'The Art of Seduction,' to a whole new level." She replied, nodding in agreement. "Anyway, I'll catch you guys later. Call me when you've got another job lined up, alright?"

Vinny nodded, as he firmly clasped Shae's outstretched hand. "Will do. Just lay low for a bit, alright?" He said in warning. "That asshole Ronnie ratted on a lot of people."

Shae nodded back at him, and gave a casual salute to the other two men, who were busy zip tying Ronnie the Rat to a chair. She whistled the tune of Uptown Funk as she stepped out of the garage. She paused for a moment as the metal door rumbled shut behind her, and lit up another cigarette before setting off into the night air.

It had been six weeks since Shae had left Storybrooke, six weeks since she had lost everything. Elsa was back in Arendelle, a kingdom that Shae could never return to, and Regina was back in Storybrooke, likely wrapped in the arms of her other true love, Robin Hood. Remus, as well as Terry and Rosa, were heartbroken when Shae told them about everything that had transpired since she had left New York. The three of them did their best to help Shae cope with all that she had lost. At first, it was hard, and Shae was an absolute wreck. After spending a few days watching his best friend wallowing in her own misery, Remus had had enough.

Remus told Shae all about how, a few weeks after arriving in New York, he met a man named Vinny, who had been under attack from some thugs armed with guns. Remus saved Vinny's life, and Vinny promptly offered him a job. Remus continued to work for Terry and Rosa as a bartender at Eclipse, and, secretly, he began work on the side for Vinny's gang, which just so happened to be a branch of the Italian Mafia. And, not long after arriving back in New York herself, so did Shae. The work was morally questionable at best, but the money was good, and the work kept Shae's mind off of the people that she loved, the ones that she had lost. Slowly, she was finally beginning to feel some sort of contentment with her new life in New York, with her new job. After all, she had always been a villain, and she knew that she always would be.

After leaving Vinny's garage, Shae hopped on the subway, and headed downtown, toward Eclipse. Her mind started to wander as she sat and waited for the train to take her to her destination. It wandered where it almost always did, where she didn't want it to go. Her heart ached as she thought about Elsa, the moment when she had disappeared through the portal to Arendelle flashing before her eyes. Next, she saw Regina slowly shrinking away into the distance as she drove toward the Storybrooke town line, and watched as another woman that she loved, her other _true_ love, disappeared forever.

Shae shook herself from her sorrowful daze as the train slowed to a stop. She rose to her feet, blinking furiously as she fought back against the tears that had welled into her eyes. As she stepped through the doors, a man who was entering the train knocked right into her.

"Hey! Watch it!" Shae grumbled, stumbling backward a step.

"Sorry, I'm so sorry, I… Shae?"

Shae had started walking again, but stopped when the man spoke her name. She turned back around, and her heart nearly dropped straight into her stomach. She found herself staring into a set of bright blue eyes, eyes that were all too familiar to her. They were eyes that she never thought she'd see again, eyes that she had never _wanted_ to see again.

"Robin?"

XX

After getting over the initial shock of seeing Robin Hood, her true love's _other_ true love, in New York, of all places, Shae invited him to Eclipse. Robin was overjoyed to see his old friend Remus again, but, Remus, on the other hand, was not at all happy to see the man who had stolen away the woman that his best friend loved. After stopping Remus from punching Robin right in the face, Shae led him to the back room of the bar, where Terry and Rosa had their office. Shae introduced Robin to the both of them, and, once they realized who he was, they gave the noble thief a much less than warm welcome.

Once the initial unpleasantness subsided, they all sat down in the back office, and listened as Robin told his story of why exactly he was now in New York. Apparently, despite Ingrid's death, her magic had still lingered within Marian, just like it had with Shae. Shortly after Shae had left Storybrooke, The Snow Queen's spell took hold of Marian once again, and she quickly began to ice over. Regina had been the one to offer a solution. She said that the only way to save Marian was to have her enter the world outside Storybrooke, where there was no magic to power The Snow Queen's icy spell. Knowing full well that Marian would not be able to survive in such a world on her own, she instructed Robin to go with her, along with their son, Roland.

Robin reluctantly agreed to Regina's plan. Though he loved Regina, though he had chosen _her_ over his wife, he knew that he couldn't just leave Marian to an uncertain fate, completely alone. Regina gave him and his family a decent amount of money, and the address to Neal's old apartment. Then, she was forced to watch as the man she loved, _her_ other true love, walked away, unable to ever return, just like Shae.

"It's been… Hard, adjusting to this new life, this new reality." Robin went on, his blue eyes full of sorrow. "Things are coming a long, though, slowly but surely. Still… I'd be lying if I said I didn't still think about Regina every day. She was finally on the path to the happy ending she so desperately wanted, and… And now-"

"She's alone." Shae muttered quietly.

Robin nodded slowly, his bright blue eyes shining with tears. "Yes, I'm afraid so." He muttered in reply. "Though she does have Henry, and Emma and her parents. I just… Hope that's enough. I hope she's happy."

"Well, I sure as shit don't." Rosa commented with a snort. "If you ask me, the bitch deserved what she got."

"Damn straight." Terry heartily agreed, giving his friend a fist bump.

"Guys!" Shae chided them.

"What?" Rosa exclaimed, giving Shae an innocent shrug. "I'm sorry, but… She broke your heart, chose this turkey over _you_. No offense."

"Um… None taken, I suppose." Muttered Robin, though he did, in fact look, slightly offended. "I'm sorry, but I really must be going now. Marian sent me out for groceries over an hour ago. She'll be wondering what's happened to me."

They all nodded, and Robin nodded back, rising from his chair. He started toward the door, but hesitated for a moment with his hand on the door handle. He then turned back to Shae, staring at the vampire with nothing but remorse in his eyes.

"I truly am sorry, Shae. For everything." He told her quietly. "I know it's impossible, but… I truly do hope you find your way back to your happy ending, whether it's with Regina, or-"

"DON'T!" Shae suddenly shouted, leaping up from her chair. She pointed a quivering finger at Robin, her blood red eyes flashing with rage, with pain. "Don't say her name. Just… Just go."

Robin breathed out a sad, heavy sigh, and nodded his head once more. He then took his leave from them, and Shae slowly sank back down in her chair as the office door swung shut behind him. Remus exchanged an anxious glance with Terry and Rosa, and they all sat in silence for a moment, none of them sure of what exactly to say.

"So… What will you do now?" Remus finally asked of his friend.

Shae raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Robin is here in New York now." Remus replied with a slight shrug. "Which means Regina is finally free of him."

"Yeah… So?" Shae slowly asked.

"So, aren't you gonna go ridin' off into the sunset after her, or some shit?" Asked Terry, with a flippant wave of his hand.

Shae sighed heavily, leaning back in her chair. "No." She muttered in reply. "I told you guys, once you leave Storybrooke now, there's no going back. Ingrid saw to that."

"Right, right." Mumbled Rosa. "But, I mean, if there _was_ a way back, would you even want to go?"

Shae took a moment to respond, anxiously chewing on her lip ring as she thought. "I… Don't know." She finally replied. "It doesn't really matter, anyway. There's no going back. I'll never see Regina again."

XX

Shae left Eclipse shortly after that, telling her friends that she needed to be alone after learning this new startling information from Robin Hood. She stared down at the sidewalk as she set off toward the apartment that she shared with Remus. Rosa's question spun round and round in her mind. If there really _was_ a way back, would she go? _Should_ she go? She had no answers, and she put the question from her mind, knowing that it was impossible anyway.

The vampire paused for a moment, deciding that she needed some music to distract herself from her spinning thoughts. She removed a set of earbuds that she kept in the pocket of her leather jacket, and put them in her ears. Uptown Funk was still queued up on her phone, and she hit play, continuing along on her walk through the streets of New York. She bobbed her head to the music as she walked, focusing her mind on the beat, on the lyrics. Finally, a grin slowly creeped across her face, and she began to mouth the words as she began climbing the steps of her apartment building.

"Don't believe me, just watch.  
Don't believe me, just watch.  
Don't believe me, just watch.  
Hey, hey, hey, oh!  
Stop-"

Shae stopped dead in her tracks, yanking her headphones out of her ears. She stared wide eyed at the door to her and Remus's apartment, which was already standing open a crack. She remained rooted in her spot for a moment, brow furrowed in confusion. She _knew_ she had locked the door before she left, and Remus had left even before she did. Something was very wrong.

Shae quickly stowed her phone and earbuds back in her pocket, and removed the small handgun from where it had been tucked within the back of her jeans. She flicked the safety off, and slowly pushed the apartment door open, gun at the ready.

"Whoever's in here, you picked the wrong fucking place to rob!" Shae called out as she peered through the darkness of her kitchen.

"No robbers here, dearie. Just little old me."

For the second time that day, Shae's heart nearly dropped into the pit of her stomach. She knew that voice. She reached out her gun free hand, fumbling along the wall for the lightswitch. When she finally found it, she flicked the apartment lights on, and her blood red eyes grew wide when she saw who was standing in the midst of her living room.

"Gold?" She whispered, slowly lowering her gun as she stared wide eyed at the old man. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"All in due time." Gold replied, waving his hand dismissively. "I believe you already know my associates here."

Gold gestured to the dark hallway to his left, which led back to both Shae and Remus's empty bedrooms. Two women slowly stepped out of the shadows, and Shae's eyes somehow grew even wider. She hadn't seen these women in a long, long time, but she recognized them immediately.

"What?" Shae breathed in shock, her mouth gaping open as she stared at Ursula the Sea Witch, and Cruella de Vil.

"Lovely to see you again, darling." Cruella replied with a grin. "I have to say, you are looking _much_ better than when we last met. Much better, indeed."

"Behave yourself, Cruella." Gold chided her with a grin of his own. "I know for a fact that there is only one woman that our undead friend here is interested in. Oh, actually, I believe I misspoke. I suppose there's two now."

"SHUT UP!" Shae shouted, pointing her gun straight at Gold's head. "You'd better have a damn good fucking explanation as to why you broke into my apartment!"

"Wow, someone's got a temper." Ursula muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, well, like I said, you broke into my apartment." Shae snapped back at her. "So, I think that gives me the right to be a little cranky."

"Trust me, dearie, we had good reason." Gold cut in, before Ursula could retort. "I'd like to tell you a story, one about heroes and villains, one where where villains, such as ourselves, always lose."

Shae emitted a dry chuckle, and set her gun down on her kitchen counter. "I see." She replied as she stepped behind the counter, retrieving a bottle of whiskey from a cupboard. "So, that's what happened to you, isn't it? You've been banished, just like me. I'm guessing Belle finally saw through your bullshit. Good for her."

As Shae poured herself a glass of whiskey, Ursula turned to Gold, raising an eyebrow at him. "I thought you said she'd be on her side."

"She will be, once she learns of our plan to turn the tables." Gold replied with a shrug.

Shae raised another curious eyebrow at him as she took a generous sip of her drink. "Indeed, I did learn the hard way that the rules of good and evil _do_ apply to me, as did you." Gold went on. "But, what if I told you that there is a man who can change those very rules? What if I told you that this man, once we find him, can finally give us the happy endings we've always been denied?"

Shae nearly spit out her whiskey as similar words tolled like a bell across her mind. She had heard them spoken many years ago, by the dark sorceress Maleficent. "Who exactly is this guy?" She asked, fighting to keep her tone even.

"Rumple here calls him, 'The Author.'" Answered Cruella. "Sounds awfully pretentious, if you ask me. I hate him already."

"'The Author?'" Shae echoed, snorting in amusement. "You mean, the author of Henry's storybook?"

"You know him?" Asked Gold, raising his own eyebrow at the vampire.

"Well, no, not personally." Shae replied with a shrug. "Regina told me that Henry had been looking for him, so he could have him write Regina a happy ending. You're telling me that this guy actually exists?"

"Indeed." Said Gold, nodding in affirmation. "He holds the key to all our happy endings."

Shae breathed out a bemused chuckle, taking another sip of her whiskey. "So, where exactly is this guy?"

Gold exchanged a quick, knowing glance with both Ursula and Cruella before he replied. "Storybrooke."

Shae blinked several times in surprise, her mouth gaping open. Then, she started to laugh, quite loudly. "Well, sorry ladies and gent, but you're shit out of luck." She replied, pointing an amused finger at Gold. "There's no way to get back to Storybrooke. Ingrid's ice wall had a-"

"A powerful cloaking spell woven in, yes, I'm aware." Gold finished for her, narrowing his eyes irritably at the vampire. "Trust me, dearie, there _is_ a way back. That is where our two mutual friends come in."

Gold gestured to both Cruella and Ursula. Shae remained silent for a moment, eyeing the three of them skeptically. "Are you serious?" She whispered. When Gold nodded, her blood red eyes grew wide, and she ran a slightly shaky hand through her messy black hair. "How?"

Gold didn't respond right away. He slowly crossed the living room, leaning heavily on his cane, and stepped into the kitchen. He stopped just on the other side of the counter from Shae, who continued to eye him warily.

"First things first." Gold finally answered, his tone dark and quiet. "We came here today because we will need your help once we're back inside the town. I want your word that you will help us find The Author. If you do, then, I promise you, I will do everything in my power to make sure he gives you the happy ending I know you desire."

Shae took another sip of her whiskey, staring silently back into Gold's eyes for a moment. Her gaze then shifted over to the kitchen window, and she leaned to the side, gazing down onto the street below. Suddenly, her blood red eyes grew wide.

"Right. Ok. Cool. Cool, cool." She finally replied, stammering anxiously all of a sudden. "I'm in. We just… Have to go. Now. Right now."

The vampire practically threw her now empty glass back onto the counter. Gold spun around, and he, Cruella, and Ursula all watched her curiously as she disappeared down the dark hallway toward her bedroom. The other three exchanged a momentary confused glance with each other, then they all huddled around the window. They gasped in alarm at what they saw; Several police cars lining the street below, and a score of armed officers pouring into the building one by one.

"My god." Breathed Cruella.

"That's _a lot_ of cops." Muttered Ursula.

"Uh-huh." Shae agreed as she rushed back into the living room, carrying a black duffle bag. "Which is why we have to go."

Shae then began removing handguns from inside her duffle bag, shoving them into Gold and Ursula's hands. When she turned to Cruella, she removed her own from within her white fur coat. "Don't worry, darling, I've got my own." She said with a grin, holding up a small, but surprisingly ornate, silver pistol.

Shae nodded hastily, and they all watched as she began rushing around the room, shoving various items into her bag. "What exactly have you done?" Asked Gold, glancing warily back out the window.

"I, uh… _May_ have been doing some work for The Mob." Shae replied, tossing another object into her duffle bag.

"The Mob?" Ursula echoed, her eyes wide with shock. "As in… The Italian Mob?"

"No, the one with torches and pitchforks!" Shae cried sarcastically, throwing her arms up in the air. " _Yes_ , the Italian Mob! Now, do you guys have a car?"

"Yes, we brought mine." Answered Cruella.

"Good. Give me the keys." Shae replied, holding out her hand.

Cruella scoffed indignantly. "Absolutely not!"

Suddenly, there was a loud pounding on Shae's apartment door. "NYPD! Open up!" Came a man's voice from the other side.

The four people inside the apartment stood rigidly still, holding their breath as they stared wide eyed at the door. Shae then quickly rushed up to Cruella, and grabbed on to the front of her white fur coat. She yanked Cruella in closer, glaring furiously into her eyes.

"Bitch, if you want to get out of here alive, you'll give me those damn keys." She whispered dangerously.

Cruella glared silently back into Shae's eyes for a moment, then shifted her own over to Ursula and Gold. They both gave her a quick nod, and Cruella breathed out a relenting sigh. She rolled her eyes as she removed her car keys from inside her coat, and pressed them into Shae's hand. Shae nodded swiftly, and scooped up her guitar from where it was lying on the couch, shoving it into Ursula's hands.

"Seriously?" Cried Ursula.

"Can it!" Shae commanded, handing her duffle bag over to Gold. She then rushed over to the living room window, and shoved it open. "Come on, down the fire escape!"

Shae waited until Gold, Ursula, and Cruella were safely out of the window before clambering through herself. They all stopped, whirling around, when they heard a sudden bang from inside. The police had broken down the door, and were piling into the apartment.

"GO!" Shae shouted.

The others all began rushing down the fire escape as fast as they possibly could. Shae fired off a few shots from her pistol before hurrying after them. As soon as they made it down onto the street, Shae pressed the unlock button on Cruella's keys, and whirled around when she heard beeping from behind her.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" She exclaimed when she saw Cruella's flashy, black and white car. "Cuz _that's_ not conspicuous at all!"

"Don't you _dare_ insult my car!" Cruella roared furiously.

"FREEZE!"

They all whirled around again at the sudden shout, and spotted several police officers standing in a line behind them, guns raised. Shae and the others all immediately took cover, ducking behind parked cars as they police fired at them. Ursula and Gold fired back with the guns that Shae had given them, but neither were any good with the firearms. Shae and Cruella's aim was much more accurate, and the two of them managed to take down a few officers.

There was a moment when the gunfire paused, as the officers began to reload their guns. Shae took the opportunity to race toward Cruella's car, and the others followed suit. Gunfire resumed as Gold clambered into the passenger seat next to Shae, Cruella and Ursula in the back. Before Ursula could even close the door behind her, Shae punched on the gas, barrelling headlong at the policemen. They all leapt out of the way, and, suddenly, Cruella's car was screeching out onto the streets of New York.

"Are you seriously texting right now?" Cried Ursula, as Shae removed her cellphone from her pocket while she drove.

"Calm your tits!" Shae snapped back. "I'm making a phone call."

"How is that any better?" Shouted Cruella.

Shae ignored the two women, weaving with expert precision in and out of traffic. "Remus, hey! You still at the bar?" She said into her phone. "Good. Listen, I need you to trust me, and not ask any questions right now. Go outside, and get in the car as soon as you see it." Shae paused for a moment, chuckling as she glanced into the rearview mirror at Cruella. "Oh, trust me, you'll know which car."

Shae tossed her phone over to Gold, who fumbled with it for a moment, but managed to catch it. Nobody spoke as Shae continued to drive at dangerous speeds, they couldn't. They bounced around in their seats, Cruella and Ursula knocking into each other several times as Shae took every twist and turn as fast as she possibly could.

Suddenly, Shae slammed on the brakes, and the others all shot forward in their seats. Shae rolled down her driver's side window, peering anxiously out into the crowd of people gathered on the sidewalk. She smiled when she saw her best friend bursting through the doors of Eclipse. She waved at him, and Remus waved back, rushing toward the car.

"Oh! Um… Hello!" He stammered, as he clambered into the back seat next to Cruella.

They were all jostled about again as Shae punched on the gas. "Remus, this is Cruella and Ursula." Shae said as she swerved around another corner. "And you remember Gold."

"Er, yes… Hello, again." Remus stammered again, staring wide eyed around at the people packed into the car.

"Well, hello there." Cruella said with a grin, snaking her arm around Remus's shoulders.

Shae emitted a grumble of frustration, rolling her blood red eyes into the rearview mirror. "Cruella, he's gay! Like, _really_ gay!"

Cruella gave Remus a disappointed frown, and quickly removed her arm. "Oh, what a horrible waste."

Remus opened his mouth to retort, but shut it again as the sound of sirens blaring emminated from behind them. Remus turned around in his seat, his blood red eyes growing wide at the sight of police cars. "Is that the police?" He cried.

"No, Remus, it's the fucking circus!" Shae shouted back.

Once again, Remus opened his mouth to speak, but his words caught in his throat as Shae took another sharp turn, and his head smacked painfully against the window. "Where exactly are you going?" Gold demanded of the vampire in the driver's seat.

"Not super sure yet." Shae sharply replied.

Suddenly, more police cars came barrelling around a corner in front of them. "Shit!" Shae swore in alarm. "HOLD ON!"

The others were all thrown violently to their right as Shae made a very sharp, and very illegal u-turn. She miraculously managed to avoid getting hit by several oncoming cars, and, once again, Cruella's car was racing down the street at a breakneck speed. However, the police appeared to be just as equally skilled, and just as equally lucky, and the sounds of sirens and the accompanying flashing blue lights grew closer and closer.

"Shae." Remus suddenly muttered, staring wide eyed out of the windshield. "Shae, the bridge."

"I see it." Said Shae, a grin suddenly stretching across her face.

Gold, Cruella, and Ursula all followed Remus's line of sight, and they all gasped at what they saw. There was indeed a bridge lying before them, one that just so happened to be a drawbridge. Both sides of it were slowly rising into the air, preparing for the large ship that was waiting to pass in the waters below.

"Shae, it's going up!" Cried Remus.

"Bingo." Shae replied, her grin growing even wider.

Shae slowed her pace slightly, and began weaving in and out of the cars parked along the road, waiting for the bridge to lower itself once more. "No." Cruella whispered, her eyes wide with horror when she realized what Shae was about to do.

"You're insane!" Cried Gold, his own eyes wide with fear.

Shae barked out a laugh, expertly dodging around another parked car. "Thank god for that! Otherwise, this might not work!"

"It _won't_ work!" Shouted Ursula. "You're going to get us all killed!"

Shae laughed once again, tightening her grip around the steering wheel. "Well, we're about to find out."

Now free of traffic, Shae punched on the gas once again, and the others were all thrown back in their seats. The car barrelled forward at an alarming speed, straight toward the ever rising bridge. Remus didn't even protest as Cruella clung to him in fright, and they all watched in horror as the gap between the two ends of the bridge drew nearer and nearer.

"HOLD ONTO YOUR HATS, BITCHES!" Shae bellowed.

Time seemed to slow to a horrifying crawl as Cruella's car sailed over the edge. They all screamed in terror, all except Shae, who was laughing in very loud, very deranged way. Their hearts nearly stopped as the car continued to sail through the air. Slowly, the front end began to tip downward, and they were jostled violently about as the tires made contact with solid ground once again. The tires screeched as Shae punched on the gas. Somehow, miraculously, they had made it safely across the gap, leaving the NYPD far behind.

"WOO!" Shae shouted, banging her hands excitedly on the steering wheel, laughing even more. "Now _that's_ how you evade arrest, baby!"

"Are… A-Are we dead?" Stammered Ursula, her whole body trembling.

"Get off me!" Snarled Remus, shoving Cruella, who had fallen sideways into his lap.

Shae continued laughing, glancing over at Gold, who was sitting rigid in his seat, too startled and terrified to even speak. She then glanced into the rearview mirror, laughing even more when she saw the same pure terror in both Ursula and Cruella's eyes. Next, she turned Cruella's car onto the highway, following the green road signs that pointed the way to Maine.

XX

Shae kept on driving until the car's gas tank was nearly empty, and was forced to stop to refuel. While they were waiting, Shae explained Gold's plan to Remus, who was still vehemently against returning to Storybrooke. He reminded Shae about the horrors she had endured there, and insisted that nothing but more pain and misery awaited her, even with Robin Hood now out of the picture. Shae knew that he spoke nothing but sense, and was reluctant to leave her best friend behind once again. Suddenly, she was starting to rethink the agreement that she had made, albeit briefly, with Gold.

"You know, I'm starting to think that I shouldn't be going anywhere with _you_." Shae was saying to the old man, as she lit another cigarette.

"You're not supposed to do that around these things, you know." Cruella called out from the other side of the car, where she was pumping gas.

"Fucking bite me!" Shae snarled back at her.

"If you insist." Cruella replied with a grin.

Shae grimaced in disgust, turning her back on Cruella, leaning against the bumper of her car. "Listen, I know you don't trust me." Gold said in a slightly pleading tone. "I admit, our time together in the past has been less than… Ideal. But, now, our interests are aligned."

Gold paused for a moment, and placed a hand on Shae's shoulder, staring intently into her eyes. "You've lost all you have, as have the rest of us." He quietly went on. "I can get you back everything you've lost, _and_ more. You just have to work with me, with us."

"You know, you talk an excellent game, Dark One," Remus began to say, folding his arms across his chest, eyeing Gold suspiciously. "What makes you think you can deliver on these promises when merely walking appears to be a challenge for you now?"

Gold clenched his jaw, glaring at Remus as he fiddled with his cane. "Oh, don't you worry, dearie. Soon, _nothing_ will be a challenge for me." He growled, then turned his attention back on Shae. "Aren't you tired of always fighting, always losing? Robin Hood is gone now, which means that your happy ending, well, one of them, at least, is closer within your grasp than it ever has been. All you have to do now, is reach out and _take_ it."

Shae exchanged an uncertain glance with Remus, but Gold quickly stepped in front of her, blocking her best friend from her view. "I know you don't trust me." Gold told her once again. "But, the good news is, you don't have to. All you have to do is lend me your aid, momentarily, and you will have everything you've ever wanted, plus _more_."

Gold held out his hand to Shae, and stared expectantly at her. Shae hesitated for a few moments, glancing between Remus's apprehensive face, to Gold's outstretched hand, chewing anxiously on her lip ring. She had thought of little else but Regina in the weeks she had been in New York. Elsa was lost to her, Ingrid's magic making it impossible to ever to return to Arendelle. She had thought Regina was lost to her as well, but Robin was out of the picture, and there was actually a way back to Storybrooke, back to the woman that she loved, the one that she had always loved.

Finally, Shae made her decision, and she breathed out a relenting sigh, shaking Gold's hand. "Excellent." Gold said with a satisfied smile. He then turned to Remus, and his smile turned into a frown. "And… You?"

Remus scoffed. "Absolutely not! I'm not stupid enough to make a deal with _you_. No offense, Shae." When Shae merely shrugged at him, Remus went on. "No, I am quite content with my life here, thank you very much."

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh. "Remus, you _can't_ go back to your life in New York." She said, sadly shaking her head. "If the police are after me, then they're after you too."

Remus sighed himself, slowly rubbing his chin as he thought. "Right, you're right." He muttered quietly. "Well, then I suppose I'll go find myself a new life. Perhaps I'll venture to this, 'Los Angeles,' you're always going on about."

Shae chuckled, clapping her friend on the shoulder. "You'll love it there. I promise." She said with a smile. "Here, take this. It's more than enough to get you to LA, and _then_ some."

Shae removed the wad of cash she had received from Vinny from inside her jacket, and pressed it into Remus's hand. "I don't suppose another speech from your best friend will do anything to change your mind?" Remus asked of her.

When Shae merely smiled sadly at him, Remus breathed out a heavy, relenting sigh. He then pulled Shae into a tight embrace, and both the vampires' eyes began to well with tears. "Good luck, Remus." Shae whispered to her best friend, her brother. "Keep in touch, ok?"

Remus nodded, wiping away a stray tear as he released Shae. "Good luck to you too, Shae." He whispered back, smiling through his tears. "If this Author really can do everything Gold says he can, then… Then I truly hope you _do_ get your happy ending. After everything you've been through, you deserve it."

Shae nodded back at him, and squeezed her eyes shut as Remus embraced her again, tears leaking down her own face now. Remus gave her one last smile, and turned his back on his oldest and dearest friend. Shae was joined once again by Gold, Ursula and Cruella close behind him. The four of them watched as Remus set off down the road, holding out his thumb to passing cars.

"Now then, before we continue on our journey," Gold started to say, turning to Shae. "I think we should properly seal our deal."

Shae raised an eyebrow at the old man. "How?" She asked, eyeing him warily as she remembered how the last deal she had made had been sealed.

"The way I seal all deals of such importance." Gold replied, reaching into his jacket pocket. He produced a receipt from the items he had bought from the gas station, along with a pen, and handed them both to Shae. "With a signature."

Shae continued to keep one eyebrow raised as she blinked several times in surprise. She then breathed out an amused chuckle, taking the receipt and pen. "Whatever floats your boat, man." She mumbled with another laugh.

The vampire then scribbled out her signature on the back of Gold's receipt, and handed it back to him. She failed to miss the knowing and devious grin Gold shared with Ursula and Cruella. Shae had no idea what a grave mistake she had just made.

XX

Shae handed Cruella's car keys back over to her, and she sat in the backseat with Ursula as the group made their way to Maine, where Storybrooke was nestled away amidst a dense forest, hidden away from the rest of the world. Gold instructed Cruella to stop the car once the were deep within the large forest, the forest that was all too familiar to both him and Shae. Gold found a navy blue tie that he had attached to a tree the night he had been banished. Storybrooke lie just a few feet ahead, but, the problem was, none of them could see it, so none of them could enter.

Apparently, Gold had kept the exact effects of the cloaking spell a secret from Cruella and Ursula. All they knew was that Storybrooke was hidden, and had assumed that Gold had a way back in. The two women were quite furious with him, and Shae as well, when they learned that he, in fact, did not. Things quickly grew quite tense, and they began bickering amongst each other in the middle of the street.

"No more tricks!" Cruella snarled, leaning in close to Shae and jabbing her in the chest with a finger. "You owe us for what we did for you all those years ago. If we're about to walk into a trap, you'll tell us now!"

Shae held up a finger to Cruella, and reached inside her jacket pocket. "Hold up, I've got something that'll help."

Cruella's brow furrowed in confusion as she stared down at the stick of gum Shae was holding out to her. "How exactly is _that_ supposed to help?" She demanded.

"Oh, it's for your breath." Shae replied with a slight grimace. "It's dogshit."

Cruella let out a enraged snarl as Shae laughed in her face, and she shoved the vampire roughly backwards. "Is she always like this?" Asked Ursula, raising an eyebrow at Gold.

"Yes, unfortunately, she is." Gold grumbled in reply, narrowing his eyes irritably at Shae. He then turned his attention back onto the two other women, who were still looking quite furious. "Ladies, please, I apologize for the deception. Believe me, though, there _is_ a way inside the town. In fact, you won't just _get_ in, you'll be _invited_ in."

Ursula barked out a loud, disbelieving laugh. "Yeah, like those stupid heroes are going to invite us in with with you two by our side."

"See, that's where you're wrong, dearie." Gold replied, grinning in a way that Shae found quite unsettling. "They _will_ invite you in, because _we_ will not be by your side."

Shae's blood red eyes grew wide with shock as she stared at Gold. "Say what, now?

"Don't worry, it's all part of the plan." Gold reassured the vampire, waving his hand dismissively. "Now, listen closely. Here's what you need to do…"

Gold explained his plan to Ursula and Cruella, and, several hours later, Shae was sitting on a fallen log near the side of the road next to The Dark One. The sun had long since set, and the two of them were waiting patiently for Cruella and Ursula to return to them, as promised. Their fate, their happy endings, lie in the hands of the two villains, and Shae was not at all happy about it.

Ursula had dialed Regina's number from Gold's cell phone, and fed her a story about how she had stolen it from The Dark One, who had come to find her and Cruella. She said that he had told them all about a quaint little town where he had been living, until he ruined everything. She told Regina that Gold had said it was a town where villains looking to change their ways could find redemption, and that she and Cruella were looking to do just that.

Ursula had made the call on speakerphone, and Shae's heart lurched within her chest when she heard the sound of Regina's voice. It was something that she thought she would never hear again, and it was like music to her ears. Suddenly, her delight over hearing her true love's voice disappeared when they all heard the sound of a fearsome, bloodcurdling roar in the distance, from the the other end of the phone. Ursula and Cruella both recognized it as the roar of The Chernabog, a dark and dangerous creature they had fought in the past, alongside Maleficent. Ursula shared this information with Regina, and the two of them made their own deal. Regina said that if Cruella and Ursula could help her defeat The Chernabog, then they would be allowed to stay in Storybrooke.

"So, when Regina released the fairies from The Sorcerer's hat, she also released The Chernabog?" Shae asked of Gold as they waited in the darkness of the forest. " _That_ was your plan all along?"

"Indeed." Gold replied with a sharp nod, keeping his eyes focused on the road, where Storybrooke's border was hidden. "Belle sent an email to a professor from Oxford, asking him to translate the spell for her. That professor just so happened to be me."

Shae breathed out a dry chuckle, taking a swig from the bottle of gin she had stolen out of Cruella's car. "Wow, you are _one_ skeevy dude."

"I do what I must to get what I want." Gold replied, taking the bottle from Shae's hand and taking a swig himself. "As do you. I believe that's what got you banished, just like me."

Shae snatched her bottle out of Gold's hand, narrowing her blood red eyes at him. "I'm nothing like you." She snarled.

Gold barked out a loud, mocking laughing. "And what makes you say that? You _are_ the one who was willing to destroy an entire town to cast your time spell, all to ensure that you your heart would be free to be with-"

"DON'T!" Shae roared, leaping furiously to her feet, her blood red eyes flashing with rage. "Don't say her name!"

Gold chuckled once again, grinning up at the vampire. "I must ask, what exactly _is_ the happy ending you desire?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at Shae. "Once we find The Author, you _could_ ask him to unwrite Ingrid's spell, so you can return to Arendelle once again. _Or_ , you could have him write a new story for you and dear Regina."

Shae opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again, anxiously chewing on her lip ring as she stared silently down at the ground. She had been turning over the same options in her mind ever since Gold had told her his plan. She had no answers, and it was driving her insane.

Suddenly, Shae was roused from her musings when she heard a quiet clattering from the road behind her. She whirled around, and Gold leapt to his feet. They both stared wide eyed at the tiny scroll that was suddenly lying in the middle of the road.

"What the hell is that?" Shae muttered.

" _That_ , dearie, is what we've been waiting for." Replied Gold.

Gold limped out onto the pavement, leaning heavily on his cane, and Shae followed after him. He scooped up the scroll, and quickly unrolled it. Shae glanced down at the scroll from over his shoulder, and recognized it as the one that Emma had found within Ingrid's belongings, the one written in ancient runic. Gold then glanced up from the scroll, and Shae followed suit. The vampire drew in startled gasp at what she saw; Ursula and Cruella, grinning at them from beside Cruella's car. A few feet in front of them, was a thick red line, spray painted across the road, one that had not been there before.

"We're back, darlings." Announced Cruella.

"You didn't think we forgot about you, did you?" Asked Ursula, raising an eyebrow at The Dark One and the vampire.

Shae breathed out a surprised laugh, and hurried after Gold as he limped toward the Storybrooke town line. The air shimmered around both him and Shae as they crossed through the cloaking spell. Suddenly, Gold's tattered and torn black suit was whole once again, and he walked with long, purposeful strides, no longer in need of his cane.

"OOF!" Shae grunted, as Gold shoved the cane into her hands, smacking her in the gut with it. "Now _that_ was just unnecessary."

"Oh, I quite disagree." Gold replied with a smirk.

"Nice duds." Commented Ursula, nodding at Gold's suit. "What exactly do we do now?"

"Now, we begin our task." Replied Gold.

As Gold, Cruella, and Ursula started toward the car, Shae chuckled, causing them all to turn back around. "Well, it's been real." Shae said with a grin. "Thanks for getting me back inside the town and everything, but I think I'm gonna go do my own thing now."

Both Ursula and Cruella's jaws dropped open in indignant shock as Shae began walking away from them toward the town. "Hey! You said you would help us!" Cried Ursula.

Shae turned back around, chuckling once again. "Yeah, well, my word is garbage to you numbskulls." She replied, giving them a casual and unconcerned shrug. "I've got my own fish to fry. Have fun looking for The Author."

"Don't forget, dearie." Gold said, his tone dark and dangerous. "We have a deal."

Shae had continued walking, but she stopped again, turning back around as she laughed even more. "Yeah, and I signed the back of a receipt. Not exactly magically binding."

Gold's lips curled into a dark and devious grin, one that gave Shae instant chills. "Are you sure about that?"

Gold held out his hand, which was momentarily engulfed in a cloud of bright red smoke. When the smoke cleared, he was holding a different sort of scroll, one that was much larger than Ingrid's. He then reached into his jacket pocket, and produced the receipt that Shae had signed. Shae watched in horror as her signature began to glow with a bright yellow light. It then disappeared from the receipt, and reappeared at the bottom of the unrolled scroll in Gold's other hand.

Suddenly, Shae felt very strange. Her whole body began to tingle, like millions of tiny pinpricks. She glanced down at her own quivering hands, her blood red eyes growing even wider when she saw that her body was glowing with the same yellow light as her signature. As quickly as it came, the tingling and the glowing dissipated, and she turned her wide, horrified eyes back onto Gold.

"I had a feeling you would decide to go back on our deal." Gold said with another dark and devious grin. "Which is why I had you sign that unassuming scrap of paper."

"Oh, Rumple, you are _bad_." Said Cruella, grinning as well.

In the time it took Shae to blink, Gold was all of a sudden directly in front of her. Shae cried out in alarm, stumbling backward, and falling to the ground. Gold slowly lowered himself to the ground as well, crouching down in front of the vampire, glaring maliciously into her eyes.

"Do you know what happens to people who break their deal with The Dark One?" He asked her in a whisper. He then breathed out a low chuckle, and slowly shook his head. "No, of course you don't. None of them have ever lived to tell the tale."

Shae remained where she sat upon the ground, too shocked, too horrified to even speak. Gold then slowly rose to his feet, turning his attention back onto Ursula and Cruella. "Now, then." He muttered, smoothing out his tie. "Our team is one member short. It's time to reunite the band."

Ursula and Cruella exchanged a quick, wide eyed glance. "You… Y-You mean-" Ursula started to say.

She didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. Shae finally broke her silence, and her voice quavered with fear as she quietly whispered. "Maleficent."

XX

That night, Gold took Shae, Cruella, and Ursula to his cabin in the woods, the one Shae had once made her home. Now magically under Gold's thumb, Shae was forced to remain there throughout most of the next day. She longed to venture out into the town of Storybrooke, to see Regina, her true love, or even Emma, the friend that she had left behind. However, due to the deal that she had unwillingly made with Gold, she was unable to leave the cabin, and she sat within with Gold himself, while Cruella and Ursula freely wandered the streets of Storybrooke. Gold instructed them to continue along with their repentant facade, all the while forming his own dark and devious plans.

Gold was determined to resurrect Maleficent, and Shae quickly learned why exactly he had sought her out in New York. He needed her help with restoring Maleficent to life, by way of another deal he had made with the vampire. Gold forced Shae to translate a spell within the book of ancient elven blood magic that she had brought with her from her homeland, a spell that could raise the dead.

"This says that the spell requires the blood of those who have wronged the deceased person most." Gold muttered, staring down at the sheet of paper Shae had transcribed the spell onto. "How much blood, exactly?"

"Not much." Shae mumbled in reply.

"Really?" Asked Ursula, raising a skeptical eyebrow at the vampire.

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, leaning forward in the chair she was sitting in within Gold's cabin. "If we were trying to resurrect a normal human, then no, it'd take a whole lot more." She begrudgingly explained. "But, since this is Maleficent we're talking about, it won't take more than a few drops."

"I see." Gold muttered once again. "Well, that is certainly good news."

"It is?" Asked Shae, raising her own eyebrow at The Dark One. "Who exactly do you need blood from? Who wronged Maleficent the most?"

Ursula and Cruella exchanged a dark, knowing glance, and they regaled Shae with a horrifying tale from years and years ago, back in The Enchanted Forest. It wasn't long after The Queens of Darkness had released Shae from her dungeon cell, when Maleficent's baby, her daughter, was taken away from her, by none other than Snow White and Prince Charming. Maleficent had sensed that Snow White was pregnant, and she told her and her husband that their daughter held the potential to grow into a powerful hero, with the potential of great good. She also told them that their child also held the potential for great evil, and a powerful, dangerous darkness.

Terrified by this information, Snow White and Prince Charming turned to a man called The Apprentice, who was aptly named, as he once was once apprentice to a great and powerful Sorcerer, the one whose mansion had appeared in Storybrooke. The Apprentice cast a spell to rid Snow and Charming's daughter of the darkness that lie within her. The spell transferred that darkness into Maleficent's baby, who was sent through a portal to The World Without Magic immediately after.

Shae was shocked by this information, especially when she learned that Emma, The Savior, _still_ held the potential for great evil, even greater than Regina, or Maleficent herself. She grew even more nervous about the potential of encountering the dark sorceress again. She herself had also wronged Maleficent. She had made a deal with her many years ago, one that she did not keep. She knew that, after losing her baby, Maleficent's rage over Shae's broken promise would only be that much worse.

Gold sent Ursula and Cruella to his shop, which Belle was now in charge of, to steal a small trinket that once belonged to Maleficent. It was a rattle in the shape of a dragon's claw, a rattle that Maleficent had planned to give to her daughter. The theft was all a ruse, however, a ruse to lure David and Mary Margaret down into the mines, below the library, where Maleficent's ashes lie.

"It's time." Gold suddenly announced.

Before Shae could do or say anything, The Dark One waved his hand, and the vampire's vision was engulfed in a cloud of bright red smoke. When the smoke cleared, she was no longer within Gold's cabin. Shae suddenly found herself standing deep within the Storybrooke mines. Cruella and Ursula were standing before her, and, just behind them, Mary Margaret and David were lying on the ground, totally unconscious. Between them, was a pile of silver, glittering ashes, which Shae could sense a powerful and familiar magic from.

Gold removed a small pocket knife from within his jacket, and handed it to Shae. "You know what you must do." He commanded to her quietly.

Shae bit her lip, staring down at the unconscious faces of Mary Margaret and David. Though they had wronged Maleficent in the most horrible of ways, though were the ones that had banished Shae herself from Storybrooke, she desperately longed to wake them, to tell them what was happening, and beg them to help her. She so desperately wanted to be reunited with Regina, her true love, the one that she shared a heart with. However, she knew that it was impossible. She was The Dark One's pawn now, and she was forced to do as she was told.

Shae stepped up to David and Mary Margaret, and crouched down between them. She pressed the blade of the pocket knife into David's hand, and quickly drew it across his palm, making a large gash in his flesh. As soon as he felt the pain, David immediately snapped awake, just in time to see Shae do the same to his wife.

"Shae?" Mary Margaret whispered, peering up at the vampire through hazy eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?" Demanded David, staring bewilderedly down at the gash on his hand.

Shae hung her head in sorrow, holding the blade of the knife out over the pile of ashes. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm so sorry."

Shae tapped her finger against the blade, causing several drops of blood to drip down onto the ashes. "The dark magic we're using to raise Maleficent doesn't require some silly little trinket from Gold's shop." Cruella sneered as Shae slowly backed away. "No, that was just a ruse to get you down here. We need something with a little more kick."

"Oh god…" Mary Margaret whispered, staring wide eyed at the pile of ashes, which were slowly starting to swirl in a circle. "We're too late."

Suddenly, a cyclone of black smoke burst forth violently from the ashes. David and Mary Margaret both leapt to their feet, backing away from the cyclone, as did Shae, as did both Cruella and Ursula. Shae's back hit the rocky wall, and she glanced to her left. Suddenly, Gold was gone.

Shae turned her eyes back onto the whirling smoke, just in time to watch it form into a great, terrifyingly large dragon. The dragon hung in the air before them for a moment, beating it's massive black wings. Then, it let out a fearsome roar, and it disappeared in another swirling tornado of black smoke. The smoke shot toward the ground, and Shae backed away even further, watching in horror as the smoke slowly dissipated. Maleficent now stood before them.

The dark sorceress was just as Shae remembered her. She was garbed in flowing black dress, and a horned leather helmet, her lips a shade of bright red. She was armed with the same staff that Shae had seen once before, the one that curled into a silver dragon at the end.

Maleficent, now in her human form, drew in a sharp gasp. Slowly, a dark and devious grin stretched across her face, one that gave the vampire chills, just like before. Her eyes then rested on Mary Margaret and David, and her grin somehow grew even darker.

"It's good to be back." She whispered.

"Maleficent." Mary Margaret whispered back, her clenched fists trembling as she looked upon the woman that she had so deeply wronged. "Whatever it is you think we did, you don't know the whole story."

"I know enough." Maleficent replied, her grin falling into a fearsome, vengeful scowl. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. That would be far too easy."

"You're going to tell everyone what we did first." Whispered David, his eyes wide with horror.

Maleficent laughed loudly, thoroughly amused by Prince Charming's worries. "I don't care about your secret. You can keep it as long as you like. I only care about one thing… Your pain."

Maleficent paused for a moment, her wicked grin returning as she slowly paced circles around David and Mary Margaret. "I want it be as long, and terrible, and unyielding as my own." She whispered dangerously, her eyes wide and wild with rage. "I'm going to revel in every torturous moment. And you? You're going to watch your world crumble."

"I forgot how much I missed her." Ursula whispered to Cruella.

"It's certainly going to be entertaining." Cruella whispered back, then glanced over her shoulder at Shae. "Isn't that right-"

Cruella suddenly stopped mid sentence. Ursula curiously followed her line of sight, and her eyes grew wide with shock. Shae was nowhere to be seen.

XX

Trees sped past the vampire in a rushing blur of brown and green, and Shae's feet pounded into the pavement as she sprinted down the road, toward the town line. Her heart ached with misery at the thought of leaving Regina behind once again, but she kept running, as fast as she possibly could. She had to get away. She had to free herself from The Dark One's control, had to get far away from Maleficent, before she could enact the consequences of breaking their deal. The sorceress had promised that they would be dire, and Shae believed every chilling word.

Her plan was to reenter the outside world, where she knew neither Gold nor Maleficent would dare go. She would be safe there, and, now that she knew that there indeed _was_ a way back into Storybrooke, she would get a message to Regina. She hoped that her true love would find a way to stop Gold and The Queens of Darkness, so she could be reunited with her once again.

Shae smiled, her heart soaring as the thick red line stretching across the road finally came in to view. It seemed that Gold was too worried about remaining unseen by Mary Margaret and David to worry at all about his vampire charge. She reached her hand out toward the town line, the air shimmering around her fingers as they broke through the cloaking barrier.

Suddenly, Shae felt something take hold of her body, and she let out a scream as she was sent hurtling backwards. Her world was engulfed in chaos as she went spiraling through the air, and she grunted painfully as she smacked back down onto the road. She rolled and tumbled across the pavement, and a voice softly spoke when she finally came to a stop.

"Not even going to stop and say, 'Goodbye?' How rude."

Shae pushed herself shakily up onto her feet, her whole body trembling. She knew that voice. Slowly, she turned herself around, and cried out in alarm, stumbling a few steps backwards. Maleficent was standing before her, grinning in the way that gave the vampire chills.

"H-Hey, Mal!" Shae stammered with a nervous smile. "Wow, you look great, girl. Look at those guns. Have you been working out? I mean, probably not, since you've been dead and stuff, but still-"

Maleficent waved her hand in the air, and, suddenly, the words caught in Shae's throat. She opened her mouth to speak more, but found that no sound was able to come out. "Thank _god_." Said Cruella, rolling her eyes dramatically as her and Ursula stepped out from the trees. "She talks _entirely_ too much."

"Agreed." Ursula muttered with a chuckle.

Shae slowly backed away as Maleficent began to advance toward her. "We had a deal, Shae." She whispered, her devious grin falling into a menacing snarl. "And I warned you about the consequences should you break it."

Shae's mouth gaped open in a soundless gasp as Maleficent rushed forward, and plunged her hand straight into Shae's chest. Maleficent grinned into the vampire's terrified blood red eyes, and Shae could feel her fingers curling around her heart. Suddenly, Maleficent's grin faded again, this time into a confused frown, when she realized that she was unable to rip out Shae's heart.

"Oh, I see." She mumbled quietly, staring into Shae's eyes. "Your heart is _very_ well protected, and not quite your own, is it?" Maleficent then breathed out a low chuckle as she removed her hand from within Shae's chest. "Oh, well done, Regina. Well done, indeed."

Silence fell over the forest surrounding them for a moment, as Maleficent stared down at her feet, pondering what to do next. Shae thought about running again, but knew that it was pointless. Maleficent was much too powerful. She was doomed to whatever twisted fate the sorceress had in store for her.

Suddenly, Maleficent reached out, and seized Shae by the front of her jacket. Shae emitted another silent gasp, which quickly caught in her throat as Maleficent placed a kiss firmly on her lips. Once again, Shae felt a strange tingling sensation course through her entire body. The sensation grew and grew, and, suddenly, Shae felt extremely weak. Her knees buckled the moment Maleficent released her, and she collapsed to the ground on her hands and knees.

"What the hell did you just do to her?" Asked Ursula, staring at the trembling vampire with wide, confused eyes.

"I've stripped her of her magic." Maleficent replied, turning around to face her counterparts. "Did you really think that I sealed our deal the way I did just because I _wanted_ to kiss this loathsome creature? Please."

"Well, what did you go and take her magic for?" Demanded Cruella, folding her arms irritably across her chest. "We could have used it, you know."

"Oh, please, her magic is pathetic." Replied Maleficent, waving her hand dismissively. "We can still use her, but, this way, she is _much_ easier to control."

Maleficent turned back around, and Shae stared silently up at her, unable to move, unable to speak, completely and utterly horrified. Cruella and Ursula slowly stepped up behind Maleficent. The three Queens of Darkness stared down at the weak and powerless vampire at their feet, all of their lips curled into dark and devious grins.

"Don't worry, dears." Maleficent whispered, smiling at Ursula and Cruella, taking them both gently by the hand. "Now that I'm back, now that _we're_ back, nothing can stop us now. We _will_ get our revenge. We _will_ get our happy endings. This, I swear."

XX

Shae spent the entirety of the next day brooding in silence, still unable to speak due to Maleficent's magic. She was forced to trail along silently behind Cruella and Ursula, while they explored the town alongside the newly resurrected Maleficent. Shae spotted many familiar faces as they walked through the streets of Storybrooke; Tinkerbell, the dwarves, Granny, Belle. They were all positively shocked to see her, but they kept their distance when they saw her amongst The Queens of Darkness. Shae desperately searched the streets for Emma and Regina, but saw neither hide nor hair of them. The only two people who might be powerful enough to free her from Maleficent's grasp, and Gold's, were nowhere in sight.

Later that night, The Queens of Darkness decided to celebrate Maleficent's return with some drinks at Granny's. However, none of them wanted to be bothered by the townsfolk, so they forced the diners out, as well as Granny herself. Granny was obviously furious, and demanded to know just what in the hell Shae thought she was doing. Cruella, Ursula, and Maleficent delighted in the fact that Shae was unable to answer to the old woman's accusations. Shae gave Granny the most apologetic smile that she could, hoping that it was enough, but knowing that it likely wasn't.

Shae was forced to watch silently as The Queens of Darkness ransacked the diner. They stole several bottles of liquor, broke plates and glasses onto the floor, and even set fire to one of the tables. Finally, they settled into one of the booths, and broke in to the stolen bottles of alcohol.

"Oh, this one's nearly empty." Said Cruella, frowning into the miniscule remains of the bottle of gin she was holding. "Go see if you can find us a new bottle in the back, darling."

Shae glared silently at Cruella as she raised an eyebrow expectantly at her. Then, she turned on her heel, and stomped into the back room of the diner, the cackling of the three women ringing in her ears. She wandered around in the kitchen for a moment, searching the many shelves of dry goods, and finally spotted one filled with various bottles of liquor. She scooped up a bottle of gin, pausing momentarily when a gallon of bleach on the rack of cleaning supplies caught her eye. She picked up the bleach in her other hand, and contemplated adding it to Cruella's gin. She then breathed out a heavy sigh, and put the bleach back in it's spot.

As Shae made her way back toward the door leading into the dining area, she paused once again, smiling fondly at the framed picture hanging on the wall next to the door. It was of Granny, standing outside the front of her diner, her granddaughter, Ruby, smiling from beside her. Shae had thought a lot about Ruby since the night she left for The Enchanted Forest. _Should have gone with her_ , she thought silently to herself. She begrudgingly tore her eyes away from the picture, and pushed through the door. She stopped dead in her tracks at what she saw, and the bottle of gin slipped from her hand, shattering onto the floor.

Ursula and Cruella were still sitting in their booth, but Maleficent was now standing by the door, next to none other than Shae's true love, Regina. Her raven colored hair had grown out some since Shae last saw her, and she had foregone her usual sensible pantsuit. Instead, she was garbed in a black leather pencil skirt, which accentuated her slender form quite nicely. She had on a black leather jacket to match, and had left several of the top buttons of her black blouse unbuttoned. Her lips were their normal shade of deep, sultry red. Shae swore that she could feel her unbeating heart stop all over again as she took it all in.

"Shae?" Regina whispered.

Shae shook herself from her stupor, and she quickly nodded her head. Slowly, a smile crept across Regina's face, the very smile that Shae loved so very much, the one that she had been dying to see since returning to Storybrooke once again. Just like it always did, Shae felt her half heart flutter wildly within her ribcage at the sight of that smile.

"Oh my god…" Regina breathed, placing her hand over her mouth in shock, her beautiful brown eyes shining with tears. "Shae!"

Regina rushed toward her, and Shae stumbled out from behind the counter. Suddenly, Shae was holding her true love in her arms once again. Suddenly, all of her worries melted away as the familiar feeling of Regina's arms curled around her neck washed over her. She breathed in the intoxicating scent of her perfume as she held her tight, never wanting to let go again.

"You came back." Regina whispered to her.

Shae opened her mouth to respond in the way that she always did when Regina uttered those words. She quickly shut it again, her blood red eyes growing wide with horror when she realized that she couldn't. When Shae failed to respond, Regina drew away from their embrace.

"What is it?" Asked Regina, brow furrowed in concern. "Shae, what's wrong?"

Shae turned her gaze onto Maleficent, who was grinning silently at her. The vampire then gestured to her own lips, then to Regina, and threw her arms exasperatedly up in the air. Regina followed her silent gesturing carefully, growing more and more confused by the second.

"Such a touching reunion." Maleficent sneered, turning to Cruella and Ursula. "What do you say, ladies? Should we let her speak?"

"Oh, go on." Ursula relented, waving her hand dismissively. "I was starting to miss that sharp tongue, anyway."

" _I_ wasn't." Grumbled Cruella.

"Wait a minute…" Regina muttered, her eyes growing wide with sudden realization. "Did you… Take her voice?"

"Of course." Maleficent replied with an unconcerned shrug. "She talks _entirely_ too much."

Regina breathed out a low chuckle, slowly shaking her head. "No arguments there."

Shae's jaw dropped open in silent, offended shock. Maleficent chuckled herself at the look on Shae's face, then waved her hand in the vampire's direction. For a moment, Shae felt a slight tingling sensation upon her lips.

"Hello?" She muttered, testing her voice. She then threw her arms triumphantly up in the air, laughing with joy over the sound of her own voice. "YES! Thank god! Finally, someone besides you three bitches can do some talking!"

Maleficent's lips curled into an angry snarl, and Shae let out a yelp of alarm when she raised her hand in the air once again. "AH! Woah! Woah, woah!" She stammered, drawing back a step, putting out her hands in careful surrender. "Sorry, I-Im sorry! Please don't take my voice again!"

"Fine." Maleficent growled, slowly lowering her hand. "But you're on _very_ thin ice."

Shae breathed out a sigh of relief as Maleficent returned to her seat in the booth next to Ursula. Shae then turned back to Regina, smiling as she stared into her deep brown eyes. Though they were still the same eyes as they had always been, somehow, they were more beautiful than ever before.

"Regina, it's… I-It's so good to see you." Shae stammered quietly, fighting back the powerful urge to kiss her. Her blood red eyes then shifted quickly over to The Queens of Darkness, and she raised an eyebrow at Regina. "Um… What exactly are you doing here?"

Regina quickly shook herself from her stupor, feeling much the same as Shae was as she stared into her true love's blood red eyes. "Well, I heard that you all want to destroy the happiness of some certain heroes around here." She replied, fixing Shae with a chilling and familiar grin. "I want in."

"Oh, please." Cruella muttered with a disbelieving snort. "Everyone knows you're thick as thieves with those very heroes."

"Not by choice." Regina snapped in reply, shooting Cruella an icy glare. "You all know how much I wanted my revenge. But, in this town, I had to play nice to survive." She paused for a moment, quickly turning away from Shae's shocked and appalled gaze. "I was… Left alone, forced to watch as those damn heroes got all the happiness that I was denied. If their destruction is what you're planning, then I certainly want to have a hand in it."

"You really expect us to believe that?" Asked Ursula, raising a skeptical eyebrow at Regina.

Regina opened her mouth to retort, but shut it again when Maleficent answered for her. "Of course she doesn't." Said Maleficent. "That's why she's here. She wants us to see that she's still one of us."

"I am." Regina said determinedly, folding her arms across her chest.

"Then let's find out, shall we?" Maleficent replied with a grin.

Maleficent rose from her seat once again, and beckoned for Ursula and Cruella to do the same. They both obliged, and they all patiently waited as Maleficent began pouring shots of whiskey. Shae tried to catch Regina's eye, but Regina, for some reason, carefully avoided her gaze. Maleficent handed the now full shot glasses to Cruella, Ursula, and Shae. She paused before handing the last one to Regina, her dark and devious grin returning.

"Are you still a bad girl, Regina?" Maleficent asked her quietly.

Regina took the shot glass from Maleficent's hand as soon as she offered it to her. She downed it in one gulp, and Shae watched with wide, baffled eyes as she crushed the glass in her hand. The vampire felt another chill run down her spin as a grin just as dark as Maleficent's stretched across Regina's face.

"The worst." Regina whispered in reply.

"Good." Maleficent whispered back. "Come, sit with us."

Regina nodded as Maleficent gestured toward their booth. As soon as Regina took her seat against the wall, Shae made to take the one next to her. She stopped, narrowing her eyes at Maleficent as she quickly slid into the spot before she could. Shae glared at both Ursula and Cruella, who had taken the seats across from Regina and Maleficent. The Queens of Darkness all grinned as the vampire remained standing, silently gritting her teeth.

"God, you all _suck_." Shae muttered under her breath, turning around and grabbing a nearby chair.

"So, what exactly are you doing here with these three?" Regina asked as Shae took her seat at the end of the booth.

"Shae is after her happy ending." Maleficent replied, still grinning at the seething vampire. "Same as you, same as all of us."

"I see." Muttered Regina, accepting the glass of whiskey that Maleficent had poured. "And what exactly is that for you, Mal?"

Maleficent emitted a knowing chuckle, slowly shaking her head as she poured herself another drink. "Oh, that's something I'd much prefer to keep to myself. Ursula? Care to share yours?"

"Pass." Muttered Ursula. "Cruella?"

"Oh, _my_ happy ending is quite intricate, darling, and carefully planned." Replied Cruella. "You see, it all starts with…"

As Cruella went on and on about the details of her own happy ending, which mostly involved abundant riches, and copious amounts of gin, Shae continued to desperately try and catch Regina's eye. She couldn't believe everything she had heard, that Regina was, once again, out for revenge. Shae knew that Regina had put all of that behind her, but, considering all that she had lost, she was starting to worry that everything Regina had said might just be true. She _had_ to find out for sure, but with their present company, it was quite difficult.

Finally, Shae had enough of Cruella's rambling. She reached out, and bopped Cruella on the head with the palm of her hand, causing her to stop mid sentence. "Snooze!" Shae shouted. "Cruella time's over. Don't talk again for nine minutes."

Regina laughed loudly, and Shae smiled at her, feeling her undead heart fluttering within her chest once again. The sound of her true love's laughter was like music to her ears. For a moment, just a moment, she finally caught Regina's gaze. As quickly as it came, it went, and Regina's smile faded as she stared down into her glass of whiskey.

"And what about _you_ , bloodsucker?" Ursula asked, raising an eyebrow at Shae. "What exactly is _your_ happy ending?"

"I told you not to call me that." Shae snarled through gritted teeth, narrowing her eyes at Ursula. "And as far as my happy ending goes… That's for _me_ to know, and you to _never_ find out."

"Well, I'm assuming it has something to do with your Evil Queen here." Commented Cruella, gesturing to Regina. "Or, perhaps it's with your Ice Witch that I've heard so much about. Elsa, wasn't it?"

Shae's knuckles cracked as she balled her hands into fists, her blood red eyes flashing with rage at the utterance of her other true love's name. She sat rigid in her seat, one of her eyes twitching violently as the moment when Elsa's hand had been torn from her grasp flashed before her eyes. Suddenly, she was watching her disappear through the door to Arendelle all over again, and her heart ached with bitter, painful misery.

Shae leapt up from her chair, toppling it over in the process. The others all gasped in alarm as the enraged vampire seized Cruella by the front of her white fur coat, and wrenched her from her seat. They all watched with their mouths gaping open as Shae dragged her across the diner, and slammed her up against the counter.

"Don't you _dare_ say her name, EVER. AGAIN." Shae screamed in Cruella's face, her blood red eyes wide and wild with rage, with pain. "If you do, I'll rip your lungs right out of your goddamn, FUCKING CHEST!"

Cruella chuckled lightly, apparently unbothered by the crazed vampire. "Oh, someone's touchy."

"I think we could all use some fresh air." Maleficent suggested in a quiet, equally unconcerned tone. "Why don't we go for a drive? Shae, unhand her."

For a moment, Shae merely continued to glare into Cruella's grinning eyes. She then released her, and drew back a step, her hands shaking as she clenched them into fists. Cruella chuckled once again, and patted the vampire on the cheek. Shae grimaced in disgust, swatting her hand away furiously. She leaned her hands against the counter as The Queens of Darkness exited the diner, squeezing her eyes shut as bitter tears leaked down her cold, pale face.

"Shae…" Regina whispered from behind her, placing her hand gently on Shae's arm. "Shae, are you-"

"DON'T!" Shae shouted, wrenching her arm from Regina's grasp. "Just… Don't."

XX

Shae was squashed uncomfortably between Maleficent and Ursula as they all piled into Cruella's car. To see if Regina truly was once again The Evil Queen, Cruella decided to play a game that she called, 'Don't Be a Hero.' She parked her car upon a set of train tracks, where a train happened to be travelling upon. Cruella instructed that the last one to save all their lives was the loser, and, as the train continued to barrel toward them, Shae started to panic. She was powerless to help, to do anything at all. But, at the very last second, they were all engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke. Regina had teleported the car safely across the tracks.

Ursula and Cruella were both angry over the fact that Regina was the one that had saved them, but Shae, however, was immensely relieved. Ursula and Cruella insisted that Regina could not be trusted. Maleficent disagreed, reassuring them that the once Evil Queen was merely rusty. Regina casually shrugged it off, and insisted that they all go out and find some _real_ trouble.

Shae remained mostly silent as Regina and the others caused general mayhem amongst the town of Storybrooke. The vampire thought it all immensely childish, especially when they decided to set fire to a squad car, which belonged to The Sheriff's Station. Still, she remained quiet about her displeasure at their antics, patiently waiting for an opportunity to catch Regina alone. She _had_ to talk to her, had to at least try and talk her out of, once again, enacting vengeance upon Snow White.

After causing trouble around town for a few hours, Maleficent decided that it was time to return to Granny's for more drinks. Even though she still didn't have her powers, Shae _was_ still a vampire, and as the alcohol flowed, she remained much more sober than the rest. Regina, who had never been much of a drinker, was particularly inebriated. After several shots, she was slurring her words and giggling uncharacteristically as she spoke about her and Shae's dark and dangerous past. Ursula had been the one to ask, and Shae listened in sullen silence as Regina proudly told story after story about her and her Protector's evil deeds from back in The Enchanted Forest.

Finally, Shae saw an opportunity to catch Regina alone. Regina excused herself to the bathroom, and Shae remained in her seat for a moment, unable to help staring at Regina's backside as she walked away, which was accentuated quite nicely by her black leather pencil skirt. She then downed the rest of her whiskey, and quickly rose from her chair.

"And where exactly are _you_ going?" Asked Cruella, raising an eyebrow at the vampire.

Shae gave her a simple wink from over her shoulder, and straightened out her jacket as she hurried after Regina. The Queens of Darkness watched her carefully, and Shae made explicitly sure that they saw her every move. She grabbed on to Regina's arm just as she was about to enter the bathroom, and, when she spun around to face her, placed a kiss firmly on her lips. Shae shifted her eyes back toward the table, and when she was certain that Maleficent and her counterparts had seen everything, she pulled Regina into the bathroom by her hips.

As soon as the door swung shut behind them, Shae pushed Reigna up against it. "What the hell are you doing, Regina?" She whispered, glaring furiously into Regina's eyes.

"What do you mean, 'what am _I_ doing?'" Regina demanded with a small hiccup. "What are _you_ doing?"

"I just, I… I-I needed to…" Shae stammered uncertainly, her angry snarl slowly fading as she stared into Regina's eyes. "I… I needed to…"

Shae trailed off into silence as she stared deep into her true love's beautiful brown eyes, their faces almost touching. She wasn't exactly sure if it was all the alcohol she had consumed finally taking effect on her, but she suddenly felt her head spinning. She shifted her gaze onto Regina's lips, which were her favorite shade of red. Unable to help herself, Shae pressed her body against Regina's, and kissed those lips once again.

Regina emitted a soft moan as their lips parted, their tongues brushing lightly against each other. She wrapped her arms around Shae's neck, entangling her fingers in her messy black hair. Due to her drunken state, Regina's kiss was uncharacteristically sloppy, her hands clumsy as she began to grope around Shae's body. Shae didn't care. She had been filled with so much fear over being under Gold's thumb, under Maleficent's. Suddenly, as she kissed the woman that she still loved, the woman that she had always loved, her worries melted away, albeit, only for a moment.

"Oh, Shae…" Regina whispered against Shae's lips. "Shae, I missed you so much."

"I missed you too." Shae whispered back.

Their lips crashed together again for a moment, but then Regina pulled away again, placing her hands on either side of Shae's face. "Promise me." She whispered, staring intently into the vampire's blood red eyes. "Promise you won't ever leave me again."

Shae stood silently staring into her true love's eyes, momentarily left speechless by the desperation in Regina's voice. Finally, she opened her mouth to respond, but quickly shut it again as Regina cried out in part pain, part shock. The bathroom door had suddenly swung open, and smacked her right in the back of the head.

"Sorry to interrupt," Cruella said as she raised an eyebrow at the other two, her tone laden with sarcasm. "But, some of us actually need to use the facilities."

Shae cleared her throat, grinning herself as she wrapped an arm around Regina's waist. "What do you say we, uh… Take this back to your place?" She suggested in a sultry tone.

Regina grinned back at her, nodding her head as she placed her hands on Shae's chest. Shae gave Cruella another wink, just before she was engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke. Regina immediately pulled Shae in for another kiss as soon as they appeared in her bedroom. For a moment, Shae couldn't resist her lips, and she almost forgot about why she had wanted to be alone with Regina in the first place. When Regina nearly fell over as she kicked off her heels, Shae suddenly remembered, and she reluctantly drew away from their embrace.

"Regina, listen." Shae said slowly, removing Regina's hands as she placed them on her chest again. "We… Need to talk."

Regina blinked several times in surprise, her mouth hanging open, a bit comically. She then emitted a loud, exasperated groan, dramatically rolling her eyes as she plopped heavily down onto the edge of her bed. She folded her arms across her chest, and Shae bit back a laugh as she pouted her lips.

" _That's_ always a great way to start a sentence." Regina mumbled.

"I know, I know." Shae muttered in reply. She then breathed out a heavy sigh, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Regina. "Regina, what the hell are you doing? Are you seriously going after Snow again? I thought you were past all that, I thought-"

"No, no, no." Regina interjected, vigorously shaking her head. She paused for a moment, glancing anxiously all around the room, and Shae curiously followed suit, since there was literally no one else in the room. Regina then turned back to Shae, whispering loudly. "I'm a mole!"

Shae chuckled, raising an eyebrow at her. "A mole?"

"Yeah, but, not like… The kind on your face." Regina mumbled in a drunken slur. "The… The other kind."

"Yeah, I know what a mole is." Shae said in a rush. "So you're… Spying for The Charmings, or something?" When Regina nodded, Shae breathed out a sigh of relief. "Good. That's good. So all that crap earlier… None of it was real?"

"Well, the things I said weren't." Regina replied with a shrug. "But the the drinking part, that was unfortunately… _Very_ real."

Shae chuckled once again. "Yeah, I can tell. You've been-" She stopped mid sentence when Regina suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth, her brown eyes wide. "Uh… Are you about to be… _Very_ sick?"

Regina nodded, her face suddenly quite green. "Jesus Christ…" Shae muttered, carefully helping Regina to her feet. "Come on, hurry. Hurry!"

Shae hurried after Regina as she stumbled down the hall to the bathroom, and she even held back her hair as she vomited into the toilet. Somehow, Regina was even more inebriated afterwards. Shae had her hands full as she tried to put a very drunk, and _very_ uncooperative Regina to bed. Both of them were completely unaware of what had just entered the town of Storybrooke, and just how much danger they were all now in.

XX

The quiet of the night was broken by the sound of leaves and twigs crunching underneath dozens of bootsteps. A small, ragtag group of both men and women dressed in medieval style clothing were trekking through the forest, their eyes shifting all around them. They stopped when they happened upon a road, and one of the men, their leader, held up his hand. He was a touch more finely dressed than the others, complete with a silk maroon vest, his jet black hair neatly combed. He stared intently at the green sign that read, 'Welcome to Storybrooke.'

"Storybrooke." He muttered, slowly stroking his chin.

Another man with shoulder length, dirty blonde hair stepped up next to him. "What say you, my lord?" He asked, his eyes shining with excitement. "Are they here?"

"Yes." The dark haired man whispered in reply. "In fact, they both are. One is… Far, but the other is much, _much_ closer."

A grin slowly stretched across the blonde man's face. "Excellent!" He whispered excitedly back. "Let's go rip out their hearts!"

"Patience, my friend." Muttered the brunette. "There is powerful magic in this strange little town. We should be careful not to announce ourselves just yet."

"Understood, my lord." The blonde replied with a nod, his grin quickly fading into a serious and dutiful expression. "What would you have us do?"

The dark haired man pondered the other's question for a moment, stroking his clean shaven chin again as he stared at the green road sign. "Keep to the woods for now, and stay out of sight." He commanded to blonde after a few silent moments.

"Understood." The blonde said again, with a sharp nod. "And what of you?"

Finally, the dark haired man turned his gaze on to the blonde standing beside him, a dark and devious grin slowly stretching across his own face. "For now," He quietly replied. "I merely wish to catch a glimpse of my old, dear friend. I wish to see her smile, before I tear it right from her face."

XX

The next morning, Shae was gathered inside Gold's cabin with The Queens of Darkness, and Gold himself. She sat and listened, brooding silently as the others told Gold all about their antics the previous night. For some reason, Gold was particularly interested in Regina's sudden appearance.

"I see…" He muttered, leaning back in his chair. "Regina presents an intriguing possibility."

"Do you _really_ think she'll help us?" Asked Maleficent, looking quite skeptical.

"Heartbreak turned her into a monster once." Gold replied with a slight shrug. "And her heart has been broken anew. She's lost both of her true loves, and is in great pain."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, darling." Cruella warned, shooting Shae an icy glare. "This one was getting awfully cozy with her last night."

"Relax, we just kissed, that's all." Shae muttered, rolling her blood red eyes. "As soon as we got back to her place, she almost ralphed all over herself. You guys got her white girl wasted."

Ursula snorted, folding her arms across her chest. "It's not our fault she can't hold her liquor."

"Nevertheless," Gold quickly cut in, waving his hand dismissively. "Once war hits Storybrooke, everyone is going to have to choose a side, even Regina."

"War?" Asked Shae, raising an eyebrow at Gold. "What war?"

A dark and devious grin slowly stretched across The Dark One's face, one that Shae did not like one bit. "The one we're about to start." He quietly replied. "And tonight, we're going to throw the first punch."

"Excellent." Whispered Maleficent, grinning herself. "What exactly are you planning, Rumple?"

"First things first. We need to sort out the situation with our Evil Queen." Gold replied, turning his attention back onto Shae. "You're going to pay a visit to dear Regina. You'll tell her that what happened between the two of you last night was nothing but a drunken mistake. You'll tell her that you've come back to Storybrooke to secure your happy ending… With Elsa."

Shae balled her hands into fists upon her knees, her heart lurching once again at the utterance of her other true love's name. "No." She snarled, glaring menacingly at Gold. "No way. That'll crush her."

Gold leaned forward in his chair, his dark and twisted grin returning once again. "Good." He whispered. "I need her crushed, I need her broken. That way, she will become The Evil Queen all over again."

"No!" Shae shouted, leaping furiously to her feet. "No, absolutely not! I won't!"

"Oh, yes, you will." Maleficent sneered. Shae held her ground as Maleficent stepped up close to her, jabbing her in the chest with a finger. "You will do as you're told, because you have to. You're nothing but a helpless little puppet now, remember?"

Shae gritted her teeth, seeting silently as she glared into Maleficent's eyes. Maleficent laughed mockingly right in Shae's face. The others all grinned at each other, and Maleficent took Shae's face in her hands, and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Now… Go." She whispered, grinning wickedly into the vampire's blood red eyes. "Go break Regina's heart."

XX

As Shae trekked through the woods toward Regina's house, doomed to break her true love's heart all over again, she had no idea that she was being watched. A tall, dark haired man in a silk maroon vest stood amongst the trees, his blonde haired friend at his side. They watched Shae walking through the forest, wide, devious grins stretching across their faces.

"There she is!" The blonde whispered excitedly. "Finally, after all this time! Finally, you'll have your revenge!"

The brunette emitted a dark and dangerous chuckle. "Indeed." He whispered back. "Just not today."

The blonde haired man's jaw dropped open in shock as the other turned his back on Shae, and began walking in the opposite direction. "Why not?" He questioned as he hurried after him.

"I sense that Shae is a pawn in some strange sort of game." The dark haired man explained as he continued walking. "One that _we_ must put a stop to."

"What for?" Asked the blonde.

"There is something that I want, besides my revenge." Replied the brunette. "Something far more important."

The blonde man's equally blonde brow furrowed in confusion. "What exactly is that, my lord Dracula?"

Dracula stopped walking as he and his counterpart stepped out onto a road. He slowly turned around, his blood red eyes fixating on the large green sign before them, the one that read, 'Welcome to Storybrooke.' The blonde watched in curious silence as Dracula tilted his head back, closing his eyes as he drew in a deep breath through his nostrils. Finally, Dracula turned to his friend, another dark and devious grin stretching across his cold, pale face.

"Storybrooke."

XX


	22. Chapter 22, Down the Rabbit Hole

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! I would once again like to apologize for how long it took me to put out this latest chapter. I've been extremely busy with work and just life in general, and it doesn't look like that's going to change any time soon. However, I PROMISE that I will continue writing, and I will update as often as I can. Thank you all again for your patience. Enjoy Chapter 22 and it's massive cliff hanger! ;P**

CHAPTER 22

Regina woke with a splitting, pounding headache, and a severe case of dry mouth. She sat forward in her bed, groaning as her bedroom spun wildly around her. She squeezed her eyes shut as memories of the night before washed over her. It was all a bit hazy, but one thing stood out above all else: Shae. As she remembered Shae kissing her in the bathroom of Granny's Diner, for a moment, she wondered if it all had been just a dream.

Regina had been miserable over having to watch the two people that she loved most in the world walk away from her, possibly forever. She thought a lot about both of them in the weeks after their departure, but, most of all, she thought about Shae. She found that, though she did miss Robin dearly, she ached body and soul for Shae, the woman that she had been prepared to marry not so long ago.

Many, many times, Regina would stare down at her cell phone, at the picture of Shae that served as her contact photo. She wanted so desperately to hear her voice again, to apologize to her, for everything, and tell her that she still loved her. But, each time, she would stow her phone away again, unable to come up with any words to say to the woman whom she had cast aside time and time again. First, she had chosen revenge over her love for Shae, and then she had chosen Robin. She knew deep down that it had all been a horrible, terrible mistake. She had been elated to see Shae again, to possibly have one more chance to make things right, to have her back in her arms once again. If it truly was all a dream, then she cursed the powers that be for playing such a cruel, twisted joke on her.

The sound of someone knocking on the front door forced Regina from her bed. She donned her robe, pausing for a moment when she noticed a pair of ice skates sitting on the edge of her bed. She shrugged it off, too tired and hungover to care, and shuffled groggily down the steps. When she reached the door, when she pulled it open, she drew in an audible gasp.

"Shae." She whispered, staring into her true love's smiling, blood red eyes.

"I uh… Brought you this." Shae replied, holding out a blue bottle of Gatorade to her. "I've heard it helps. With hangovers, I mean. Not that I would know. I haven't had one of those in… Well, a really long time."

Regina took the Gatorade from Shae's hand. "Thank you." She said with a grateful smile. "For this, and for taking care of me last night. Do you happen to have any idea why I woke up with a pair of ice skates in my bed?"

"Well, after you almost yacked all over yourself, you decided you wanted to go ice skating in the park." Shae replied with a chuckle.

Regina's brow furrowed in confusion. "It's the middle of April."

Shae chuckled again. "Yeah, you think your drunk ass cared about that?"

Regina laughed, and immediately regretted doing so as her head pounded painfully. "Can, uh… Can I come in?" Asked Shae.

Regina nodded and stepped aside, allowing Shae into her home, the home that they had once shared. After shutting the door behind her, Regina stood silently staring at Shae for a moment, still smiling. She could hardly believe that she was actually real.

"What?" Shae asked when she caught her staring.

"Sorry, I… I-I just…" Regina stammered, fighting back against the tears that were welling into her eyes. "Honestly, for a moment, I thought seeing you last night had been just a dream. But… Here you are. You… Came back."

Shae cleared her throat, turning her eyes onto the floor. "So, uh, what exactly were you up to last night, anyway?" She questioned, quickly changing the subject. "You told me that you're a mole. Did you find what you were looking for?"

Regina breathed out a heavy sigh, slowly shaking her head. "Not exactly." She admitted. "I was _trying_ to find out what Maleficent and her cronies have planned, but all I know is that it has something to do with The Author. But I have a feeling they're hiding something, something big. I don't suppose _you_ can tell me what that is?"

Shae once again glanced down at the floor, anxiously chewing on her lip ring. "I can't." She muttered quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Because of Maleficent." Regina deduced, folding her arms across her chest. "What exactly is going on between you two? She seems to have you under her thumb somehow."

Shae sighed, shoving her hands into the pockets of her black leather jacket. "You're right, she does." She muttered once again. "We sort of… Made a deal, a long time ago. One that I didn't exactly make good on."

Regina's deep brown eyes grew wide with shock. "What kind of deal?"

Shae hesitated to respond for a moment, anxiously chewing on her lip ring once again. "Maleficent was the one who released me from Snow and Charming's dungeon." She finally replied. "Her and Ursula and Cruella."

Regina's eyes somehow grew even wider. "What?"

Shae nodded gravely. "Our deal was that… I had to tell you what they had done for me." She quietly went on. "So that when you cast your curse, you would… I dunno, give them all some sort of power in this new world, or something."

Regina stood with her mouth gaping open for a moment, unable to believe what she was hearing. "But… You _didn't_ tell me." She finally replied, shaking her head in bewilderment. "All you said was that you escaped. Why? Why didn't you tell me?"

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, running a hand through her messy black hair. "I don't know… Partly because of pride, I guess." She mumbled. "And partly because I was just… Angry."

"Angry at being rescued?"

"Angry at _needing_ to be rescued in the first place."

Regina shook her head once again. "Shae, I… I don't understand."

Shae heaved another sigh, slowly shaking her head. "I don't know, I guess after everything that happened with Nadia and… A-And with Elsa, I was tired of feeling… Helpless. Weak." Shae quietly replied, her blood red eyes shining with tears. "I guess I thought that if I could convince _you_ that I was strong enough to escape on my own, then… Maybe I'd be able to convince myself that I actually _was_ strong."

Regina watched with pity in her eyes as Shae wiped furiously at a few stray tears that had leaked out of her eyes. She then stepped up to the vampire, placing her hand gently on her cold, pale cheek. "Oh, Shae." She whispered. "Shae, you don't have to be strong _all_ the time."

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, relishing the warmth of her true love's hand upon her cheek. When she opened them again, she had to fight hard against the powerful urge to kiss Regina as she stared into her deep, gorgeous brown eyes.

"I know." Shae whispered, gently removing Regina's hand from her cheek. She then cleared her throat awkwardly, and drew back a step. "Anyway, Maleficent wasn't too happy that I broke our deal. So she… Stripped me of my powers as punishment. Now, I'm just… Helpless and weak, all over again."

"No you're not." Regina insisted, vigorously shaking her head. "We can help, we can get you out of this. Emma and the others, we can all-"

"No." Shae cut in sternly. "This is _my_ fault, _my_ mistake. I'm not getting anyone else involved, it's too dangerous."

Regina scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. "I'm not scared of Maleficent and her lap dogs."

Shae chuckled darkly. "Yeah, well, it's not just them you'll have to deal with."

Regain raised an eyebrow at the vampire. "What do you mean?"

Shae winced, and quickly shook her head. "I… I can't tell you that." She mumbled. "Besides, I kind of… _Need_ Maleficent and the others. They're going to find The Author, so he can write us all our happy endings."

"I see." Muttered Regina. "So all that really _was_ true."

Shae nodded, swallowing the hard, painful lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "That's, uh… What I came over here to talk to you about." She went on, trying to keep the dread over what she was about to say next from her voice. "I'm going to ask The Author to unwrite Ingrid's spell. That way I can… Go back to Arendelle, and… Back to Elsa."

Regina's heart nearly dropped into the pit of her stomach, and Shae turned her gaze away, unable to bare the sight of the sorrow in her beautiful brown eyes. "I just… Want you to know that what happened last night was just… A mistake." Shae slowly went on, clenching her quivering fists inside the pockets of her jacket. "I just needed an excuse to talk to you alone, and I… Shouldn't have done it the way I did. I'm sorry."

Regina managed a strained smile as she fought back against the tears that were welling into her eyes. "I see." She replied, fighting to keep her tone even. "Well, I wish you all the best. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Regina gestured toward the door, and Shae hesitated for a moment, staring miserably and helplessly into her true love's gorgeous brown eyes, eyes that were full of immeasurable pain. Unable to come up with anything else to say, she nodded, and headed toward the door. She hesitated once more as she stepped out onto the porch, and turned back around. Before she could say a word, the door slammed shut in her face. Shae sighed, hanging her head in misery as she slowly walked away from Regina's house, back toward the cabin where Gold and The Queens of Darkness were likely waiting for her.

Elsa had been on Shae's mind almost constantly in the weeks she had spent in New York. She had longed so desperately to return to her, to the happy life that they had once had together. However, the moment she had seen Regina again, the moment that she had kissed her, she knew that it was Regina that she truly loved. Regina was the one, she had always been the one. Now, she had broken her heart, all over again.

XX

Later that same night, Shae was waiting inside Gold's cabin with Ursula, Cruella, and Gold himself. Gold had sent Maleficent out on a mission to once again test Regina's loyalty. This time, however, it was no mere meaningless destruction of property. This time, the task Maleficent was to present to Regina was truly despicable; Gold wanted her to kidnap Pinocchio, who, when he had been August W. Booth, had intricate knowledge about Henry's storybook, and likely it's author. Shae had no idea what exactly Gold's plan was for Pinocchio, only that he would get the information he needed out of the young boy, one way or another.

It wasn't long before they heard the sound of Cruella's car rumbling up the gravel driveway. When Maleficent and Regina entered the cabin, with an unconscious Pinocchio in tow, Gold finally revealed himself to Regina. She was positively shocked to find out that _he_ was what The Queens of Darkness had been hiding all along, even more so when she found out about the deal that Shae had unwillingly made with him.

"What can I say?" Shae said with a sarcastic grin. "He's a sketchy dude, and I'm prone to self destructive tendencies."

"Maybe you're just an idiot." Muttered Cruella.

"Maybe _you're_ just an idiot!" Shouted Shae.

"You're both idiots!" Ursula exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air. "Just shut up already!"

"Indeed." Gold agreed with a chuckle. "After all, we have important matters to attend to."

Gold stepped toward Pinocchio, who was lying senseless in an armchair, but Regina remained standing in his way. "What exactly are you going to do to him?" She asked warily.

"Step aside, and I'll show you." Gold replied with a small shrug. "Or have you gone soft?"

Regina balled her hands into fists, and Shae felt a chill run down her spin as her lips curled into a sinister, devious grin. "Never." She whispered.

"Good." Said Gold, stepping around Regina, stopping just in front of Pinocchio. "Now then, we're not going to ask young Pinocchio here to remember anything, because he simply can't. No amount of torture will work on him. It will, however, work on the man he used to be."

Regina exchanged a quick, nervous glance with Shae, then the two of them crowded around Gold with the others as he drew his magical dagger, and waved it in Pinocchio's direction. Pinocchio's body was engulfed in a blinding flash of blue light, and they were all forced to shield their eyes. Suddenly, there was no longer a young boy sitting unconscious in the arm chair, but a fully grown man.

Pinocchio, who was now, once again, August, slowly blinked his eyes open, and they grew wide when he saw Gold standing before him. "Hello, August." Gold said with a grin. "Welcome back."

August immediately leapt to his feet in alarm, but was quickly shoved back down again by Ursula and Cruella. "Oh no, dearie, you're not going anywhere." Gold sneered. "Shae, if you would be so kind."

Gold gestured to the ropes that were hanging on a hook on the back of the door. Shae gritted her teeth, begrudgingly obeying The Dark One's order as she snatched up the ropes. August struggled against Cruella and Ursula's iron grip, and he narrowed his eyes at Shae as the vampire began tying his wrists down onto the arms of the chair.

"Hello, Shae." August grumbled, breathing out a sour laugh. "Glad to see you're up to your old tricks again."

"Wait a minute…" Regina said slowly, eyeing both August and Shae suspiciously. "Do you two know each other?"

When Shae remained silent as she continued tying the ropes, August raised an eyebrow at her. "You never told her, did you?"

"Told me what?" Asked Regina, also raising an eyebrow at Shae.

When Shae, once again, failed to respond, August was the one to answer. "I'm the reason Shae broke up with Emma." He explained. " _And_ the reason she even came back to Storybrooke in the first place."

Regina's eyes grew wide with shock. "What?" She whispered.

"Emma needed to be free to break _your_ curse." August replied, narrowing his eyes at Regina. "She never would have done that if she was running around with a bloodsucking monster. No offense."

"You know, I think I'm just gonna go ahead and be offended, if it's all the same to you." Shae grumbled in reply.

"You lied." Regina said quietly, her brown eyes wide as she stared at Shae. "You told David and Mary Margaret that you didn't know who Emma was."

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh as she straightened up. "Yeah, well, I didn't. At least… Not until the very end."

"Wait a minute… _You_ were with The Savior?" Asked Maleficent, breathing out a bemused laugh.

"More than once, from what I've heard." Cruella said with a grin. "Can't say that I'm surprised, she seems to have a type. Wasn't Elsa a blonde as well?"

Shae flinched at the sound of Elsa's name, and her blood red eyes flashed with rage. "WHAT THE FUCK DID I TELL YOU?" She roared, pointing a quivering finger at Cruella.

"ENOUGH!" Shouted Gold, quickly stepping between the two women. "The two of you can be at each other's throats later. For now, we have work to do."

For a moment, Shae continued to glare furiously into Cruella's grinning eyes. Her arm then fell limply back to her side, and she drew back a few steps, shoving her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket. She avoided Regina's eyes, eyes that were full of pity, and watched as Gold stepped up to August, who eyed him fearfully.

"Now, then…" Gold said quietly, grinning from ear to ear as he fiddled with his dagger. "Shall we begin?"

XX

The sun had risen over the town of Storybrooke once again by the time August finally revealed his secrets. At first, he denied having any knowledge of The Author whatsoever. However, after enough prodding and threatening, he admitted that he had stolen some research about The Author from a mystic known as The Dragon. Gold momentarily left the cabin to go search August's old camper that was still parked deep in the woods, leaving Shae alone with The Queens of Darkness, and Regina.

Shae and Regina didn't speak as they waited for Gold to return, both in too much pain to come up with any words to say to each other. If she didn't hate The Dark One so much, Shae might have been grateful when he finally returned. He announced that he hadn't actually gone to August's camper. He knew that August had been lying, that the heroes were already in possession of the research he had stolen. Instead, he had broken into the storeroom at the convent, where the fairies kept their ample supply of magic. He force fed August a potion, one that turned him back into wood.

The effects of the potion were only temporary, but it did, however, restore August's built in lie detector. They continued to question him about The Author, and August's nose grew and grew every time he lied to them. Finally, unable to keep any more secrets, August told them that a powerful mage known as The Sorcerer had sealed The Author behind a door, many years ago. He then told them that the very door was somewhere in Storybrooke, and that Regina had seen it before. Regina confirmed this fact, although it had only been a drawing of the door. Henry had found it within August's bag, which had been given to him by Marco. Gold decided to take Regina and Maleficent with him to search The Sorcerer's mansion. Ursula had gone on a walk while Gold had been stealing from the fairies, which left Shae alone with Cruella to guard August.

Hours went by, and August once again fell unconscious in the chair that he was still tied to. Shae was feeling more hopeless and helpless than ever before, and she prayed to the powers that be that, somehow, the heroes of Storybrooke would be able to stop Gold and The Queens of Darkness. Above all else, she prayed that Regina, the woman that she still loved, would remain safe in the company of Gold and Maleficent. If they found out that she was spying for the heroes, then there was surely be hell to pay.

To try and distract herself from the crushing fear and hopelessness baring down upon her, Shae decided to bring out Bianca, her guitar. She strummed at the strings, and Cruella's eye began to twitch as she sang.

"Cruella De Vil,  
Cruella De Vil,  
If she doesn't scare you,  
No evil thing will.  
To see her is to take a sudden chill.  
Cruella, Cruella,  
She's like a spider waiting for the kill.  
Look out for Cruella De Vil."

August, who was now awake again, chuckled as Shae finished her song. "You know I hate that bloody song." Grumbled Cruella.

Shae chuckled too. "Oh, I'm well aware of that."

Cruella opened her mouth to retort, but shut it again as there was a sudden knock at the cabin door. "Who the hell is that?" She snapped irritably.

Shae shrugged, and set her guitar down on the floor next to her chair. When she opened the door, she was positively shocked to see who was standing on the other side. "Ariel?"

"Hi, Shae." The young mermaid replied with a smile. "It's good to see you again."

For a moment, Shae was too shocked to speak, and her mouth gaped silently open. "Uh… Yeah, it's… I-It's good to see you too." She stammered, shaking her head in befuddlement. "What are you doing here? I thought you were back in The Enchanted Forest with Erik."

"Er, well, yeah, I… I-I was." Ariel stammered as well, eyeing Cruella nervously, who was now standing behind Shae. "It's… A really long story. I just… Wanted to give you this."

Shae took the small envelope that Ariel handed to her. Only one word was scrawled on the front: Shae. The vampire's brow furrowed in confusion. The handwriting was strangled familiar. When Shae turned the envelope over, her jaw dropped open all over again when she saw the wax seal.

"T-This… This is… Arendelle's royal seal." She whispered.

"Yeah, it's… From Elsa." Ariel explained. "I met her back in The Enchanted Forest. She asked me to give this to you if I ever found my way back to Storybrooke."

"Well, well, well…" Cruella sneered, peering down at the envelope from over Shae's shoulder. "Isn't this a strange turn of events?"

Ariel narrowed her eyes at Cruella, then awkwardly cleared her throat. "Well, uh, I should go." She said, turning her attention back onto Shae. "I'd rather not spend any more time here than I have to, given your, uh… Present company."

Shae nodded silently, still staring wide eyed down at the envelope in her hands. She then swung the door shut in Ariel's face. "Um… You're welcome?" Came Ariel's voice from the other side.

Shae ignored her, slowly sinking back down into her chair. She heard Cruella's voice from somewhere beside her, but was unable to make out her exact words through the sudden ringing in her ears. Slowly, carefully, she peeled back the blue wax seal, and removed the letter that was folded inside the envelope. With her hands shaking, her mind reeling, Shae unfolded the letter, and began to read.

Silence fell over the cabin in the woods as Shae read her other true love's words. August and Cruella both watched her silently, watched as tears fell freely down the vampire's cold, pale face. When she was finished, Shae once again reached into the envelope with quivering hands. Tucked away inside, was a single, tiny blue flower, a Forget Me Not.

"Thank you, Elsa." Shae whispered with a smile.

"What the hell is that?" Asked Cruella.

Shae breathed out a small laugh, gently stroking the flower's petals with a finger. "It's a reminder." She quietly replied. "A reminder of who I once was, who I really am."

Cruella snorted loudly. "And what exactly is that?"

Shae didn't respond right away. She carefully put the letter and the flower back inside the envelope, and tucked it away inside her jacket. Then, she slowly rose to her feet, and turned to face Cruella, a strange sort of smile on her face.

"A hero."

August gasped in alarm as Shae suddenly drew back her fist, and clocked Cruella in the side of her head. Cruella immediately slumped to the floor, knocked completely senseless from the blow. Shae stood over her, her clenched fists trembling, her strange, determined smile growing even wider.

"I am Shae of Arendelle!" She announced in a clear, ringing voice. "I am The Protector of the Queen. I am Shae FUCKING CORMAC!"

Shae paused for a moment, her chest heaving, her blood red eyes wide and wild. "I AM A FUCKING WARRIOR!" She roared at Cruella's unconscious body. "I _am_ strong, and I am _not_ some fucking pawn! I would rather die than be someone's puppet, ANY LONGER!"

Silence fell over the cabin once again as August stared wide eyed at Shae. "Um…" He mumbled from his chair. "You… Y-You know she's unconscious… Right?"

"Shut up, man! I'm going through something, here!" Shae shouted at him, whirling around. She then breathed out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Dammit… Never mind, it's over, you ruined it."

August eyed Shae curiously as she rushed over to him, and began untying the ropes around his wrists. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Getting you out of here." Shae snapped in reply. "What the hell does it look like I'm doing?"

"But… B-But Gold… He'll kill you!"

Shae breathed out a sour laugh. "Uh, yeah, did you miss the whole, 'I'd rather die,' part?"

"I kinda just thought that was a, you know, heat of the moment kind of thing." August replied, chuckling as well.

"Nope. That was real." Shae said with a shrug, tossing the now untied ropes onto the floor. "Now, come on, let's get the hell out of here."

Shae helped August up to his feet, and started toward the door. She spun back around as August suddenly cried out in pain, falling to his hands and knees onto the floor. "Woah! You ok?" She exclaimed.

August shook his head, beads of sweat suddenly beginning to form on his forehead. "I… I-I don't know." He groaned, grimacing in pain. "S-Somethings wrong."

Shae groaned as well, and she seized one of August's arms, throwing it across her shoulders. "Come on, let's get you to Blue." She grunted as she hoisted August to his feet. "She'll know what to do."

XX

With August in pain, and without her super strength or super speed, the trip to the convent took much longer than Shae would have liked. Still, though, they made it safely without any interference from Gold or Maleficent. Shae knew that once they found out what she had done, they would likely kill her. However, Elsa's letter had instilled a newfound strength into the vampire, a newfound hope. She was determined to go down fighting, to go down as the hero she once was, the hero that Elsa saw in her.

Mother Superior immediately began tending to August as soon as Shae arrived with him. Unfortunately, there was little she could do. She explained that August's body had been changed by magic much too many times, and he would have to be very strong to survive through the latest one. Shae sat by August's bedside as he fell back unconscious, and the feeling of crushing helplessness started to return as she stared at his feverish, sweat covered face.

Knowing that August would need more magical protection than just the fairies, Shae tried to call Emma, but was only able to leave her a voicemail. Next, she decided to call Mary Margaret, who did answer, and said that she and David would be on their way immediately. Shae sent a carefully coded text to Regina while she waited, just in case Gold or Maleficent happened to be looking over her shoulder. She hoped against hope that Regina would decipher her message. She had to see her, had to tell her the truth, before it was too late.

Finally, Mary Margaret and David arrived, and Shae was surprised to see Henry with them. "Shae!" Henry exclaimed. "It's true! You're back!"

Henry rushed over to Shae, and threw his arms around her. Shae laughed, hugging him tight, grateful tears welling to her eyes. "Listen, Henry." She said quietly, holding him out at arms length, staring mournfully into his eyes. "I'm guessing your mom told you why I had to leave Storybrooke. I just want you to know how sorry I am. That spell, it… It could have erased you, and I… Henry, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"It's ok." Henry replied, smiling up at her. "You didn't do it, _and_ you saved August. That's all that matters."

Tears began to spill down Shae's face as Henry hugged her once again. "I knew you were a hero, Shae." He whispered to her.

Shae laughed, squeezing him tight. "Thanks, kid." She whispered back.

Suddenly, the sound of rushing footsteps caused Shae to release Henry. It was Emma, closely followed by Hook. "Shae!" Emma whispered, clapping both of her hands over her mouth. "Oh my god… It's you. You're really here."

"Hey, Swan Song." Shae said with a smile.

Just like her son, Emma rushed forward, and threw her arms around the vampire. "Oh god, Shae." She whispered as she held Shae tight. "I'm so glad you're here. I missed you so much."

"Hey, are you ok?" Shae asked as she pulled away, eyeing Emma with concern. "You're… Shaking."

Emma's eyes shifted over to her parents, and Shae was alarmed to see the sudden fury in her hazel green eyes. "I'm fine." She mumbled.

Suddenly, Shae's own eyes shone with realization, and she also slowly turned them onto David and Mary Margaret. "You told her, didn't you?" She asked them quietly. "You told her about what you did to Maleficent."

Neither of the Charmings chose to respond, and they merely hung their heads in shame. "You know, about that." Shae went on, breathing out a sour laugh. "That was just… _So_ shady. And you guys had the _gall_ to judge _me_? Fucking hypocrites, the both of you!"

"Shae, listen." Mary Margaret slowly began. "We're really sorry, we-"

"No! Shut up!" Shae shouted, cutting her off. "Don't talk to me, don't even look at me! I don't want to see your stupid faces any more. And _you_!"

Hook drew back a step in alarm as Shae pointed her finger in his face. "I dunno, I guess you're kinda growing on me." Shae muttered with a slight shrug. "But I swear to _god_ , if you ever hurt Emma, I will chop off your dick, and shove it straight down your throat!"

"A pleasant image, thanks, mate." Grumbled Hook.

"And _you_!" Shae went on, pointing at Emma. When Emma's eyes grew wide with shock, Shae quickly cleared her throat, dropping her arm back down to her side. "Sorry, got caught up in the moment. I, um… I-I really missed you."

Emma chuckled. "I missed you too, Shae."

Shae laughed too as Emma embraced her once again. She then quickly brought them all up to speed on August's condition. Since there was nothing Mother Superior could do for him, they were all extremely worried, but Emma was confident that he would pull through. Next, Shae decided to fill them all in on Gold's plan. She told them all about how he wanted to find The Author, to have him turn the tables on the heroes of Storybrooke.

"Yeah, we already know that." Emma replied when Shae was finished.

"Well, what you don't know is that his plan also involves _you_."

Emma blinked several times in surprise. "Wait… What?"

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, running a hand through her messy black hair. "He can't have The Savior running around while he's trying to get happy endings for the villains." She explained. "So he wants to undo everything Snow and Charming did back home. Emma, he wants to… Turn you dark."

Emma's hazel green eyes grew wide with shock. "How?" She whispered.

Shae sighed once again, slowly shaking her head. "I don't know." She muttered. "I'm not sure if _he_ even knows how just yet. But he'll figure it out, I know he will."

They all stood in shocked silence for a moment as they processed this new and startling information. Emma opened her mouth to question Shae more, but shut it again when the sound of more rushing footsteps echoed out from the hallway just outside August's room. Regina had finally arrived, and she looked perplexed as she stared around the crowded room.

"Shae, there you are." She said when she spotted the vampire. "What the hell is going on? Your text barely made any sense, and I barely had time to get away from-"

The rest of Regina's words were cut off as Shae rushed over to her, pulled her into her arms, and kissed her. Regina stood rigid in shock, startled and confused, barely able to believe what was happening. Shae then pulled away from her true love's lips, her hands shaking as she placed them on Regina's shoulders, staring intently into her deep brown eyes.

"I lied to you." She told her quietly.

Regina's brow furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"I lied when I said I came back for Elsa." Shae went on in a rush. "Regina, I… I came back for _you_."

Regina's brown eyes grew wide with shock. "What?" She whispered again.

Shae sighed, once again running a shaky hand through her messy black hair. "Look, I know you still love Robin, and _you_ know that I still love Elsa." She quietly replied. "Honestly, she's a big part of why I did all this. Ariel's back in town, and she gave me this letter from Elsa."

Shae momentarily removed Elsa's letter from inside her jacket, then carefully stowed it away again. "In it, she said that I should never forget who I once was, who I really am." She went on, her blood red eyes shining with tears. "She didn't mean the monster that I was, she meant the hero that I was back in Arendelle. And I realized that… She's right. I _am_ a hero. And not only is that who I really am, it's who I _want_ to be. Regina, that's who you are too, who _you_ want to be."

Shae paused for a moment, and Regina stared silently into her eyes, her mouth hanging open. "There's something else, something Elsa said to me when she was here." Shae continued on with a small smile. "She told me that, not only is it important for us to have people in our lives who love us for who we are, but it's important that we love ourselves just as much. And I think… I-I think that's why Robin and Elsa came into our lives. I think everything happened for a reason."

Tears began to flow down the vampire's face, and she smiled more as she took Regina by the hand. "I think Robin and Elsa came into our lives so that we could learn to love ourselves." She went on in a whisper. "So then, maybe, you and I could… Love each other. Properly."

Regina continued to stand in silence, her own eyes glistening with tears. When she failed to respond, Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, hanging her head. "I dunno, I've been doing an awful lot of talking, and maybe I'm just talking nonsense now." She muttered. "If you think it's all crazy, and if you don't feel the same, then… That's ok. I just needed to tell you the truth about how _I_ really feel."

Shae made to release Regina's hand, but Regina clung to it, using her free hand to grab on to the front of Shae's jacket. She jerked her forward, and placed a firm kiss on her lips. For a moment, Shae stood rigid in shocked surprise. She then choked out a strangled sob of joy from against Regina's lips, and wrapped her arms around her, holding her tight as their lips parted.

"Oh, Shae." Regina whispered, pressing her forehead to Shae's, smiling through her tears as she gently caressed her cold, pale face. "Shae, you're right. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't still think about Robin, just like you do Elsa. But, this whole time… I've thought of almost nothing but _you_. You're the one I want. You, and only you."

Shae choked out another joyful sob, grateful tears spilling down her face as Regina kissed her again. "I love you, Shae." Regina whispered softly.

"I love you too, Regina." Shae whispered back.

David and Mary Margaret both smiled at each other as they watched the two lovers kiss again, and Emma wrapped one arm around her son's shoulders, linking the other in with Hook's. She smiled at Hook, then at Henry, and her eyes momentarily locked with both of her parent's. She quickly averted her gaze, clenching her jaw tight. She was still furious with them over learning what they had done to Maleficent. No matter how much they tried to explain themselves, no matter how much they apologized, Emma still wanted nothing to do with her parents, whom she had once thought were valiant heroes. She was starting to think that maybe Shae, Regina, and Hook, even after all _they_ had done, were possibly better heroes than the fabled Snow White and Prince Charming. None of them had ever lied about who they were, unlike her parents.

"Shae, I'm… I'm so happy." Regina whispered, smiling into the blood red eyes of the woman she loved. "But… What are we going to do about Gold and Maleficent? They'll come for you once they've realized what you've done."

Shae nodded, gently wiping away Regina's tears with her thumb. "I know." She whispered back. "That's why I wanted to tell you all this. I… I-I don't know how much time I have left."

"No!" Henry cried, his eyes wide with horror. "No, we have to stop them!"

"Henry's right, we can help." Emma agreed with a determined nod. "I've been practicing my magic, and I've gotten pretty good. And Regina… Well, she's already a force to be reckoned with on her own."

"You guys, this is The Dark One and Maleficent we're talking about!" Shae exclaimed, glancing between Emma and Regina. "I know you guys are powerful, but… I don't think you're powerful enough."

"We'll just have to be." Emma sternly insisted. "We're putting a stop to this. You two have been through enough already." She then grabbed Shae by the arm. "Come on, we need to get you somewhere safe."

"We'll come too!" Mary Margaret offered as Emma pulled Shae toward the door. "We'll do everything we can to help, and-"

"NO!" Emma shouted. Mary Margaret and David both stopped in their tracks, their eyes wide with horror at the sheer contempt they saw in their daughter's eyes. "Stay here and keep an eye on August." Emma commanded in a growl. "You two have done enough already."

XX

With Regina still undercover as a Queen of Darkness, she and Emma both decided that her home and her vault were likely not safe places to hide Shae. They decided to put her in a room at Granny's Bed and Breakfast, where Emma cast a protection spell. Regina had been the one to offer first, but Shae knew that if Gold sensed Regina's magic protecting her, he'd know something was up. Emma struggled with the spell at first, but was eventually able to cast it successfully. Both Shae and Regina were surprised and relieved to see how powerful it was.

Once she knew that Shae was safe, Regina kissed the woman that she loved goodbye, and quickly returned to Gold's cabin. She wanted to stay with Shae, but knew that she needed to keep her cover intact, so she could find out just how Gold was planning to turn The Savior to darkness. Shae, meanwhile, sat in her room with Emma, Hook, and Henry, trying to come up with a plan to free herself from Gold's control, as well as Maleficent's. They talked for hours, but still came up empty. Gold and Maleficent were just too powerful.

Night had fallen over Storybrooke once again, and Shae sat alone in her room, staring blankly at the television. The others had gone home to get some rest, and Shae continued to turn her options over and over again in her mind. She knew, though, that no matter what she did, there would be no stopping Maleficent or Gold. She was trapped, with no way out. The vampire was determined to at least go down fighting, to go down as the hero that she was, not the villain she had been. Still, though, she couldn't quell the fear that was bubbling in her stomach. She had finally reconciled with Regina, and was on the verge of losing her again. She tried to remain strong, to remain hopeful, but she was completely and utterly terrified.

It was well past midnight when Shae heard a knock at her door. She didn't even bother to peer through the tiny peephole, assuming that it was Gold or Maleficent finally coming for her head. However, when she pulled the door open, she was surprised to find Regina on the other side.

"Regina!" Shae exclaimed in a whisper. "What the hell are you doing here? You shouldn't-"

The rest of Shae's chastising caught in her throat as Regina threw her arms around her, placing a deep, passionate kiss on her lips. "I'm sorry, I just… I had to see you." She whispered, staring desperately into Shae's blood red eyes.

Shae opened her mouth to protest more, but shut it again, staring back into Regina's beautiful brown eyes. They kissed again, and Regina swung the door shut behind her. Neither of them spoke as they began tearing at each other's clothes, their lips parting again and again with deep, desperate urgency. They stumbled over to the bed, and fell in it together, making urgent, passionate love until the wee hours of the morning.

The moon was hanging low in the sky, casting a pale light across the two lovers. They lie wrapped up in each other's arms, slowly and gently enjoying each other's lips. After a time, Regina's flushed skin began to fade, and Shae was forced to tuck the blankets between them, to protect the woman she loved from the coldness of her body. Still, though, she held Regina as close as she possibly could, never wanting to let go again.

"Oh, Shae." Regina whispered as she gently caressed Shae's cold, pale face. "I'm so sorry. For everything."

"Me too." Shae whispered back, smiling into her eyes.

Regina laughed lightly, placing another gentle kiss on Shae's lips. "How many times have we had to apologize to each other like this, now?"

Shae laughed too, slowly shaking her head. "I don't know. Way too many times."

Regina laughed some more, kissing her lips once again. "Let's just hope that this is the last time.

Shae nodded in agreement, smiling against Regina's lips as they kissed again. "Shae, I love you." Regina whispered.

"I love you too." Shae whispered back, her smile slowly fading as her mind unwillingly wandered back to the impending threat of Gold and Maleficent. "I… I just… W-What are we gonna do?"

Regina pressed her lips to Shae's cheek, kissing away the frightened tears that had started to leak out of her eyes. "Shh… Don't think about that right now." She murmured softly. "Just… Kiss me some more."

Shae didn't need to be told twice, and her smile returned as she kissed the woman she loved so very much. Regina then slipped beneath the blankets, pressing gentle kisses down Shae's mangled torso, working her way down between her legs. As the two of them engaged in another round of vigorous love making, the entire rest of the world faded away. They were too wrapped up in each other, too grateful to be back in each other's arms again to care about Gold or Maleficent. Neither of them had any idea that The Dark One and The Queens of Darkness were the least of their worries.

XX

The next morning, Regina reluctantly kissed Shae goodbye once again, and returned to the cabin in the woods. Meanwhile, Emma Swan was eating breakfast at Granny's Diner with her son and Hook. The three of them sat at the counter together, the tables and booths full with other Storybrooke residents, including Emma's parents. Emma was still trying to process the foul deed they had performed in order to rid her of her darkness, a darkness that Gold was planning to exploit regardless. She hadn't even acknowledged David and Mary Margaret's presence, still too furious with them to share any words.

"That guy over there…" Granny said to Emma as she set her plate down in front of her. "You ever seen him before?"

Emma, as well as Henry and Hook, followed Granny's line of sight, and turned around in their stools. There was a man sitting alone in a booth at the far corner of the diner. He was sitting with his back to the door, so all they could see was a short crop of neatly combed, jet black hair, and the back of his black suit.

"I dunno." Emma replied with a shrug. "It's kinda hard to tell, he-"

Emma stopped mid sentence as the diner's door suddenly burst open with a bang. She balled her hands into fists as Mr. Gold stepped into the diner, closely followed by Maleficent and Cruella. Regina was with them as well, and she momentarily exchanged a wide eyed, panicked glance with The Savior. Thankfully, Gold, Maleficent, and Cruella failed to see it, as they were too busy eyeing everyone else, who had leapt to their feet in alarm.

"Gold." Emma snarled, narrowing her eyes at The Dark One. "I heard you were back. Where's Ursula?"

"Thanks to Captain Wonder over here, she's had a reunion with daddy dearest." Replied Cruella, narrowing her own eyes at Hook. "Apparently she's too good for us now."

"I wish I could say I was sorry, but…" Hook said with a chuckle, trailing off into silence as he shrugged.

"That's not why we're here." Grumbled Gold, pointing a menacing finger at Emma. "You've stolen something from us, and we're here to take it back."

"You're not getting anywhere near August!" David shouted from the other side of the room.

Gold chuckled amusedly, slowly shaking his head. "Yes, you _did_ manage to steal the puppet out from under our noses. Not without some help, though, am I right?"

Emma slowly slid from her barstool, balling her hands into fists once again. "You're not getting anywhere near Shae either!"

"So you _are_ hiding her." Maleficent sneered. She then turned to Cruella, and held out her hand. "Pay up, Cruella."

Cruella rolled her eyes, removing some bills from inside her white fur jacket, and slapping them into Maleficent's open palm. "And here I thought _you_ were the one that was hiding her away." She grumbled to Regina.

"I told you I wasn't." Regina snapped back, folding her arms across her chest.

"Tread carefully, Miss Swan." Gold snarled at Emma. "Shae and I have a deal, one that she has mistakenly broken."

"We know all about your deal, Crocodile." Hook snarled back, taking an angry step forward.

Gold shifted his malicious gaze onto Hook, grinning deviously at his old nemesis. "So, then, you know full well that Shae is _mine._ "

"Actually… She's mine!"

Emma, Hook, and the others all whirled around at the sound of a man's voice from behind them. The man sitting alone that Granny had pointed out suddenly rose from his booth, and began strolling toward them. He was dressed in a fine black suit, complete with a silk maroon vest. Emma still didn't know who he was, but she knew _what_ he was. She knew immediately by the pale gray tint of his skin, and his blood red eyes. His accent was familiar as well. It reminded Emma of the way Remus spoke, and the way Shae had when she had seen her when they were trapped in The Enchanted Forest of the past. Suddenly, The Savior's heart began to race. She finally realized who exactly this man was.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" Demanded Hook.

"Name's Alucard." The man replied with a grin. "Though, you might know me better by my other moniker-"

"Dracula." Henry whispered.

Dracula laughed loudly at the fearful look on everyone's faces. "I see my reputation precedes me." He replied, still grinning broadly. "Excellent. My threats will not fall on ignorant ears, then."

"What threats?" Mary Margaret asked warily.

Dracula came to a stop in the midst of them all, and raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, have I not made any yet? Terribly sorry. Got a bit caught up in all the drama."

"Wait a moment…" Gold muttered, staring wide eyed at the vampire. "That's _my_ suit!"

Dracula laughed again, spreading his arms wide as he glanced down at his own body. "Yes, it is, in fact. Looks a lot better on me, though, don't you think?" He asked, still grinning. "I had some help picking it out, by the way."

Dracula whistled loudly over his shoulder, beckoning his hand forward. Everyone in the diner gasped, and began backing away as the door at the back burst open, and a group of people began filing in. There was eight of them in total, five men, and three women. They all had the same shade of pale gray skin, and blood red eyes, and they were all dressed similarly to Dracula, as well as Gold. A man with shoulder length, dirty blonde hair came out last, pushing a struggling young woman forward, her hands tied behind her back with ropes, a white cloth tied around her mouth. They were all horrified to realize that they recognized this woman.

"BELLE!" Gold and Emma both exclaimed in unison.

Belle emitted a muffled shout from around the cloth tied around her mouth, wrenching her arm furiously away from the blonde vampire's grip. "You see, my friends and I needed some more suitable clothing to better blend in with this new world." Dracula went on, grinning deviously at Gold. "Your lovely wife was more than happy to help us. Well, ex-wife, I suppose I should say."

"How?" Gold whispered, his eyes wide with fear, something that no-one else in the room had ever seen in his eyes before. "How did you know?"

Dracula laughed mockingly as he wrapped his arm around a fearful looking Belle's shoulders. "Oh, I know everything." He replied with a wink, and began gesturing around the room with his other hand, starting with Emma. "Here we have The Savior. A bit of a pretentious title, if you ask me. And over here we have the fabled duo Snow White and Prince Charming. Then there's the dark sorceress Maleficent, and Cruella de Vil. And then there's The Evil Queen, the woman that my old friend Shae has fallen so helplessly in love with."

"Can't say that I see the appeal." Muttered the blonde haired vampire.

"Oh, I certainly do." Said one of them vampire women, grinning as she looked Regina up and down.

"So, that's why you're here, then?" Asked Hook, eyeing Dracula and his counterparts as warily as everyone else. "You're here for Shae."

"Well, well… I see your looks match your wits, don't they, Captain?" Dracula replied with another wink.

Suddenly, Gold emitted an enraged growl, and summoned a fireball into his hand. "You let Belle go, or I'll-"

Gold stopped short, stumbling backward in fright as, in the time it took all of them to blink, Dracula stood directly in front of him. "Tread carefully, Rumplestiltskin." Dracula whispered, his sultry grin falling into a menacing glare. "You may be The Dark One, but I am The Prince of Darkness." He paused for a moment and leaned in closer to Gold, glaring deep into his eyes. "I am the devil himself… And you _will_ bow before me."

A moment of fearful silence followed the vampire's chilling words. "What do you want, Dracula?" Emma snarled.

Dracula barked out another amused laugh, patting Gold lightly on the cheek as he turned to The Savior. "Well, it appears that _your_ looks do _not_ match your wits." He replied with an irritable wave of his hand. "I thought it was obvious. I want Shae, _and_ Remus, and… Storybrooke."

"What?" Whispered Regina.

"You see, my friends and I need a new place to call home." Dracula explained as he turned his blood red eyes onto Regina. "This quaint, magical little town you've created will suit just nicely… For a time. Then, we'll conquer this whole new world. I will finally create a utopia where my children and I will reign supreme."

"You're insane if you think we'll just sit back and let you take Storybrooke." David growled.

"Oh, you _will_." Sneered Dracula. "Otherwise, _she_ dies. Sorry, I thought that was obvious as well."

Everyone in the diner gasped as a dagger appeared in Dracula's hand with a puff of blood red smoke. Belle emitted a feeble cry as he held it to her throat, her eyes wide with fear. "Oh, don't you worry your pretty little head." Dracula told her with another dark and devious grin. "You'll be just fine, as long as your friends here comply with my demands."

"I'm afraid that's going to be a bit difficult." Regina replied as she stepped forward. "Remus isn't exactly here."

"Well, he may not be in Storybrooke, but I know that he _is_ in this world." Dracula countered with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I am not unreasonable, so lets say you have till… Sundown. Tomorrow. Deliver both Shae and Remus to me by then, and surrender. Then, and this I swear on my eternal life, everyone in this lovely little town will live. In fact, I might even decide to allow some of you into my family. We shall see."

Dracula then removed the dagger from Belle's throat, and stepped up to Emma, reaching inside the pocket of his suit. "Now, if I know Shae, she'll likely be a bit skeptical when you tell her that I'm here." He said as he removed a tiny wooden box from within his jacket. "Give her this. Trust me, it'll help."

Emma took the small box from Dracula, though a bit warily. Then, Dracula returned to Belle's side, wrapping his arm around her shoulders once again. "Come along now, Belle." He said, smiling chipperly at Gold. "We've got some waiting to do. Ta-ta!"

Dracula and his fellow vampires all disappeared in puffs of blood red smoke. When they were gone, a deafening silence fell over the diner. Emma stared down at the tiny wooden box in her hand for a moment, her head spinning, her heart racing. She had heard Shae speak about Dracula only a few times, and the stories she told about the ancient and powerful vampire never had happy endings.

"W-What do we do?" Whispered Henry, looking to Emma, his eyes wide with fright

"Don't worry, Henry." Emma said softly, fighting to keep her tone even as she wrapped her arm soothingly around his shoulders. "It's… I-It's gonna be ok."

"Is it?" Cruella asked with a snort. "This is Dracula we're talking about, darling. _The_ Dracula."

"How the bloody hell did he even get to Storybrooke?" Wondered Hook.

"I don't give a _damn_ how he got here." Snarled Gold, his clenched fists trembling with rage. "All that matters is that he _is_ here, and he has my Belle."

"I can't believe I'm about to say this, but… Gold's right." David agreed in a dark tone. "Belle is our number one priority right now."

Emma didn't even bother to glance at her father. She stepped up to Gold, and held out her hand to him. "Truce?" She asked.

Gold glanced quickly over his shoulder at Maleficent, Cruella, and Regina, then nodded his head. "For now." He said as he shook Emma's hand.

"Good." Emma replied with a nod of her own. "Now… We need to go see Shae. We need to find out why the hell Dracula wants her and Remus so bad."

XX

The whole group headed up to Shae's room in the bed and breakfast. Shae was alarmed to see Gold and Maleficent amongst the heroes of Storybrooke, but they quickly assured her they had a momentary accord, and she would remain safe, for the time being. Next, they told Shae all about Dracula and the threats that he had made. Just as he predicted, Shae thought it was all some sort of strange joke. However, when Emma gave her the tiny wooden box, her attitude abruptly changed.

"No." Shae whispered, her hands shaking as she stared down into the now open box. "No, no, no…"

"What is it?" Emma asked.

She stepped around behind Shae, and peered down into the tiny wooden box. Inside was an ornate silver ring, the band in the form of some sort of serpent. The stone was quite large, and appeared to be some sort of ruby. It was bright red, and gleamed in the sunlight coming through the windows of Shae's room.

"It's… Akasha's ring." Shae muttered quietly, still staring down at the ring, her blood red eyes wide with fear.

"Akasha?" Asked Hook.

"Dracula's wife." Mary Margaret answered. Suddenly, she drew in a sharp gasp, clapping her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide as she stared at Shae. "Oh my god… It was you, wasn't? _You_ were Akasha's lover, the one Dracula caught her in bed with."

Shae glanced quickly over at Regina, then turned her eyes onto the ground, breathing out a sad, heavy sigh. "Yeah." She whispered.

"Bloody hell, mate!" Hook exclaimed with a bemused chuckle. "The Ice Queen, The Evil Queen, and The Vampire Queen. Quite an impressive list, to be honest."

"Guess you've got a type." Muttered David, chuckling as well.

"Shut up!" Shae snapped irritably. "Didn't I tell you not to talk to me?"

"Jesus Christ, Shae." Emma groaned, rubbing her already aching forehead. "This is bad, like… _Really_ bad!"

"What exactly possessed you to sleep with a married woman in the first place?" Regina asked of Shae, raising a not at all pleased eyebrow at her.

Shae heaved another heavy sigh, running a quivering hand through her messy black hair. "I-I mean… She was… Lonely, you know?" She stammered in a quiet and uncomfortable tone. "Dracula became obsessed with his war with his brother and… Well… You just… Y-You should have _seen_ her."

Shae glanced around the room, and when she was met with nothing but disapproving glares, she cleared her throat, folding her arms across her chest. "Well… Suffice it to say that _no one_ in this room would have said 'no,' to her." She said stubbornly.

"I don't think that makes it any better." Grumbled Maleficent.

"Oh, suck my fucking dick!" Snapped Shae.

"Shae!" Emma chided, placing her hands over Henry's ears.

"Sorry! I-I'm sorry." Shae stammered, cringing apologetically. "Look, I'm not proud of what I did, ok? It was a mistake, and it was wrong. But… I can't change it, and Dracula… He's here, and he wants my head, _and_ Remus's."

"How exactly did he even _get_ here?" Asked David.

"I have no idea." Shae replied, slowly and gravely shaking her head. "He's ancient, and he's collected a lot of different types of magic in his time, from a lot of different worlds. Who the hell even knows what he used to get to this one?"

"What does he want Remus for?" Emma asked next. "I mean… _You_ were the one that slept with his wife."

"Shit! Remus!" Shae exclaimed, fumbling with her cellphone as she removed it from her pocket. "I need to call him. He needs to get here right fucking now." She paused for a moment to pull up Remus's number, then went on to explain. "Dracula had me locked up in his dungeon, and Remus set me free, helped me escape. I'm guessing he's not too happy about that."

Emma opened her mouth with another question, but shut it again as Shae suddenly shouted into her phone. "Remus! Hey! Listen, you need to-" She paused for a moment, brow furrowed in confusion. "It's Shae, dummy! Do you _still_ not have my number in your phone? I've showed you how to do it like… Five thousand times!"

Shae breathed out an irritated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Just listen, ok? It's Dracula. He's in Storybrooke."

Just like Shae, Remus thought it was all some sort of strange, colossal joke. Shae was forced to put him on speakerphone, and they all spent several minutes trying to convince Remus that they were actually telling the truth. Finally, Remus started to believe them, and his tone grew a whole octave higher with panic. Shae told him that he needed to get to Storybrooke as fast as he could. Unfortunately, Remus was clear across the country in Los Angeles. Shae instructed him to get on the soonest flight that he could, but, unfortunately, Remus had never flown on a plane before. They all spent several more minutes giving Remus careful instructions on what to do, and, finally, Shae ended the call after Remus said he would be on his way to the airport immediately.

"Alright." Shae muttered as she stowed her phone back in her pocket. "Once Remus gets here, we'll go get Belle back, and-"

"No! Absolutely not!" Regina exclaimed. "It's too dangerous. The two of you can't just go-"

"We have to." Shae interjected, quickly shaking her head. "It's the only way to get to Belle. Once she's safe, _then_ we can work on taking care of Dracula."

"And how exactly do we do that?" Asked Gold, folding his arms across his chest.

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, glancing slowly around the room, her pale face grave. "I don't know…"

XX

Both the heroes and villains of Storybrooke spent the remainder of the night trying to come up with a plan to defeat Dracula. It was proving difficult since, according to Shae, there was no way to actually kill the ancient vampire. Unlike other vampires, his children, he was immune to fire and silver. This posed a major problem.

After bickering, arguing, and general panic, they all decided to retire to their homes to get some much needed rest. Regina once again visited Shae in her room at the bed and breakfast, and she slept fitfully that night, despite being wrapped up in the arms of the woman she loved. She was terrified, as was Shae, as was everyone else. Despite her fear, Shae began formulating a plan as she lie awake with Regina in her arms. Her plan to stop Dracula involved her book of ancient blood magic, which she knew that Emma and her parents would not like one bit. Still, though, she knew that it was likely their only hope to save Storybrooke, to save the world.

Remus finally arrived later the next afternoon. Gold was too preoccupied with his kidnapped wife to want to bother mincing words with Remus, so he remained in his cabin with Maleficent and Cruella, while Regina joined the others at the town line. They found Remus waiting just on the other side, but, for a moment, none of them were completely sure that it was really Remus they were looking at. He was wearing tight fitting gray shorts, and an equally tight fluorescent pink polo shirt. What was most startling was his complexion. His normally pale gray skin was somehow much more tan, and slightly orange.

"Did you… Get a spray tan?" Shae asked of him once he crossed over the town line, Ingrid's scroll in hand.

"Of course!" Remus exclaimed, as if the fact should have been obvious. "I was in Los Angeles! I was sticking out like a sore thumb there."

"Well, you look, um…" Shae began, pausing for a moment as she looked her friend up and down. "You look… Great."

Remus rolled his blood red eyes. "Oh, just shut your fat old gob and come here."

Shae laughed as Remus pulled her into a tight and grateful embrace. Once he released her, Regina stepped forward. "It's good to see you, Remus." She said with a smile.

Regina made to embrace him as well, but stopped short, her smile quickly fading when Remus gave her a cold stare. "Regina." He said with a stiff nod.

Regina's mouth dropped open in confused shock. "I… I-I don't understand." She stammered. "What is this?"

"I believe it's what people in this world refer to as, 'throwing shade.'" Remus replied, raising an eyebrow at her. "Did you really think I'd be friendly after you broke my best friend's heart?"

Shae snorted with laughter, and she quickly attempted to pass it off as a cough when Regina shot her a disapproving glare. "Er, Remus, as much as I appreciate all the shade you're throwing," She said, carefully smoothing out her face. "It's, uh… Not really necessary."

Remus raised another eyebrow as Shae smiled at Regina, and took her gently by the hand. "Oh, for god's sake." He muttered with another dramatic eye roll. "You two are worse than those Kardashians I'm always hearing so much about. What exactly is it that they do, anyway?"

"I don't think anyone really knows." Mumbled Emma.

Remus shrugged, and ruffled his chestnut brown hair. "At any rate… We need to focus on our current problem." He said, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm assuming you all have a plan to stop Dracula."

Mary Margaret, who was standing next to her husband a few steps behind Emma, opened her mouth to speak, but shut it when Shae cut her off. "I do." Said Shae. "It's… A little crazy, but… Well, here it is…"

They stood silently in the middle of the road for several long moments, listening to Shae's plan. Since there was no known way to actually kill Dracula, Shae wanted to send him somewhere where he could never hurt her, Remus, or anyone else ever again: The Underworld. This would require a spell from her ancient book of blood magic, which, as she predicted, Mary Margaret and David were not at all pleased about. Emma, however, was much more agreeable, desperate to find a way, any way, to put a stop to Dracula and his family.

"How exactly are you going to cast this spell?" Asked David, folding his arms across his chest. "You know you can't use Storybrooke's magic like you did last time."

"Yeah, I know that." Shae snapped irritably. "I actually don't think we'll have to. We might just have enough magical power already. We're just going to need some help. We're gonna need Gold and The Queens of Darkness. Since Ursula's skipped town, we'll have to hope Maleficent and Cruella will be enough."

"Do you honestly think they'll do it?" Emma asked, looking skeptical. "I know we have a truce and everything, but I'm not really sure that means they'll help us."

"Actually, I think they will." Shae countered. "They still want The Author, and he's somewhere in Storybrooke. If Dracula takes over, then they'll never get to him."

"An excellent point, mate." Hook agreed with a nod. "What about those other vampires? Seems like Dracula has an awful lot of friends."

"Indeed, they do present a bit of a problem." Muttered Remus, slowly stroking his chin. "I'm assuming Lestat was among them, yes?"

"Woah, wait a minute…" Emma began slowly, her hazel green eyes wide. "That guy with the blonde hair… _That_ was Lestat, wasn't it? Like… The _real_ Lestat?"

"Sounds like him." Remus replied with a shrug. "Do you know him?"

"No, no." Answered Shae, quickly shaking her head. "It's hard to explain, but… Let's just say that Dracula is sort of a legend in this world, a story. So is Lestat."

"I see." Remus muttered once again, slowly nodding his head. "Well, in reality he is Dracula's closest confidant. It's said that he and Dracula were friends before Dracula became a vampire. He turned Lestat just after Akasha."

"Which means he's stronger and faster than the rest." Shae went on to explain. "Still, though, he _is_ weak to fire and silver, just like the others. We'll just need… A whole hell of a lot of both."

Silence fell over the group for a moment as they pondered just how to acquire an abundance of fire and silver. "Wait… Regina." Mary Margaret suddenly spoke. "When you were under Ingrid's curse, you cast a spell that gave an entire mob silver weapons. Do you think you can do it again?"

Regina thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I believe so."

"We can get liquor bottles from Granny's and The Rabbit Hole." David offered. "For molotov cocktails."

"And garlic!" Remus exclaimed, a strange sort of grin stretching across his face. "We'll need lots and lots of garlic!"

The others all exchanged a curious glance. "What for?" Asked Hook.

"Come. I'll explain on the way." Remus replied, setting off at a brisk pace down the road. "We need to gather the town. We're going to need all the help we can get."

Once again, everyone else exchanged confused glances, then hurried off after the vampire. "Remus, what exactly are you planning?" Shae questioned him.

Remus emitted a dark, knowing chuckle. "Oh, it's utterly mad." He answered, still grinning broadly. "But… It might just be mad enough to work."

XX

A little while later, nearly the entire town of Storybrooke was gathered inside the town hall. They had all been in a panic after word got out about what had happened at Granny's, and it grew even worse when Remus and Shae told them all just how much of a threat Dracula really was. Still, though, there were many brave souls that stepped forward to protect their town. All seven dwarves immediately offered their services, as did Robin Hood's Merry Men. Tinkerbell, Mother Superior, and the rest of the fairies stepped forward as well, and so did Granny, Archie, Marco, and even August, who had finally recovered from his ordeal. Several other townsfolk whose names Shae did not know offered to help however they could, and, soon, she and Remus had a small, ragtag battalion at their disposal.

Next, the heroes of Storybrooke had to attend to the matter of the villains, Gold and the remaining Queens of Darkness. Gold immediately agreed to help, to save his wife from Dracula. Maleficent and Cruella were stubbornly resistant at first, but once Shae explained that The Author would be lost to them if Dracula took Storybrooke, they relented, just as she had predicted. The two of them, as well as Gold, followed Shae and the others back to the town hall, where the rest of the volunteers were waiting. Once they were all settled, Remus told them all of his plan.

"Right, here's what we're going to do." He said, staring around at all of their fearful but determined faces. "Come sundown, Shae and I will meet Dracula on Main Street, and the rest of you will wait out in the woods. Once Belle is safe, I will meet you all in the forest, and-"

"Wait a minute!" Cried Regina, her deep brown eyes wide with shock. "You can't just leave Shae alone with Dracula and the others!"

"Do you really think I like it?" Remus demanded, folding his arms irritably across his chest. "It's the only way to make sure the group is separated. Shae is the one Dracula _really_ wants, and if I know the man, and, trust me, I do, he'll send Lestat and the rest after me, while he deals with Shae himself."

Regina opened her mouth to argue more, but shut it again when Shae placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "Regina, it's alright." She said soothingly. "Dracula will want to draw things out for as long as he can, to make me suffer. It'll give you guys plenty of time to cast the spell."

"Yes, but we'll need to deal with Lestat and the others first." Remus went on. "Once I start the spell, if a single one of us with magic breaks away, the whole thing will fall apart."

"Well, that's easily done, darling." Cruella said with an unconcerned wave of her hand. "We outnumber those fools four-to-one."

"Don't get cocky now." Remus replied, narrowing his eyes at Cruella. "They're vampires, remember? They're strong and they're fast, and it will take every single one of us to take them down."

"And why exactly did you have me bring all this garlic?" Asked Granny, gesturing to the strings of cloved garlic that were lying in a heap on the table in front of her.

"Ah! Yes. _That_ is for the element of surprise." Remus explained. "You see, the scent of garlic is so strong that it masks the scent of man. You all will wear these, and hide amongst the trees. If all goes according to plan, Lestat and the rest will fall right into our ambush."

"I definitely like the sound of that." Leroy replied, grinning around at his brothers.

"Indeed." Remus agreed with a grin of his own. "Once we're rid of Lestat and the rest of Dracula's guard, I will have Regina here send up a signal into the air, and we will begin the spell. When Shae sees the signal, she will lure Dracula into the woods, and all that will be left to do is send him into the abyss. Once in The Underworld, we will be free of the monster once and for all."

"Sounds like we have a pretty solid plan." Emma commented with a swift nod. She then glanced over her shoulder at the pale orange glow coming from the nearby window. "The sun's gonna be setting soon. Are we ready?"

"As ready as we'll ever be." Granny muttered, breathing out a small chuckle.

"Thank you. Everyone." Shae said, smiling around at all of them. "Dracula is only here because of me, because of my mistake. I've made a lot of those, pretty recently actually. I just want to say that I'm sorry, and just… Thank you. All of you."

"We've all made mistakes, Shae." Mary Margaret replied, smiling sadly back at her. "What matters is what we try and do to better ourselves. You've done a lot to do just that, and we're with you. All of us."

"We won't let Dracula hurt you, _or_ our town." Said Leroy, clapping Shae on the shoulder. "Now, we all know what to do. Everybody grab your weapons, grab some garlic, and head out."

The townsfolk gathered inside the town hall all began gathering up the various silver weapons Regina had provided them with, and crowded around the table in front of Granny, scooping up strings of garlic. Shae glanced quickly glanced over at Regina, who gave her a nervous smile. Regina tried her best to hide her fear, but Shae could see it in her eyes.

"Good luck, to all of us." Remus called out over the din of rustling. "Dracula is the greatest threat this town has ever seen. We're going to need all the luck we can get."

XX

A little while later, Shae was standing beside Remus in the middle of the now dark and deserted Main Street. Maleficent agreed, though rather begrudgingly, to return Shae's powers to her for the upcoming fight with Dracula, and Shae was comforted by the familiar tingle of magic at her fingertips once again. Still, though, it did little to quell the rolling boil of panic was bubbling wildly in her stomach. She closed her eyes, the deep brown eyes of the woman she loved flashing before her own.

"Regina, listen." She had said to Regina once everyone else had left the town hall. "If I don't make it through this, I need to-"

"Shh! No, don't say that." Regina murmured, pressing a finger gently to Shae's lips.

Shae sighed, removing Regina's hand from her lips. "Regina, please. Just listen." She whispered softly, fighting hard against the frightened tears that were welling into her eyes. "If I don't make it out of this alive, I need you to know that… That I just… I love you. You're the one, Regina. You've always been the one."

Regina smiled through the tears that were rolling down her face. "I love you too, Shae." She whispered back. She then placed her hands on either side of Shae's face, staring determinedly into her blood red eyes. "I will _not_ let Dracula hurt you. I will _not_ let him or anyone else take you away from me. I will _not_ lose you again."

Shae smiled through her own tears as Regina placed a tender kiss on her lips. As she stood waiting for Dracula, she could still feel the warmth of her true love's lips upon her own. She knew full well that that kiss could have been their last.

"Remus." Shae muttered, keeping her blood red eyes fixed on the road ahead of her. "If I don't make it out of this, promise me you'll take care of Regina."

Shae half expected Remus to chastise her, and give her an empowered speech about how she _would_ survive this ordeal. However, Remus knew full well the danger that his oldest and dearest friend was in, and he remained silent as he nodded his brown haired head.

"Well, well, well…"

Shae and Remus both jumped at the sound of a very familiar voice. They both whirled around, startled to find Dracula, Lestat, and the rest of the vampires standing a few yards behind them. Both Remus and Shae's unbeating hearts nearly dropped out of their chests at the sight of the man that they had once called friend, called family. Unsurprisingly, not a single thing had changed about him, except for his attire. It chilled both of them right to the bone.

"Here you both are." Dracula whispered quietly, his blood red eyes wide and wild, a devious grin stretching across his face. "Finally. After all this time."

"That's right, we're both here." Shae called out, fighting to keep her tone even. "You've got what you want. Now let Belle go."

Belle emitted a muffled cry from around the cloth that was still tied around her face. "Fine." Dracula replied with an unconcerned shrug. "She's been awfully dull company, anyway."

Dracula seized Belle by her shoulder, and gave her a rough shove forward. Belle glanced fearfully back at him and the rest of the vampires, then ran as fast as she could over to her friends, Shae and Remus. The two of them immediately began untying her as soon as she reached them.

"Why am I always the one getting kidnapped?" Belle grumbled, rubbing her aching wrists.

Shae chuckled nervously, quickly shaking her head. "I don't know. I'm sorry, Belle." She said in a rush. "Now, hurry. Get out of here."

"No arguing!" Remus sternly interject as Belle opened her mouth to protest. "Go on, now. Go!"

Belle bit her lip, glancing over her shoulder at Dracula and the others. She then nodded her head, and hurried off down the street, away from all the vampires. Once she was safely away, Shae and Remus exchanged a brief, anxious glance, then turned their attention back onto Dracula.

"What a delicious moment, don't you think, my lord?" Asked Lestat, grinning from beside Dracula. "You finally get to have your revenge on these traitors."

"Indeed." Dracula agreed, also grinning deviously at both Shae and Remus. "The ones I once called friends, called family, are finally here before me. I will finally hold the heart in my hand of the one who took everything from me."

"You're the one who killed her, Dracula." Shae snarled, taking an angry step forward. "You didn't have to do that."

Dracula scoffed indignantly. "Didn't I? What other punishment is fitting enough for such betrayal?"

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, balling her hands into fists as tears began to well into her eyes. "Dracula, please." She whispered, taking a careful step forward. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. What I did was wrong, and I have regretted it every day of my life since. I wish I could take it back, I wish I could take it all back. But I can't, and I'm just… I'm so sorry."

Shae's voice broke with emotion, and she hung her head in misery, tears beginning to roll down her face. Dracula exchanged a quick glance with Lestat, and when he turned back to Shae, his wild and dangerous grin had suddenly disappeared. His pale gray face softened, and both Shae and Remus were surprised to see pity in his blood red eyes.

Dracula slowly began to walk forward, and Shae stood rooted in her spot, watching him warily with tears still spilling down her face. Dracula stopped just before her, and Shae drew in a startled gasp and he gently pulled her into his arms. Remus, as well as the other vampires, watched in stunned silence, their jaws hanging open. Shae choked out a miserable, strangled sob, and wrapped her arms tightly around the man who had once saved her from a horrible fate, the man that she had betrayed in the most horrible of ways. She sobbed into his shoulder, her heart aching with misery, with regret.

"Oh, Shae. My friend, my child." Dracula whispered softly. He released her, and placed his hands on either side of Shae's tear stained face. He smiled into her eyes, gently wiping her tears away with his thumbs. "Do you really think I care for your petty apologies?"

All both Shae and Remus had time to do was draw in startled gasps as Dracula seized Shae by the front of her jacket, and flung her to the side. Shae went sailing through the air like a bullet fired from a gun. She crashed into the wall of a nearby building, bricks and concrete crumbling around her as she barrelled straight through it.

"Dammit!" Remus snarled under his breath. He glanced quickly over his shoulder at Lestat and the rest of Dracula's guard, then back toward the crumbling building, breathing out a shaky sigh. "Good luck, my friend."

Remus disappeared in a rushing black blur as he sprinted toward the forest. "After him!" Dracula commanded to Lestat.

"With me! With me!" Lestat shouted at the others.

The rest of the vampires all gave chase after Remus, and Dracula turned his attention back onto Shae, who was freeing herself from the rubble. She stumbled back out onto the street, her entire body covered in a layer of gray dust. Her whole body trembled as she fell back into a battle ready stance, ready to face her inevitable fate.

"Oh, yes." Dracula whispered, his blood red eyes wild with rage once again, another dark and dangerous grin stretching across his face. "Oh, I am going to enjoy this."

XX

Regina stood beside the rest of the Storybrooke residents that had volunteered to help save their town, staring with wide eyes at the black, swirling portal that had opened upon the forest floor. All around the portal lie the bodies of Dracula's vampire guard, various silver weapons still buried in their flesh. Some of the bodies were even still smoldering from the fireballs and molotov cocktails that had been launched at them.

Somehow, miraculously, Remus's plan had gone off without a hitch, and Shae had been right after all. The combined magical power of Remus, Regina, Emma, Gold, Maleficent, Cruella, Mother Superior, Tink, and the rest of the fairies had actually been enough to cast the spell. The gaping portal to The Underworld stood ready and waiting before them. Now, all that was left to do, was to send Dracula into the void.

"Holy shit." Emma whispered from beside Regina. "We did it. It actually worked."

"Naturally." Remus replied with a grin. "Didn't I tell you that I'm always right?"

"So… What do we do now?" Asked Mary Margaret.

"Well…" Regina began, glancing up into the sky at the bright red orb that she had sent up to signal Shae. "All we have left to do is wait for-"

"REGINA!" Shouted Tink.

Regina whirled around, and gasped in alarm when she found Lestat, who was somehow still alive, standing behind her. He emitted an enraged snarl, and Regina gasped again as he raised his fist in the air. With no time to do anything else, Regina squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the pain. But it never came. She opened her eyes again, just in time to see Lestat sailing through the air straight past her. He screamed as he fell, and was engulfed by the swirling black portal.

"That's for killing my cat, you son of a BITCH!"

Regina gasped once more when she found Shae suddenly standing where Lestat had been. Her entire body was covered in gray dust, her clothes tattered and torn, and there appeared to be shards of what looked like glass in her face. A chunk of her messy black hair looked like it had been torn out from the side of her head, and one of the sleeves of her black leather jacket was ripped completely off. Her now bare arm had a large gash in it from elbow to wrist, and it was dangling limply at her side.

"I… I don't…" Regina stammered. "W-What?"

"I had a cat, back at Dracula's castle." Shae explained, cradling her injured arm in her other as she turned to Regina. "Lestat said he made me soft, so he killed him."

"Poor Sir Pounce-A-Lot." Remus muttered sadly. "He was a noble beast. He deserved better."

"Oh my god… Shae, are you alright?" Regina asked, alarmed when her mind finally processed what her eyes were seeing. "Is that glass in your face?"

"It looks like your arm is dislocated." Emma observed as she stepped toward Shae.

"I'm fine, just… Leave it!" Shae exclaimed, swatting Emma's hand away with her good arm. "Listen, I managed to give Dracula the slip when I saw your signal, but it won't take him long to find me again."

"She's right." Remus agreed with a grave nod. "We need to-"

Remus stopped mid sentence when a sudden rumbling began to emanate from the trees. They all whirled around, and watched with wide, fearful eyes as the tops of the trees rustled in the distance. Something was running toward them, something very fast, and very strong.

"Shit. He's already here." Shae whispered. "Quick! Everyone with magic stand on either side of the portal! Everyone else just get back!"

Nobody bothered to question the vampire's frantic commands. Just as Shae instructed, everyone with magical powers gathered into two groups, and waited on either side of the swirling portal. The rest all retreated to a safe distance, and they all watched as the rustling in the treetops grew closer and closer.

"Right, as soon as you see him, give him everything you've got!" Shae called out. "It'll take all of us to get a hold of him and send him into the portal!"

The magical members of Storybrooke all nodded their heads, not even Cruella or Maleficent bothering to make any quips or complaints. They were too frightened for words. They all were.

"This is going to work." Regina whispered from beside Shae, her voice quavering with fear. "This… T-This _has_ to work. Shae, I won't lose you again. I can't."

Shae managed a nervous smile, and she gently brushed the frightened tears away from her true love's cheek. "Don't worry." She whispered back. "I'm not going anywhere."

Suddenly, there was a great crashing and rustling noise as Dracula burst forth from the trees. There was a collective gasp as they all held their breath. For a moment, Dracula's blood red eyes scanned across the forest floor. When he saw the gaping, swirling portal, and the bodies of his vampire friends lying scattered around it, his eyes grew wide with fury. His pale gray lips curled into a fearsome, enraged snarl, and he took a step forward.

"NOW!" Shae shouted.

She threw out her good arm toward Dracula, and the rest followed suit. A powerful, deafening humming noise began to resonate out through the trees, the combined power of all the magical beings shaking the very earth beneath their feet. Dracula bellowed out a roar of rage, and staggered forward another step, trying desperately to push back against all the magic. No matter how hard he struggled, the heroes and villains of Storybrooke had him firmly in their clutches. There was no escape for the ancient and powerful vampire, not this time.

"Let's send him straight to hell." Regina snarled.

They all swept their outstretched arms toward the open portal to The Underworld. Dracula was sent careening forward, his body flying through the air like a rag doll. As he fell toward the portal, time seemed to slow to a crawl, and Shae momentarily caught his eye. Blood red eyes locked with blood red eyes, and Shae saw nothing but terror in her old friend's. Dracula screamed as he fell, and, his voice was cut off as he was swallowed by the blackness.

Silence fell over the forest, and, for a moment, the only sound to be heard was the low humming from the magic of the portal. Then, a rousing cheer burst forth from everyone's lips. As the small, ragtag army celebrated their victory, Shae stood quivering in her spot, her eyes quickly scanning over everyone's faces. They were all a bit battered and bruised, and Will Scarlet had a nasty gash on his right cheek. Otherwise, everyone seemed to be safe and unharmed. She breathed out a sigh of relief. They had done it. They had won.

"Shae." Regina muttered from beside her, gripping her arm tight. "Shae, we… W-We did it."

Shae breathed out an astonished laugh, watching with a smile on her face as The Seven Dwarves engaged in a group hug. "Yeah." She whispered. "We… We did."

Regina tore her eyes away from the portal, and turned to face Shae. She smiled into the blood red eyes of the woman she loved, and Shae smiled back at her. They then threw their arms around each other, and kissed with deep and grateful passion.

"Oh, Shae." Regina whispered, holding Shae tight, running her fingers through her messy black hair. "Shae, I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Regina." Shae whispered back, relieved and grateful tears spilling down her face, her uninjured arm curled tightly around Regina's waist. "I love you too."

The two lovers kissed once again, and, like it always did when they kissed, the entire rest of the world faded away around them. They had saved Storybrooke, saved the entire world. Though they both knew that they were all still in danger from Gold and the remaining Queens of Darkness, as they held each other in their arms, none of that seemed to matter. All that mattered was that they were safe, and that they were together. Despite all that they had been through, despite all the odds, their true but vicious love remained as strong as ever.

"Wait a minute…"

Shae and Regina broke apart when Emma spoke quietly from beside them. They both turned to face her, and found The Savior staring down into the portal, a confused frown on her face.

"Shouldn't the portal be, you know… Gone?" She asked of them.

Regina and Shae both furrowed their brows at each other, and Shae opened her mouth to speak. She stopped when Remus placed a hand on her shoulder. "My god…" Remus whispered, his blood red eyes wide. "She's right. The portal, it should be closed by now. Something's wrong, something's-"

Remus stopped mid sentence as the portal suddenly pulsed violently. There was a collective cry of alarm from all those gathered around it, then silence, a horrible, terrible silence. They watched in horrified wonder as a black haired head and shoulders slowly rose up from the center of the portal. It was Dracula, his eyes glowing a bright, burning red as he hovered in the air.

"My god…" Remus whispered.

"You didn't tell us the bastard could fly!" Gold exclaimed.

Shae merely shook her head, too shocked, too horrified for words. She stared up at Dracula as he hung in the air above the portal, his eyes glowing like two sinister beacons in the night sky. His glowing eyes slowly scanned across the gathered, silent crowd, and he breathed out a low, menacing laugh.

"FOOLS!" He shouted, throwing his head back and laughing loudly. "Did you really think your little scheme would work? I told you, I am THE DEVIL HIMSELF!"

They all stumbled as the ground began to quake beneath their feet. "I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY THE LIKES OF YOU!" Dracula roared.

The powerful and ancient vampire threw out both of his arms, and the very forest, the very earth, began to bend to his will. Dozens of green, tentacle like vines shot out from the trees, and the townsfolk shrieked in terror as they were scooped up by them. Shae ducked, pulling Regina down with her as Tinkerbell went whizzing past their heads, pulled into the forest by the vines.

"Oh my god…" Emma muttered, her hazel green eyes wide with horror as she watched the chaotic scene before her. "What do we do?"

Shae opened her mouth to reply, but shut it again as the ground beneath their feet gave another violent heave. She watched in pure horror as massive cracks began to form in the earth. Several townsfolk screamed in fright as they stumbled and fell into the abyss. Shae didn't know their names, and, suddenly, they were gone.

"What do we do?" Emma asked again, turning her wide, terrified eyes onto Shae and Remus. "WHAT DO WE DO?"

Shae stood rooted in her spot, her mouth gaping open in pure and utter horror. She watched as David swung his sword at the vine that had wrapped itself around his wife, only to be snatched up by another vine himself. She then turned to Remus, her best friend, her brother. For a moment, blood red eyes stared into blood red eyes. Then, they seemed to agree on something, and they both nodded their heads.

"Till the end?" Remus asked, holding out his hand.

Shae nodded again, firmly grasping his forearm. "Till the end." She answered.

Shae then turned to Regina, the woman that she loved, the woman that she had always loved. She stared into her deep, gorgeous brown eyes, as if she were trying to memorize them, trying to burn them into her mind. She then placed her shaking hands on either side of Regina's face, and placed a firm, passionate kiss on her lips.

"I'm sorry, Regina." She whispered. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Asked Regina, brow furrowed in confusion. "What? I… I-I don't-"

Regina didn't get to finish the rest of her sentence. Both Shae and Remus suddenly disappeared in rushing black blurs of motion. She followed those blurs with her eyes, and time seemed to slow to a crawl as she watched the utter horror that was unfolding before her. Shae and Remus reappeared at the edge of the portal, and they leapt through the air toward Dracula. They seized each of his outstretched arms, and Dracula let out a bellow of fury as he fell through the portal once again.

Suddenly, the gaping black portal to The Underworld swirled shut upon itself. All around her, townsfolk collapsed to the ground as the vines that were holding them crumbled to dust. Silence fell over the forest once again. Dracula was gone, but so was Remus, and so was Shae.

"No…" Regina whispered, her mouth gaping open in sheer horror. "Oh god… No… Shae? SHAE!"

XX

The days went by in a chaotic blur after Shae and Remus's departure into The Underworld. Regina was hysterical over losing Shae once again, and Emma and her parents tried their best to console her. Regina was determined to see the woman that she loved once again, and was determined to use The Author to do so. She threw herself into her work as a spy, trying her hardest to keep the gaping void of sorrow deep within her heart at bay. She was beside herself with joy when she learned that David and Mary Margaret had freed The Author from the storybook page that he had been trapped in. However, The Author, whose name was Isaac, proved to be a formidable wildcard, and her joy quickly crumbled to dust, for more reasons than one.

After being set free, Isaac fled from the heroes of Storybrooke, and was quickly captured by Gold. In the midst of all this, Cruella made the mistake of kidnapping Henry, who was promptly set free by his mother, Emma, who murdered Cruella by throwing her off a cliff. Shortly after that, Emma set off on a mission to New York, with Regina in tow. They set off to find Maleficent's long lost daughter, who just so happened to by Lily, Emma's old childhood friend. After basically kidnapping Lily, Emma and Regina made a pit stop at Neal's old apartment, where Robin Hood had been staying with his son, Roland, and his wife, Marian. Their pit stop was actually a rescue mission, as Marian was not actually who she seemed to be.

Only a few short days after losing Shae, Regina had blown her cover, and was found out by Gold. However, he ensured her that he had something that would make sure that she would continue to do exactly as he said. He gave her a scrap of paper, which happened to have Robin's phone number on it. When Regin dialed the numbed, she was shocked to hear Marian's voice on the other end. She was even more shocked when Marian's voice morphed into another voice, a voice that she never thought she would hear again. It was her sister's, Zelena.

The Wicked Witch of the West had somehow survived, and her spirit had been sucked in to her own time portal. She had watched as Emma, Hook, and Shae rushed about in The Enchanted Forest of the Past, attempting to right their wrongs. Then, when Emma had knocked Marian unconscious, she had taken over the young woman's body, effectively killing her in the process. Zelena was now alive and whole once again, and, most shocking of all, she was pregnant with Robin Hood's baby.

Emma Swan was sitting at the counter within Granny's diner, her grilled cheese sitting untouched. Regina had left to go speak with Robin, Maleficent was spending time with her daughter, and her parents, whom she had finally reconciled with, were out scouting with a few others to try and find Gold. The Author had momentarily been under their control, but was quickly lost to them once again, and he realigned himself with The Dark One. Storybrooke was in grave danger once again, but despite everything else, Emma's thoughts were on Shae.

Emma missed Shae something fierce. She had finally been reunited with her closest friend, only to lose her once again. She and Regina had tried to find a way to re-open the portal to The Underworld, but Shae's book was completely indecipherable to them. Now, Robin was back in Regina's life, and Emma felt nothing but anger and resentment. She knew that things with Regina, Shae, and Robin were immeasurably complicated, but she seethed over the thought of Regina running right back to Robin Hood. She breathed out a heavy sigh, burying her face in her hands. She wished with all her might for some way to bring Shae, as well as Remus, back. However, she knew deep down in her heart that it was likely impossible. None of them might ever see either Shae or Remus again.

"What the hell is that?"

Emma snapped her head up at the sudden shout from Granny. She whirled around in her stool, following everyone's wide eyed gazes. Her own hazel green eyes grew wide as well as she gazed out of the window. Just a moment ago, it had been a bright summer day. Now, there were dark, sinister looking clouds hanging low in the sky, and the wind was blowing at an alarming speed.

" _That_ doesn't look natural." Grumbled Leroy.

"No." Emma whispered in agreement, slowly sliding off of her barstool. "It looks… Magical."

Suddenly, there was a deafening bang as a massive bolt of lightning struck the ground just outside the diner. It was immediately followed by another, and everyone inside the diner had to grab on to the nearest sturdy surface they could as the bolts shook the ground beneath their feet. Emma exchanged a fearful glance with Granny, then led the way out of the diner's door as everyone inside rushed to investigate.

Emma burst through the door, and stared up at the sky in shocked and confused wonder as the dark clouds that had been looming suddenly disappeared, and the wind reduced to a warm, gentle breeze once again. She then turned her eyes onto the ground, and was absolutely shocked at what she saw. Two small craters had formed in the middle of the road where the lightning had struck, and two people were lying in the center of them, two very familiar looking people.

"Oh my god…" Granny whispered, clapping her hands over her mouth. "It's Shae! And… A-And Remus!"

Emma raced forward, her heart hammering in her chest. She stopped just between both the craters, staring down at the people lying unconscious within them. Emma could barely believe her eyes. Granny was right, it was definitely Shae, and definitely Remus.

Emma dropped slowly to her knees beside Shae, her mouth opening and closing several times, her mind racing. Suddenly, her brow furrowed, and she glanced over her shoulder at Remus's unconscious form, then back at Shae. Something was very, very wrong.

"Granny…" Emma muttered, staring wide eyed down at Shae's senseless face. "Call an ambulance.

"What?" Granny asked, raising an eyebrow at Leroy and his fellow dwarves. "Why?"

Emma swallowed hard, glancing back at Remus. His skin was no longer faintly orange from his spray tan, and it was no longer a shade of pale gray, though he was still quite pale. She then turned her eyes back onto Shae, who's complexion was also much different. Her normal pale gray skin was now olive toned, a shade that was very familiar to Emma. She knew that if Shae opened her eyes at that moment, her eyes would no longer be blood red, but a bright, piercing blue.

"I… I-I think…" Emma stammered, her bottom lip trembling. "I think they're… Human."

XX


	23. Chapter 23, Operation Mongoose

**Author's Note: Yikes. Sorry everybody. This chapter took WAAAYY too long for me to get out. A lot of dumb stuff happened which prevented me from writing for a while, but I'm back now. Future chapters will not take this long, I promise. Anyway... Enjoy Chapter 23!**

 **PS: The song in this chapter is A Thousand Years by Christina Perri**

CHAPTER 23

Emma Swan sat in the hospital waiting room with her parents, Henry, and Hook. It had been over an hour since Shae and Remus had been taken into the emergency room, and they all waited anxiously for news on their condition. All of their heads were spinning, and they couldn't believe that Shae and Remus had actually made it out of The Underworld alive. What had them the most baffled was that they were now, somehow, human.

"How do you think they did it?" Henry asked of his mother, voicing the question that was on everyone's minds.

"I don't know." Emma muttered, slowly rising to her feet when she spotted Dr. Whale heading toward them. "But I think we're about to find out."

"Whale!" David exclaimed as he and the others leapt to their feet as well. "What's going on? Are they alright?"

"Fine, they're both fine. Still out cold." Whale replied with a swift nod. "I ran some tests and did some scans, and they both appear to be perfectly healthy, other than some dehydration and malnutrition. It's as if they haven't eaten or drank anything in… Days."

"Try centuries." Hook said with a chuckle.

"Can we see them?" Asked Emma.

"You can." Answered Whale, nodding some more. "Their brain scans showed no signs of comas, so they should be waking up any time now."

They all said their thanks to Dr. Whale, and rushed off down the hall toward the room where Remus and Shae were being kept. They found both the former vampires lying in hospitals beds with IV fluids hooked up to their arms. They both were wearing the same clothes that they had when they leapt through the portal to The Underworld. One of the sleeves of Shae's black leather jacket was still torn completely off, and she now had a scar running down her bare arm, where there had once been a large gash from her fight with Dracula.

"My god." David muttered, his eyes wide. "I don't believe it. It's really them."

"I don't understand." Mary Margaret whispered, her eyes just as wide as her husband's. "How did they even get here?"

"On the back of some lightning bolts, it looked like." Emma replied with a bemused chuckle.

Hook chuckled as well. "Noisy, dangerous, and excessively dramatic. Seems awfully fitting for the two of them, doesn't it?"

Emma nodded in agreement, watching as Henry slowly walked over to Shae's bed, and sat down beside her on the edge of it. "They really _are_ human." He whispered quietly, his eyes full of wonder.

Henry reached for Shae's hand, and, as soon as his hand touched hers, Shae's now ice blue eyes snapped open. They all gasped as she sat bolt upright in her bed, drawing in a deep, shuddering gasp. Henry cried out in alarm as Shae's arm shot out like a bullet, and she grabbed him roughly by the front of his shirt, her blue eyes wide and wild.

"Shae!" Henry exclaimed. "Shae, it's me! I-It's Henry!"

Shae blinked several times, her chest heaving. "H-Henry?" She stammered, brow furrowed in confusion. She then realized that she was still clinging to Henry's shirt, and she quickly released him. "Oh! Oh god! Henry, I-I'm so sorry!"

"It's ok." Henry replied with a smile, his eyes glistening with grateful tears. "I'm just glad you're back."

"We all are." Emma said, smiling as well.

Shae's eyes grew wide once again when she noticed the others gathered in her room. "Back?" She muttered. "Wait a minute… What the hell is going on? Where am I? I… I-I feel… Weird."

"Shae, it's alright, just stay calm." Mary Margaret said gently. "You're in the hospital."

"H-Hospital?" Shae stammered. She then glanced down at her arm, and nearly leapt out of her skin at the sight of the IV in her arm. "GAH! WHAT? What the fuck is that? Get it out! GET IT OUT!"

"SHAE, NO-" Emma shouted.

Before Emma or anyone else could do anything, Shae ripped the IV right from her arm. For a split second, she sat there in her bed, staring wide eyed down at her arm. She shifted her gaze over to Emma and the others, then back down again. Blood slowly began to trickle out of the hole in the crook of her elbow, and her mouth gaped open in horror.

"AAAHHH!"

Henry leapt off of the bed in alarm, stumbling backward and onto the floor as Shae flew in to a full on panic. "OW! Holy shit, that HURTS!" Shae shrieked, her eyes wide and wild once again. "I'm bleeding! I'm… I-I'm bleeding? WHAT? HOW? Oh god… I can't breathe… I-I'm… WHAT?"

Emma rushed over to Shae's bed, and sat down next to her, clapping her hands on either side of her now olive toned face. "Shae! Shae, look at me!" She shouted over Shae's ragged and panicked breathing. "Just stay calm, ok? You're human now. You're not a vampire anymore. You're human."

"H-Human?" Shae stammered. "W-What? I don't-"

"Hey!" David called out from the other side of the room. "Looks like Remus is waking up too."

The others all whirled around as David knelt down on the side of Remus's bed. Remus was stirring weakly, and he slowly blinked his now green eyes open. "Oh… Prince Charming." He mumbled, grinning groggily up at David. "Oh, if this is a dream, I hope I never wake."

David chuckled, glancing over his shoulder at the others. "Well, at least he's still his same old self."

"Remus!"

Shae tumbled from her bed, and staggered shakily over to Remus's. David grunted as Shae shoved him roughly out of her way, and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Shae?" Remus muttered, slowly sitting forward. "What's wrong with you? You look… Strange."

"I'm human." Shae whispered, staring wide eyed into Remus's eyes. " _You're_ human. We're both… Human."

"What?" Remus muttered. He then glanced down at his own two hands, his own eyes growing wide. He then placed two fingers to his neck, and a smile slowly stretched across his face. "My god… You're right! M-My… My heartbeat! I have a heartbeat!"

"I know! Me too!" Shae said excitedly. "Look! I'm even bleeding!"

Remus gasped as Shae held out her arm. "That's wonderful!"

"So, how did you guys do it?" Henry asked them, posing the question that was on all their minds. "How'd you even get out of The Underworld?"

Both Shae and Remus's smiles faded from their faces, and Shae's arm dropped limply back to her side. "I… Don't know." She muttered.

"What?" Asked Mary Margaret. "What do you mean, you don't know?"

"Remus, what's the last thing you remember?" Shae asked in a rush.

Remus pursed his lips, staring down into his lap as he thought. "Falling through the portal with Dracula." He answered quietly. "Then… Waking up here."

"Yeah… Me too." Shae whispered.

"Seriously?" Emma exclaimed, raising her eyebrows in shock. "You guys really don't remember anything else?"

When Shae and Remus both shook their heads, the others all stared wide eyed around at each other. "Bloody hell." Mumbled Hook. "How's that even possible?"

"What the hell is going on?" Asked Emma, turning her wide, hazel green eyes back onto the two former vampires. "What happened to you guys?"

XXXXX

"Remus? REMUS?"

"Here… I'm here."

Shae scrambled up onto her feet, her whole body still trembling from the fall through the portal. She spun wildly in her spot, peering through the trees that were surrounding her. Finally, she stopped when she spotted Remus staggering to his feet as well.

"Are you alright?" She asked as she rushed over to him.

"Fine, I'm fine." Remus muttered, wincing as he rubbed his backside. "Think I might have bruised my bottom on the landing, but otherwise I'm alright."

"At least you landed on your ass." Shae replied with a chuckle. "I landed straight on my head."

Remus chuckled as well. "Well, it's a good thing vampires are nearly indestructible." He paused for a moment to observe his surroundings. "Where do you suppose we are?"

"The Underworld, I guess." Shae answered, shrugging her good shoulder, gingerly cradling her still injured arm in her other. "I have to admit, this isn't one of our greatest plans."

"Yes, well, we were in a bit of pinch, weren't we? What with Dracula floating in the goddamn air and-"

"My lord!"

Remus stopped mid sentence, and he and Shae both whirled around when they heard a sudden shout from behind them. Dracula was lying in the grass a few feet away, being carefully helped up by his ever faithful friend and servant, Lestat.

"Speak of the devil." Growled Shae.

Dracula stared bewilderedly all around him, and he narrowed his blood red eyes at both Remus and Shae once he noticed them. "What is this?" He snarled in a low, dangerous tone. "What have you done? Where have you brought me?"

"Well, since nobody seems to know how exactly to kill you, we've brought you to the one place where you can no longer do any harm." Remus answered with a triumphant grin. "Hell."

"The Underworld, specifically." Shae went on, with a grin of her own. "This is The Underworld, Dracula. It's all over now."

Dracula's eyes flashed with rage, and he balled his hands into fists. Shae and Remus both instinctively widened their stances, and bent their knees, readying themselves for a fight. However, Dracula only emitted a low chuckle, and slowly shook his head at his two old friends.

"Fools." He snarled, a dark and devious grin stretching across his pale gray face. "My pitiful, naive little children. Do you really think even the powers of hell itself can stop _me_?"

All Remus and Shae had time to do was gasp in alarm as Dracula threw out his arm toward them. They stood rigid in their spots, their bodies tensed, their eyes shut tight. But nothing happened. They both slowly, carefully, peeled their eyes back open, and found Dracula staring bewilderedly at his own hand.

"No magic?" Lestat asked in a whisper, his own blood red eyes wide.

"What do we do?" Remus whispered to Shae.

"Uhhh…" Shae droned. "Run… RUN!"

Remus and Shae both sprinted off into the forest surrounding them, away from Dracula and Lestat. "AFTER THEM!" They heard Dracula roar.

They ran as fast as their legs could carry them, finding that they also no longer had access to their vampiric powers. They were both frightened and confused, but sure of what they needed to do in that very moment. They needed to get away from the ancient and enraged vampires that were chasing them. Then, possibly, they could figure out a way to escape The Underworld, and return to the ones that they cared about in the land of the living, the ones that they loved.

Once they were a safe enough distance ahead of both Dracula and Lestat, Shae and Remus quickly ducked behind the trunk of a large tree. They held as still as statues as their pursuers raced past them. Once the sound of their pounding footsteps faded away, they both breathed out sighs of relief.

"Does this forest seem familiar to you at all, or is it just my imagination?" Remus asked of Shae, once he was sure they were alone.

Shae stared all around her, her blood red eyes growing wide when she was finally able to process their surroundings. The sky was a strange, and slightly sinister, shade of deep orange, casting the same glow on all the trees in the forest. It was all a bit distorted, but Remus was right, it was all a bit too familiar.

"Come on." Shae muttered. "This way."

Shae set off at a brisk jog, Remus following silently behind her, too worried and confused to question where exactly his friend was leading him. After several long, quiet moments, they both stopped in their tracks, staring wide eyed down at the ground.

"Is… I-Is this a road?" Remus muttered, tapping his foot against the cement.

"Holy shit… Look…"

Remus followed Shae's pointed finger, and gasped at what he saw; A bright red line painted across the width of the road, a line that was all too familiar. "What the bloody hell?" Remus whispered, his blood red eyes wide. "Shae, what the hell is going on?"

"I don't know." Shae whispered, her own eyes just as gaping wide. "But we need to-"

"There they are!"

Remus and Shae both spun around, and found Dracula and Lestat crashing through the trees and onto the road. "Shit!" Shae swore. "Go! GO!"

They took off running down the road, the other two vampires hot on their heels. Shae took a sharp turn back into the forest, with Remus right behind her. The two of them had done so much running away together in their past, that it was practically instinct. Remus kept in time with Shae's frantic footsteps with expert precision as she wound her way erratically through the trees. Finally, they seemed to have given their pursuers the slip once again. They found their way back onto the mysterious and familiar road, and continued to follow it for a while.

The forest began to thin as they continued on down the road, and, soon, they found themselves in the midst of a modern looking town. Shae and Remus both slowed to a stop, their mouths gaping open as they stared all around them. Though the buildings were cast with the same orange glow from the sky as everything else, they were all still eerily familiar. Crowds of people that neither of the vampires recognized were milling about this way and that, men, women, and children alike. Though the people around them weren't familiar, the road that they were standing in the midst of was, as was the building sitting in front of them. Somehow, they were standing on an exact replica of Main Street Storybrooke. Sitting in front of them, was none other than Granny's Diner.

"Remus…" Shae muttered, unable to believe what her eyes were seeing. "Are you sure you cast the spell right?"

"Positive." Remus muttered back, staring wide eyed at the diner.

Shae swallowed the hard lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "So… S-So this is… The Underworld?"

"Uh huh." Remus replied with a slow, bewildered nod.

Shae nodded back, swallowing hard once again. She peeled her eyes away from the diner, and turned her head toward her friend. "Remus…" She whispered softly, her blood red eyes filled with fear. "Why the hell does The Underworld look _exactly_ like Storybrooke?"

XXXXX

Emma and the others continued to question Shae and Remus about how exactly they had returned from The Underworld, and how they had somehow become human. However, their efforts were fruitless. Neither of the former vampires remembered a thing. It frightened and confused the both of them, but they didn't have time to dwell on the question of what exactly had returned them to the world of the living, and returned them to mortal life.

The Charming family and Hook quickly brought Remus and Shae up to speed on the situation in Storybrooke, which was, as usual, quite dire. They told them everything, but were careful to leave out the fact that Zelena, the witch who had nearly murdered Shae, was still alive, and pregnant, and that Robin Hood was once again back in Storybrooke. Shae and Remus were both alarmed to learn that The Author had actually been found and freed, only to wind up in the clutches of The Dark One. They were even more shocked when they learned that Gold had left out a crucial part of his plan, and had only spoken about it to his wife, Belle.

Mr. Gold was, in a sense, dying. His heart had been so blackened by the foul deeds he had done over the centuries that the blackness was on the verge of completely consuming him. Once it did, he would lose all ability to love. The man that was once Rumplestiltskin would be no more, and only The Dark One would remain. There would be nothing but darkness left, nothing but evil, and he was going to use The Author to stop it all. He was going to change his very fate, and, in the process, the fate of everyone else in Storybrooke. At that very moment, The Author was writing a new story, creating a new world, one where the villains got everything they wanted, and the heroes got nothing but misery.

"My god." Remus whispered, his blood red eyes wide. "What do we do? H-How do we stop them?"

"I don't think we can." David answered, breathing out a sad, heavy sigh. "We already tried. We saw Gold going into his shop with The Author, but he stopped us from getting anywhere near the place."

"Seriously?" Shae exclaimed with a disbelieving snort. "I thought you said he was weak!"

"He is." Mary Margaret replied, her face grave. "But he's still a hell of a lot stronger than anyone else in this town. Especially now that our two heaviest hitters don't have powers anymore."

Shae exchanged an anxious, knowing glance with Remus, and all failed to notice it, all except for Emma. However, she decided to remain silent. "What about Regina?" Remus asked. "I've seen the things she can do. Surely she can put a stop to all this."

"Where _is_ Regina?" Asked Shae, glancing around at all the others. "I'd… I-I'd really like to see her."

"Oh." Emma whispered, staring wide eyed at her parents. "I, uh… Think we forgot to call her."

Emma reached into the pocket of her red leather jacket, and pulled out her cellphone. She was just about to pull up Regina's number, and jumped when her phone started ringing in her hand. "It's… Regina." She muttered, then put the phone up to her ear. "Hello? I'm at the hospital. Where are you?"

Emma removed her phone from her ear, and frowned down at it. "Did you just-" Mary Margaret started to ask.

"She already hung up on me." Emma cut her off, waving her hand dismissively at her mother. She then turned to Shae. "I guess she's… Already on her way."

"What?" Asked Hook, brow furrowed in confusion. "How?"

Emma simply shrugged, and Henry was the one to answer. "She already knows." He said, smiling at Shae. "It's your true love. She just knows that you're back."

Shae smiled back at him. "You really think so?"

"What else could it be?" Henry replied, shrugging himself.

Shae laughed loudly, and got up from where she had been sitting on Remus's bed. "You're so goddamn smart." She muttered, pulling Henry into a tight hug. "I missed you so much."

Henry laughed too. "I missed you too, Shae."

"I'm more interested in how exactly you two became human." David said, smiling fondly at Shae and his grandson. "What the hell happened to you guys in The Underworld? And why don't you remember?"

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, releasing Henry and glancing over at Remus. "I have no idea."

XXXXX

"Why does The Underworld look _exactly_ like Storybrooke?"

Remus opened his mouth to respond, but shut it again when he and Shae both heard the sound of shouting from down the street. They turned toward the sound, and spotted Dracula and Lestat shoving their way roughly through a crowd of people, knocking over anyone who stood in their path.

"What do we do?" Remus asked of his friend in a whisper.

"Come on, this way." Shae replied, grabbing Remus by the arm. "I have an idea."

Shae raced off down the street, away from Dracula and Lestat, Remus following carefully behind her. Remus continued to follow her back into the forest, where she wound swiftly through the trees, to throw off their pursuers and buy some time. Once Dracula and Lestat were lost from sight, Shae set a new course, and led Remus out of the main part of town. She was elated when she finally spotted a large mansion sitting atop a small cliff on the outskirts of town. Though this mansion was a bit run down and decrepit, it was nearly an exact replica of the one in the real Storybrooke, the one that belonged to the fabled sorcerer.

"Shae!" Remus exclaimed as he followed his friend into the large backyard of the mansion. "Shae, what the hell is going on? What exactly are you scheming?"

"Well," Shae began with a knowing grin. "If this is really The Underworld, then that-"

Remus gasped in alarm as he stood next to Shae at the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean. However, this ocean was unlike any body of water either of the vampires had seen before. The water itself was a dark, murky shade of green. What was most alarming were the glowing, fluorescent green shapes that were darting about this way and that within it. They appeared to be humanoid, and some of them even appeared to have faces, haunted, tortured looking faces. There were hundreds of them floating in the water, thousands, even.

"Acheron." Shae stated quietly, a wide grin still stretching across her face. "Better known as The River of Lost Souls."

"'Lost Souls?'" Remus asked, brow furrowed in confusion. "What exactly does that mean?"

"Whoever touches that water gets a fate a whole lot worse than death." Shae explained, pointing down at the waters below them. "They just… Float around in there, no solid form, no way out. They're just… Stuck. Forever."

"My god." Remus whispered, running a hand through his chestnut brown hair. "How exactly do you know about all this?"

"I took a class on Greek Mythology." Shae answered. "I told you, remember? I went to Yale."

"Right… That's right." Muttered Remus. "I've heard good things."

Shae gave him a one armed shrug. "Eh, it was alright. I mostly just drank a lot and smoked a lot of pot. Graduated with a Bachelor's degree though."

"In what?"

"Women's Studies."

Remus rolled his eyes at the grin on Shae's face. "Of course." He said with a chuckle. He then cleared his throat, and gestured at the waters below them. "So, what's the plan, then?"

"Right, well, even without magic, it won't take Dracula long to find us again." Shae replied, shrugging her good shoulder. "Once he does, we'll send him and Lestat into the river, then find a way back home."

"'Back home?'" Remus exclaimed, snorting loudly. "Shae, this is The Underworld! I'm not sure if there even _is_ a way back!"

"No! Don't say that!" Shae shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Remus. "It's like Snow and Charming always say. You gotta have hope. It always finds a way. True love, it… I-It always finds a way."

Remus opened his mouth to retort, but shut it again when he saw the tears welling into his best friend's eyes. He watched with a heavy heart as Shae sat down on the edge of the cliff, wiping at the stray tears that had leaked onto her cheeks. He breathed out a heavy sigh, then sat down next to her.

"I'm sorry, Shae." Remus muttered quietly. "I know you want to get back to Regina. I'm sorry I was so rude to her. I'm just… Protective, is all. Ever since Nadia, I just… I-I want you to be happy."

"I know." Shae muttered back, giving her best friend a weak smile. "I know she's put me through a lot, but I've put _her_ through a lot too. Our relationship has always been… Tumultuous."

"Oh, good word!" Remus said with a grin.

Shae chuckled. "Thanks." She replied, grinning back at him. She then cleared her throat, and turned her eyes back onto the river below them, her grin slowly fading. "I've lost a lot, Remus, we both have. Life has taken so much from us." She whispered softly. "I know what we did was right, but I just… I can't let anything take Regina away from me. I won't. Not anymore." She paused for a moment, clenching her jaw tight as more tears welled into her eyes. "I'll crawl my way out of fucking hell itself if I have to."

"I understand." Mumbled Remus, slowly nodding his head. "You remember Anders, don't you?" When Shae nodded, he went on. "We were so in love." He whispered, smiling a small, wistful smile. "He was the only man I ever loved, really. And when his father found out, when he sent him away, I just… Well, you remember."

"Yeah." Shae whispered sadly. "It was rough. I'm sorry."

"It's alright. It was a long, long time ago." Remus replied, smiling at Shae with tears in his eyes. "I just… Hope he's happy. Somehow, someway."

"I mean… You don't think he's, you know… Dead by now?" Shae asked slowly, carefully.

"Well, you know how long people like _him_ live." Remus replied. They grew quiet for a while, until Remus finally broke the silence between them. "Do you think… D-Do you think _all_ souls come here after they die?"

Shae thought for a moment before she replied. "I'm not sure." She said with a small, one armed shrug. "There's a lot of different versions of the afterlife that people believe in. Since there's _a lot_ of different worlds, it's not hard to believe that there's other places to go besides this one."

"Yes, I suppose you're right." Remus muttered. "But, do you… Do you think that Nadia might be here?"

Shae bit her lip, staring down at the swirling, glowing souls in the waters below. "I don't know." She whispered softly. "I would hope she'd be somewhere better, you know?"

"Oh, but I think this place is quite lovely!"

Remus and Shae gave a start at the sudden voice that spoke from behind them. They both leapt to their feet in alarm. They quickly spun around, and found Dracula standing a few yards behind them near the back porch of the mansion, Lestat at his side.

"I think _someone_ has created a very nice version of your Storybrooke." Dracula went on with a knowing grin. "I actually think I like this one better than the original."

Shae furrowed her brow at Remus, then they both turned their eyes back onto Dracula. "What do you know, Dracula?" Growled Shae.

Dracula barked out a mocking laugh. "Oh, I know everything." He said, tapping a finger to his temple. "It's unfortunate that you two will never know a thing. I'm going to kill you before you find out."

"Fine." Shae snarled. "Do it."

Remus turned his head, staring at Shae with wide, fearful eyes. "What?" He exclaimed.

"Let's finish this!" Shae shouted, taking an angry step forward. "Let's end this once and for all, Dracula!"

"Do it, my lord!" Lestat whispered excitedly. "Rip their filthy hearts right out of their chests!"

Dracula slowly fell back into a battle ready stance, breathing out a low, dangerous chuckle. "With pleasure, my friend."

"COME ON!" Shae bellowed, beckoning Dracula with her good arm. "Come at us!"

"What?" Remus exclaimed again.

Dracula and Lestat both bellowed out furious war cries, and charged head long at Shae and Remus. "Remus, do you trust me?" Shae whispered to her friend.

Remus nodded hastily, keeping his wide, fearful eyes locked on the two vampires rushing toward him. "With my life."

"Good." Shae replied, also carefully watching both Lestat and Dracula. "Don't move until I tell you."

"What?" Remus shouted once more.

Dracula and Lestat were closing in on them, both snarling viciously. "Wait for it." Shae told Remus, falling back into a battle ready stance herself.

"Shae…" Remus muttered as he followed suit.

"Wait for it…" Shae said again, as the two furious vampires drew ever closer, their feet pounding into the grass and dirt.

Dracula and Lestat were mere feet away, and both Shae and Remus could see the redness of their eyes. "SHAE!" Remus screamed.

"NOW!"

Shae and Remus both leapt aside, throwing themselves onto the ground at the very edge of the cliff. They turned their heads around just in time to see Dracula and Lestat attempting to skid to a stop. Lestat stumbled, and screamed in terror as he began to fall over the side. For a moment, both Shae and Remus's stomachs dropped as Dracula managed to successfully stop himself right at the edge. However, Lestat reached out to his friend and master, and grabbed on to his arm as he fell. Suddenly, they were both gone, and there was a faint splash as the ancient and powerful vampires fell into The River of Lost Souls.

"My god." Remus whispered, staring wide eyed at the spot where Dracula had just been. "Shae… Shae, we did it."

Shae nodded as she shakily pushed herself up onto her feet. She grinned triumphantly at Remus, and Remus grinned back at her. Shae opened her mouth to speak, but her words caught in her throat when she felt something grab her by the ankle. She caught a quick glimpse of Dracula's snarling face, before she was dragged over the side of the cliff.

"SHAE!"

Remus threw himself flat on the ground on the edge of the cliff, and managed to grab on to Shae's hand. Shae smacked painfully against the rocky side of the cliff, and she blinked dazedly for a moment. She then turned her eyes down, and saw Dracula clinging to her ankle, his blood red eyes wide and wild with fury.

"If this is the final chapter of our story, then it ends with THE BOTH OF US!" Dracula screamed.

"Shae!" Remus shouted, panic in his voice as his body was dragged forward by the weight of both Shae and Dracula. "Shae, give me your other hand!"

Shae grunted and groaned as she tried to lift her injured arm. "I can't!" She shouted up at Remus. "It's… I-It's dislocated!"

Remus cried out in alarm as he was dragged forward another inch, and he dug his free hand into the dirt, clinging to cliff as he held on desperately to his beloved friend. "I can't hold on!" He shouted, Shae's hand slowly slipping through his grip.

"It's ok, Remus! Just let go!" Shae shouted back, her voice cracking as tears began to pour down her panicked face. "Just… Just promise me you'll find a way back! Promise me you'll take care of Regina!"

"NO!" Remus screamed, frightened tears rushing down his own pale face. "Till the end, remember?"

"Remus…" Shae whispered, her already wide eyes growing even wider. "No… NO!"

Remus wrenched his hand from the grass and dirt. Dracula screamed in part fury, part terror as Remus slipped over the side of the cliff. Shae and Remus both clung desperately to each other's hands as they fell. They squeezed their eyes shut as the glowing green souls in the water rushed up to meet them.

XXXXX

Emma Swan paced the length of the hospital waiting room. She had left Remus and Shae in the care of her parents, Hook, and Henry, while she waited for Regina to arrive. Her heart pounded in her chest as she pondered what exactly Gold and The Author were planning for the people of Storybrooke at that very moment. However, she had little time to worry about the town's impending doom, as the waiting room doors burst open, and Regina rushed in.

Emma smiled when she saw Regina, but her smile quickly disappeared when she spotted Robin Hood following close behind her. "What's he doing here?" Emma asked of Regina.

"It's fine, we were just talking." Regina said in a rush. She then gripped Emma's hands tight, staring urgently into her eyes. "It's Shae, she's back, isn't she?"

"Uh… Yeah, her _and_ Remus." Emma muttered, brow furrowed in confusion. "How did you know?"

Regina shook her head, and Emma realized that her hands were trembling. "I… I-I don't know. I just… Felt it." She muttered. "Here, look."

Emma watched in alarm as Regina reached into her own chest, grunting in pain as she magically removed her own heart. "Holy shit." Emma whispered, her hazel green eyes growing wide. "It's… Whole."

Regina nodded, grunting once again as she shoved her now complete heart back into her own chest. "Is Shae here?" She asked of Emma, squeezing her hands tight, her own trembling violently. "Can I see her? Please, I… I-I _need_ to see her!"

"Yeah, she's this way." Emma said, pointing down the hallway toward Shae and Remus's room. She began to lead the way, but stopped when she realized Robin was following them. "Um… It's probably best if _you_ stay here."

Robin nodded in understanding, and Emma rushed back off down the hallway, Regina following closely behind her. When they reached Shae and Remus's room, they found Shae sitting back in her own bed, one of the hospital nurses placing the IV carefully back in her arm. She glanced up when she heard footsteps in the doorway, and her now olive toned face lit up with joy.

"Regina." She whispered.

"Shae!" Regina exclaimed.

Regina didn't seem to care at all that there were other people in the room, her son included. She was so overwhelmed with joy that she rushed straight over to Shae's bed, and threw herself on top of her. She straddled her waist, her eyes streaming with joyful, grateful tears as she placed a kiss on Shae's lips. Shae wrapped her arms around the woman she loved, the woman that she had always loved, holding her tight as their lips parted.

"You came back." Regina whispered, smiling into the eyes of the woman that _she_ loved, the woman that she had always loved.

"I always come back." Shae whispered back, smiling as she tucked a stray lock of Regina's hair behind her ear. "I will _always_ come back."

Regina choked out a strangled sob of joy, and placed another grateful, passionate kiss Shae's lips. The others all smiled around at each other, watching as the two lover's were reunited once again. For a brief moment, they took solace in the joyous reunion, though the impending doom of Gold and The Author's scheme was only a hair's breadth from their minds.

"Wait a minute…" Regina muttered as she suddenly pulled away from Shae's lips, frowning in a confused way into her now bright blue eyes. "You… A-Are you-"

"Human?" Shae finished for her with a smile. "Yeah. Remus too."

"Hello!" Remus called out from his bed, dramatically rolling his eyes as he waved in Regina's direction. "I'm back too. And fine, as well. Thanks for bloody asking."

Regina laughed, smiling at Remus as Shae wrapped her arms tightly around her. "I'm glad you're back too Remus. But… I just… I-I don't under-"

Regina stopped mid sentence as she heard a sudden shuffling in the doorway. She turned her torso around, and her brown eyes grew wide when she saw Robin. "Hey!" Emma chastised him. "I thought I told you to wait in the lobby!"

"Sorry, I-I'm sorry. I just had to see for myself." Robin stammered, staring at Remus and Shae with wide, baffled eyes. Slowly, a joyful smile crept across his face. "My god… Shae, Remus… I'm so glad to see you alive and well, and-"

"What the FUCK?" Shae suddenly shouted, cutting Robin off. She stared into Regina's eyes, pointing a quivering finger at her true love's other true love. "What the hell is _he_ doing here?"

Regina glanced quickly at Robin, then back at Shae. Her mouth opened and closed several times, her bottom lip trembling. "Shae… Shae, listen." She whispered, placing her quivering hands on either side of Shae's face. "It's not what you think. Robin was-"

The rest of Regina's words caught in her throat as Shae shoved her roughly off of her lap. A loud smack resonated around the room as Regina hit the floor. "Regina!" Mary Margaret exclaimed as she rushed toward her. "Oh my god! Are you ok?"

Regina nodded as Mary Margaret helped her back to her feet. At that same moment, Shae breathed out an enraged snarl as she pulled the IV from her arm once again, more blood trickling from the small hole left by the needle. She stumbled forward, shoving Hook out of her way. David grabbed on to Robin's arm, and pulled him protectively behind him. Shae didn't seem to care, and she continued to stagger toward the door.

"Shae!" Regina exclaimed, choking out a strangled sob as she grabbed on to Shae's arm. "Shae, please, just listen, I-"

"NO!" Shae shouted, wrenching her arm out of Regina's grip as she rounded furiously on her. "I'M DONE LISTENING!" She screamed in Regina's face. She then leaned closer, glaring viciously into her true love's eyes. "Every time I turn my back, _he's_ right there waiting. I'm done with this, Regina. I'm fucking done."

Shae then turned on her heel, and stomped out the door. Regina sobbed loudly, and made to go after her, but was stopped by Remus, who had also vacated his bed. "Don't!" Remus snarled at her. "I will _not_ let you hurt her anymore. If you truly care about Shae, if you truly love her… Then you will stay the HELL AWAY FROM HER!"

Regina flinched at Remus's violent outburst, choking out another strangled sob as he left the room as well, hurrying after Shae. Both Henry and Mary Margaret supported Regina as she sunk down onto her knees, burying her face in her hands as she wept.

"It's ok, Mom." Henry whispered as he gently rubbed his mother's back. "It's… I-It's gonna be ok."

Emma breathed out a heavy sigh as Regina continued to sob on the floor, running shaking hands through her long blonde hair. "Look, I know this is all insane right now," She began to say, her voice as equally shaky. "But we need to try and focus on our _real_ problem."

"Gold." David said as he stepped away from Robin. " _And_ The Author."

"I… I-I don't understand…" Regina muttered, turning her tear stained face up onto the others. "How did they get back? H-How are they… Human?"

Emma sighed once again, and slowly shook her head. "We don't know, Regina." She quietly replied. "Nothing in _this_ world has that kind of power, _that's_ for sure."

"Aye." Hook muttered, his face grave. "The only thing that I could possibly think of that has _that_ kind of power is… Is some kind of… God!"

XXXXX

Shae grunted as her body smacked onto something flat and solid. She shakily pushed herself up onto her elbows, turning her head toward the sound of Remus groaning from beside her. She shifted her eyes back in front of her, and they grew wide when she realized that she was staring at some sort of gray, marble floor.

"Remus…" Shae muttered, pushing herself up onto her knees. "Remus, are you alright?"

"Fine, I'm fine." Remus muttered as well as he sat forward. "What's going on? Where the hell are we?"

Shae slowly shook her head, her mouth gaping open as she stared all around her. They were in some sort of hall, surrounded by a long line of tall stone pillars, stretching up as far as they eye could see. A thick layer of white mist surrounded them, obscuring the ceiling and whatever was on the outskirts of the pillars. It looked as if the room stretched on forever.

"What is this?" Shae whispered, her blood red eyes wide. "I-Is this The River of Lost Souls?"

"Thankfully, no."

Remus and Shae both nearly leapt out of their skin at the sudden soft voice. They both scrambled to their feet, and found a man standing a few feet behind them. He was relatively young, and had a short crop of dark brown hair. He was garbed in some sort of white toga, trimmed with gold.

"W-Who the hell are you?" Remus demanded of the man.

The strange man chuckled lightly. "I'm sorry if I startled you." He said, smiling a warm, friendly smile at the two vampires. "I am Zeus. It's a pleasure to finally meet you both."

"Zeus." Shae muttered, her blood red eyes growing even wider. "Y-You're… Zeus? As in… _The_ Zeus?"

"Yes, that's right." Replied Zeus, smiling another warm, welcoming smile. "I apologize if I'm not recognizable to you. I grew tired of the long white beard after a few centuries."

Shae chuckled nervously, her eyes shifting all around her. "C-Cool… Yeah, I get that." She stammered, exchanging an anxious glance with Remus. "What, uh… What exactly is going on?"

Zeus chuckled as well. "Yes, I imagine you're a bit disoriented. I _did_ pluck you out of your predicament quite suddenly." Remus and Shae both remained silent, eyeing Zeus warily as he slowly walked toward them. "My apologies, again. I wanted to make sure that the two of you didn't actually fall into that accursed river my brother loves so much. Not after all that you've done."

"Your brother?" Shae asked, raising an eyebrow at Zeus. "You mean… Hades?"

"Indeed." Zeus confirmed as he stood before the two vampires.

"Who's Hades?" Asked Remus, looking to his friend, his face alarmed and confused, then back at Zeus. "And… A-And who is _he_?"

"He's a god, Remus." Shae explained in a rush. "Hades is the god of The Underworld, and Zeus is the god of… Well… Olympus. The… T-The… Upperworld?"

Zeus laughed amusedly. "Indeed! Very well put."

"I see." Remus muttered, slowly nodding his head, his blood red eyes wide. "So, why… W-Why did you save us?"

Zeus simply smiled fondly at both Shae and Remus for a moment before he replied. "You have done well, both of you." He answered, still smiling. "If Dracula had remained in my brother's realm, he would have wreaked havoc on the land of the dead, _and_ the living. You have saved both worlds, and I simply wish to repay you."

"Repay us?" Asked Shae, furrowing her brow at Remus. "How?"

"By returning you to your world."

Both Remus and Shae's jaws dropped open in shock, and they gaped silently at each other for a moment. "You… Y-You can… Do that?" Stammered Remus.

"Of course." Replied Zeus. Suddenly, his smile faded, and his face turned quite grave. "However, all magic comes with a price, even magic such as mine."

Shae and Remus exchanged another anxious glance. "What kind of price?" Shae asked warily.

"I can return you to your world, to your friends." Zeus replied, glancing very seriously between the two vampires. "But only as mortal beings. The price will be to let go of the creatures that you have become, and your immortality."

"Wait… W-Wait a minute." Remus stammered, shaking his head in utter bewilderment. "You're saying that… T-That if you send us back, w-we'll be… Human?"

"That's right." Zeus answered with a nod. He then turned his gaze onto Shae. "Also, your heart will be restored anew. You will be free to do with it what you will once again, though I think we all know where exactly it will lead you."

"This… T-This is wonderful!" Remus exclaimed, grinning excitedly as he gripped Shae's arm tight. "Shae, this is what I've been searching for! But, I-I mean… A-Are you-"

"Yeah." Shae said with a smile. "I'm ok with it."

"I'm sorry, but there is… Another price."

The smiles quickly faded from Remus and Shae's faces. They looked expectantly to Zeus, who quietly went on. "I'm sure you are wondering why my brother's realm looks exactly like your Storybrooke." When Shae and Remus both nodded, he continued. "There is a very particular reason, one that you two cannot know just yet. You will learn the answer eventually, as will the rest of your friends. However, everything must reveal itself in it's own time, and _now_ is not yours."

Shae swallowed the hard, fearful lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "W-What exactly are you saying?"

"I must take your memories of all that has transpired here today." Zeus replied. "I will return you to your world several days from when you first fell through the portal. That is when you will be needed most. You will remember nothing of The Underworld, nothing of me, nor how you became human." Zeus paused for a moment, staring at the two vampires very seriously. "I'm sorry, but that is simply how it must be. Do you agree to these terms?"

Shae and Remus both turned their heads toward each other. For a moment, blood red eyes stared into blood red eyes. Then, smiles slowly creeped across both their faces, as they silently agreed, and silently decided.

"I think we can live with that." Shae said with a grin.

"Excellent!" Zeus exclaimed merrily, clapping his hands together. "Though you will not remember, I do want you both to know that you have my sincere thanks."

Zeus then waved his hand in Remus's direction, and Shae gasped in alarm as her oldest and dearest friend disappeared right before her eyes. "Hey!" She exclaimed. "W-Where-"

"I've sent him back." Zeus cut in, smiling warmly at Shae. "And you are next, my friend."

Zeus stepped up to Shae, and placed his hands on either side of her face. Shae suddenly found herself smiling into the eyes of a god. "Take care, Shae." Zeus whispered, smiling back at her. "We _will_ see each other again. Very soon."

XXXXX

"Shae! SHAE!"

Shae stomped down the Storybrooke sidewalk, ignoring Remus's shouting. Her clenched fists trembled with rage from inside the pockets of her leather jacket, her now beating heart racing within her chest. It was a strange feeling, but, still, slightly familiar. She wished that, for the first time in long time, she could enjoy the feeling of the crisp morning air in her lungs. However, she was too enraged, too hurt to care.

"Shae, STOP!"

Remus finally caught up with Shae, and grabbed on to her arm. "We need to talk." He said sternly.

"Not now, Remus." Shae grumbled, wrenching her arm out of Remus's grip as she continued walking.

"Yes, now!" Remus shouted, jerking Shae to a stop as he seized her arm once again. He glanced quickly around him, and when he was sure they would not be overheard, he went on in a low tone. "Listen, I don't know how, I don't know why, but… We're mortal now. And you know as well as I do what _that_ means."

"Yeah, I know, ok?" Shae growled impatiently. "Don't worry, nobody knows about my magic. Well… Except Emma."

"You told Emma?" Exclaimed Remus.

"Relax!" Replied Shae. "I trust her. She won't tell anyone, I promise."

"You'd better hope not." Remus warned in another quiet tone. "If anyone else finds out, it could be catastrophic. Even worlds away, it's much too dangerous. You know what will happen if _they_ find us."

"I know. I won't use any magic, I promise." Shae replied. Remus nodded, seemingly satisfied, and Shae went on. "Right, well, it looks like we're about to be sucked into The Author's new world. I'm gonna go find him."

Remus's jaw dropped open as Shae turned her back on him, and continued walking. "What are you going to do?" He called after her.

Shae clenched her fists inside her jacket pockets, her now blue eyes welling with painful, angry tears as she thought about Robin Hood, as she thought about Regina. "I'm putting an end to this."

XX

Mr. Gold was lying on the floor of his shop, his back leaning up against one of his glass display cases. He clutched at his aching chest, where his heart was slowly growing blacker and blacker within. He glanced up at Isaac, The Author, who was standing behind the counter with his magical quill in hand, scribbling in his book titled, 'Heroes and Villains.'

"Are you… Close?" Gold wheezed.

Isaac emitted a low chuckle. "Hang in there, Dark One. Don't let that heart turn to coal just yet." He said with a grin. "You're going to be just fine. Better than ever."

Just then, the shop door burst open. "You." Gold snarled, narrowing his eyes at Shae, who was standing in the doorway. "You have a nasty habit of always turning up again. Like a pesky fly."

"Shut up, Gold." Shae snarled back. She stepped into the shop, and stopped in front of the counter. "So… You must be The Author."

"The names Isaac." Isaac replied, not even bothering to glance up at Shae as he continued writing. "And you are Shae, the biggest pain in the ass I've ever had the displeasure of writing about."

Shae's jaw dropped open in offended shock. "Say what, now?"

Isaac paused his writing for a moment to give Shae an icy glare. "You're always walking that line between good and evil." He replied in a low, irritable tone. "Occasionally stepping a toe over one side or the other, but never actually choosing. It's maddening."

"Oh, come on!" Shae exclaimed, spreading her arms wide. "Everybody loves an anti-hero!"

"Not. Me." Growled Isaac. "What do you want, anyway? Are you here to try and stop me? I'm afraid you're too little, too late."

Shae glanced quickly over at Gold, then back at Isaac. "No." She mumbled. "I'm not going to stop you. Send us into whatever world you want, I don't even care. Just do me a favor and unwrite my true love with Regina."

Isaac barked out a mocking laugh, and continued to scribble in his book. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I can't." He replied, waving his other hand dismissively. "Not even _my_ power is strong enough to undo a bond of true love."

"Fine!" Shae snarled, slamming her fist into the counter. "Then just… Make me forget her."

Silence fell over the pawn shop for a moment. Isaac stopped writing once again, and slowly set down his quill. He glanced up from his book and into Shae's eyes, his lips curling into a dark, devious grin.

"No."

Shae's jaw dropped open all over again. "What?" She exclaimed.

"I'm creating a world where up is down." Answered Isaac, still grinning. "In _my_ new world, the villains are the ones who get what they want, and the heroes get nothing. You're a hero now, Shae. You've finally chosen, and, if I must say, you've chosen very poorly."

Shae scoffed indignantly. "I'm not a hero!"

"Of course you are!" Isaac shouted, leaning across the counter to better glare into Shae's eyes. "You said so yourself, remember? Besides, look at what you did with Dracula. You and your pal Remus sacrificed your own lives to rid this world of him. That's the stuff of heroes right there, and you will pay the hero's price."

Shae growled out an enraged snarl, and drew back her fist. "Ah-ah!" Isaac warned, pressing his quill quickly back to the paper. "One more step and your life in my new world will be even more miserable than I've already written it, as will Regina's."

Shae gritted her teeth in anger, and slowly lowered her arm. "What do you mean, 'worse?'"

Isaac breathed out a low, dangerous chuckle, turning his eyes back down onto his book as he continued writing. "I've made sure that Regina is the one thing that you _will_ remember." He answered, still grinning deviously. "And, once I'm finished… You'll never see her again."

Shae swallowed the hard, fearful lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "He's almost done, dearie." Gold sneered from his spot on the floor. "I'd say your goodbyes while you can."

Shae's now blue eyes grew wide, and she slowly backed away toward the door. "Just two more words." Isaac said, his devious grin growing even wider. "The… End."

The pawn shop's door burst open with a bang. Shae staggered out onto the street, her heart hammering in her chest. She turned in her spot for a moment, running her hands through her messy black hair, her mind reeling with panic.

"Shae!"

Shae spun around, and found a small group of people a few yards away from her, walking toward Gold's shop. She saw Emma and Remus, and an old man with a bushy beard that she did not recognize. She did, however, recognize Regina amongst them. Her heart lurched when she saw the woman that she loved.

"REGINA!"

Shae broke into a run, her vision tunneling in on the deep brown eyes that she loved so much. Though she no longer had her powers of enhanced sight, she could still see those eyes clear as day. As soon as she did, the moment she spotted them, she knew that she had made a terrible mistake. She didn't want to forget Regina, she didn't want to lose her, not again. All she wanted was to have her back in her arms, to tell her that she loved her one last time.

When Regina saw the panicked look on Shae's face, she ran toward her, and Shae pushed her legs as fast as they could possibly go. Her feet pounded into the pavement, her chest heaving with exertion. She was so close, Regina's gorgeous brown eyes now clearer than ever before. Shae reached for Regina's hand, Regina reached for her's. Shae's vision tunneled in once again, this time on Regina's hand. She watched as their fingertips grew closer and closer. She opened her mouth to shout to Regina, to scream those three words that meant everything, and-

X-X-X-X-X

The sound of lively chatter filled the air within the tiny, grubby tavern. Shae smiled as she glanced around at all the townsfolk who were eating and drinking merrily. It wasn't exactly the kind of place that either she or Regina would have chosen to spend their anniversary, but, since they had spent the entirety of their relationship on the run from The Evil Queen, their choices were slim. Neither of them minded, however. They had each other, and that was all that mattered.

"Here you go." Regina said as she returned to the table where Shae was sitting, handing her a flagon of ale. "They look to be… Relatively clean, at least."

Shae laughed as Regina frowned down into her own flagon. "It's perfect." She said with a smile.

Regina scoffed, and rolled her eyes at the woman she loved. "Hardly."

Shae laughed again, and reached across the table, gently squeezing Regina's hand. "We could be spending tonight in a swamp for all I care." She reassured her lover. "As long as I have you, I'm happy."

Regina smiled at the woman that she loved, and leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "How did I get so lucky?" She whispered, smiling into Shae's piercing blue eyes. "Who would have thought that when I set out to find that enchanted mirror in the forest, I was _really_ going to find the love of my life?"

Shae smiled against Regina's lips as she kissed her again. Years ago, when Snow White first set out to have Regina killed, Regina fled into the forest outside The Queen's castle, and sought out a magical mirror, one that was a portal to another world. At that exact same time, Shae had been fleeing that very world, and met Regina upon exiting the mirror. The two of them narrowly escaped Snow White's soldiers, and ran away into the woods together. They fell deeply in love shortly after, and had been inseparable ever since.

Today was the anniversary of that very day, the day Shae and Regina first met. Something had been burning in Shae's mind throughout the entire day, something very important. She silently fiddled with the ring on her own finger, hoping that Regina would say, 'yes.'

"Regina, listen." Shae began to say, taking Regina's hand in her own. "I know our life hasn't exactly been easy, but I want you to know that these last few years I've spent by your side have been… The happiest of my life. I love you more than anything, more than words can possibly describe."

"Oh, Shae." Regina whispered, smiling as she gently caressed Shae's cheek. "I love you too. You're right, the life of a bandit on the run from The Evil Queen hasn't been easy on either of us. But I'm happy too, happier than I've ever been."

"I'm glad to hear you say that." Shae whispered back, smiling back into her lover's eyes. "Because there's something I want to ask you."

Shae removed her ring from her finger, and Regina gasped as she dropped down onto one knee in front of her. Regina placed her hand over her mouth in shock, her deep brown eyes welling with tears as she stared down at the gorgeous, smiling face of the woman she loved so very much. For a moment, the dirty tavern surrounding them completely disappeared. In that moment, nothing else mattered, nothing in the entire world, except for the two of them, and their deep, unyielding love for each other.

"Regina…" Shae whispered, her own blight blue eyes shimmering with tears. "Will you-"

Suddenly, Shae's words were cut off by the sound of a great rumbling from outside the tavern, coupled with horses braying into the night air. "Black Knights!" A townswoman near the window shouted.

"Dammit!" Shae snarled, placing her ring back onto her finger.

"We have to go." Regina whispered, her brown eyes wide. "Now!"

Shae nodded, and as the rest of the villagers crowded around the windows, she and Regina hoisted their packs onto their shoulders. "My god!" One of the villagers suddenly exclaimed. "I-It's The Queen! She's here! SHE'S HERE!"

Regina and Shae both froze where they stood, both of their hearts dropping deep into the pit of their stomachs. "No." Regina breathed, her bottom lip trembling. "She… S-She found us already!"

"Regina, come on." Shae said quietly, grabbing on to Regina's arm. "We have to go, we have to-"

Suddenly, the tavern door burst open with a bang. Shae and Regina both froze once again, both of their eyes wide with fright. Snow White, The Evil Queen, stood in the tavern doorway, several armed knights marching in behind her. A deafening silence fell over the grubby tavern as The Queen slowly scanned over the frightened townsfolk with her eyes. Finally, her eyes rested on Shae and Regina, and her devious grin grew even wider.

"Well, well, well…" She muttered, slowly sauntering toward them. "If it isn't my two favorite love birds. Leaving so soon? I was hoping to help the two of you celebrate on this special day."

Shae didn't waste any time on mincing words with The Evil Queen. She swiftly kicked out one of her legs, sending the table in front of her and Regina hurtling toward Snow White. The table knocked The Evil Queen right off her feet, and those gathered inside the tavern gasped as she hit the ground hard.

"RUN!" Shae shouted.

Regina obeyed, and raced toward the back of the tavern. "AFTER THEM!" Shrieked The Queen.

Regina burst through the back door, Shae only a few steps behind her. The sounds of shouting and general chaos from within the tavern faded away as they sprinted into the forest. Their feet pounded into the grass and dirt as they wound through the trees, their hearts racing with fear within their chests. They had been so careful, never staying in one place for too long. Neither of them could believe that Snow White had found them again so soon.

"AGH!"

Shae suddenly lost her footing, tripping over a large tree root. She grunted as she landed face first in the dirt. It took Regina a moment to realize that her lover was no longer only a few steps behind her. She skidded to a stop, her chest heaving with part exertion, part fear.

"SHAE!" She shouted.

Shae pushed herself up onto her knees, and opened her mouth to speak. Whatever words she had to say were suddenly lost, as she disappeared in a column of purple smoke. Regina's heart stopped dead within her chest, and she turned round and round in her spot, wildly searching the trees for the woman that she loved.

"No… No, no, no…" She whispered, her eyes welling with panicked tears. "Shae? SHAE!"

"Looking for something?"

Regina spun around, her heart stopping all over again when she finally spotted Shae. She was on her knees, Snow White standing just behind her, gripping a fistful of her messy black hair. She was holding a dagger to Shae's throat, grinning in a dark and dangerous way.

"DON'T!" Regina shouted desperately, frightened tears beginning to flow down her cheeks. "Snow, please! Don't… D-Don't hurt her!"

"Hurt her?" Snow White exclaimed, looking appalled. "Why, I would never dream of it! She's done nothing to me, after all."

"Regina, it's alright." Shae said quietly, her voice quavering with emotion. "Just-"

The rest of Shae's words faded into a strangled gurgle as The Evil Queen jerked her head back by her hair, pressing the dagger harder into her throat. "Snow, please!" Regina pleaded with the Queen. "Please… J-Just let her go! You said so yourself, she's never done anything to you. I'm the one you want. Take me instead!"

The Evil Queen breathed out a low, menacing chuckle. "No, I don't think so." She sneered, gently stroking the tip of her dagger down Shae's cheek. "You took my true love away from me, now I'm going to take yours."

Snow White leaned forward, and whispered softly into Shae's ear. "I'd say your goodbyes while you can."

Shae swallowed hard against the dagger to her throat. Her eyes streamed with frightened tears as she stared into Regina's. For a moment, just a moment, she lost herself in those eyes, the eyes that she loved so very, very much.

"Regina…" She whispered, smiling as she looked upon the tear stained face of the woman that she loved. "Whatever happens, just know that I-"

"NOOO!"

XX

Shae woke with a start, her chest heaving, her entire body covered in a layer of cold sweat. She sat forward on her cot, staring around her tiny prison cell, straining her ears. For a moment, she could have swore that the sound of voices had been what woke her. She breathed out a heavy sigh as she laid back down. The voices must have been part of her nightmare.

Shae had dreamt of Regina nearly every single night since she had been locked away in her cell by The Evil Queen. Sometimes, her dreams were fond but painful memories of the woman that she loved. More often than not, she dreamt of that cursed night, the night that her whole world fell apart, the night that she lost everything.

With another heavy sigh, Shae sat forward again, and swung her legs over the side of her cot. She reached out and picked up the small bowl of porridge that her guard had left her for breakfast. She prodded the porridge with the tip of her finger, then frowned. Ice cold. Just like always.

Shae stomached as much of the porridge as she could, then reached under her cot, where she had some parchment, ink, and a quill carefully stored away. The Black Knight that guarded The Evil Queen's tower on the sea had secretly provided Shae with them. Shae wasn't entirely sure why she had done it, perhaps it was out of pity. Regardless of her reasons, Shae was grateful to have at least some sort of distraction from her misery. She laid out the parchment on her cot, scanning her eyes over the pages that she had scribbled a song onto. It was a love song for the woman that meant everything to her. She hoped against hope that, one day, Regina might actually get to hear it.

"'A Thousand Years.'" Shae muttered as she read the title out loud for the hundredth time. "Yes. Good. Still good."

Shae rifled through the pages, setting the one she had written on last on top. She gingerly dipped her quill into the ink, and pressed it to the parchment. She stopped suddenly when she heard voices again. This time, she was _sure_ she had heard them. It wasn't the voice of her guard, she knew that sound all too well. These were different voices, multiple voices.

Parchment scattered onto the floor as Shae scrambled from her cot. She pressed her ear up against the bars of her cell, holding her breath. She listened hard through the sound of her own heart pounding in her chest.

"Killian, this is my mom." Came the faint voice of a young boy. "Mom, this is Killian."

"H-Hello?" Shae called out. "Hello! Is someone there?"

For a moment, Shae was met with only silence. Her heart sank deep into her chest. Was she finally losing her mind after all this time? Suddenly, her heart began to race with excitement again when she heard the sound of rushing footsteps. She drew in an audible gasp as three people rounded the corner at the end of the hallway outside her cell. One of them was the young boy that she had heard, who looked to be no older than twelve or thirteen, and was dressed very strangely. The other was a man, who appeared to be some sort of pirate with a hook for a hand. The third was a woman with long blonde hair, dressed in ragged, dirty robes.

"Oh my god…" The blonde woman whispered, a wide smile slowly stretching across her face. "Shae!"

Shae blinked several times in surprise as the strangers began rushing toward her cell. "Er… Y-Yes, that's me." She mumbled, eyeing the strangers warily.

The strangely dressed boy pulled out a key ring that Shae recognized as belonging to her guard, and swiftly unlocked her cell. As soon as the boy pulled the bars open, he and the blonde woman both rushed into Shae's cell, throwing their arms around her. Shae stood rigidly still, her head spinning, her heart racing, too shocked and confused to even react.

"I'm so glad you're here, Shae." The blonde woman whispered.

"Er… Sorry… D-Do we know each other?" Shae stammered.

The blonde and the boy released her, and they both exchanged an uncertain glance. "Well… Yes. We do." Answered the woman. "You just… Don't remember."

Shae raised an eyebrow at them. "I-I'm sorry… What?"

"It's a long story." The boy said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, and we don't really have time to tell it." The woman agreed with a nod. "Come on, we've gotta get you out of here. We've gotta get you to Regina."

Shae's heart nearly stopped dead in her chest. Suddenly, a deafening ringing began to fill her ears, and the deep brown eyes of the woman she loved, the woman that she had lost, swam before her own.

"Regina?" She whispered, staring at the three strangers with wide, baffled eyes. "Y-You know… Regina?"

"Yeah." The blonde woman replied with a smile. "And we can take you to her."

A smile slowly crept across Shae's olive toned face. "She's… S-She's alive?" When the woman and the boy both nodded, Shae breathed out an astonished laugh, running shaky hands through her messy black hair. Suddenly, the smile faded from her face. "Wait a minute…" She muttered, taking a wary step back. "No… No, no, no… This is a trick, a-a trap. It's… I-It's a trick from The Evil Queen."

"Shae, this isn't a trick!" The blonde exclaimed. "We're telling the-"

The blonde woman stopped mid sentence, and her companions let out startled gasps as Shae suddenly scooped up the clay bowl that held the remnants of her breakfast, and smashed it against the wall. Before anyone could even react, Shae seized the young boy and spun him around, holding a jagged piece of the bowl to his throat.

"Tell me what Snow White is planning or I'll slit the boy's throat!" Shae snarled.

"Calm down now, love!" The pirate exclaimed, finally breaking his confused silence. "There's no need to harm the boy!"

"Call me, 'love,' one more time and I'll slit _your_ throat too!" Growled Shae.

"Shae, come on, this isn't you!" The woman pleaded, her wide, hazel green eyes glistening with frightened tears. "None of this is real, ok? This whole world is fake!"

"What the fucking hell are you talking about?" Shae shouted, drawing back another step, pressing the jagged piece of clay harder into the boy's throat.

"Please, Shae, we know you! We're your friends!" Cried the boy. "We… W-We know you come from another world, not The Enchanted Forest!"

"So does the FUCKING QUEEN!" Shae roared, her blue eyes wide and wild.

"I always come back!" Shouted the woman, tears now rolling down her cheeks. "That's what you'd always say to Regina, right? She'd say, 'You came back,' and you'd say-"

"SHUT UP!" Shae screamed, her whole body trembling. "This proves nothing! Snow White could have told you all of this!"

"Her smile!" The boy suddenly shouted. "Y-You love Regina's smile!"

Shae opened her mouth to shout more, but stopped short, her bottom lip trembling. "I… I-I don't…" She stammered, staring down at the top of the boy's head. "I just… What?"

"Her smile is your favorite thing about her." The boy went on, his voice shaky with fear. "B-But not just any smile. It's the one that not a lot of people get to see. Most of the time, she… S-She saves it just for you. It's the one lights up her whole face, her eyes. Oh! And her eyes! You _love_ her eyes! You said that when the sun hits them just right, t-they're like… Like warm pools of honey."

The boy paused for a moment, and he reached up, placing his quivering hand on top of Shae's. "When you see those eyes, and that smile," He went on, his tone quiet. "For a second, you forget about all the terrible things you've been through, all the things that you've done, all your pain, and… A-And you feel like, as long as you get to keep seeing that smile, then… Everything's gonna be ok."

Suddenly, the piece of clay slipped from Shae's hand, and clattered onto the stone floor. Shae slowly turned the boy around by his shoulders, and dropped to her knees in front of him. "H-How… How do you know all this?" She whispered, staring deep into the boy's eyes.

The boy smiled, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You're my friend, Shae." He quietly replied. " _We're_ your friends. You just… Don't remember."

Shae swallowed hard as tears began to fall down her face. "And… A-And you're Regina's friends too?" She asked, glancing up at the woman and the pirate.

"Yeah." The woman replied with a smile of her own. "And, like I said… We can take you to her."

The young boy placed his hands on either side of Shae's face, smiling into her eyes. "It's ok, Shae." He whispered. "You're going to see her again. I promise."

Shae choked out a strangled sob, and threw her arms around the strange boy, pulling him into a tight embrace. The boy held her tight, gently and soothingly rubbing her back as she wept. The blonde woman, Emma Swan, smiled at Killian Jones, aka Captain Hook. He gave her a nervous and uncertain smile back, and Emma had to stifle a laugh as his stubbled cheeks flushed a deep shade of red.

"It's ok, Shae." Henry whispered as he held Shae tight. "Everything is gonna be ok."

XX

Shae boarded the ship that the boy Henry and the pirate Hook had sailed to The Evil Queen's tower upon the sea. After narrowly escaping the guard, who happened to turn into a massive, fire breathing dragon, she, Emma, Henry, and Hook were sailing as fast as the wind and sails would carry them, back to The Enchanted Forest. Henry said that their final destination was a chapel in the middle of the forest, where the fabled thief Robin Hood was getting married. The boy said that Regina would be there. Shae wasn't entirely sure why, but she had little time muddle over it. She was too busy trying to keep her breakfast from coming back up. She had never liked ships. She preferred to keep her feet firmly planted on the ground.

To distract her from her seasickness, Emma and Henry decided to tell Shae a story, one that she was having a hard time believing. "You're telling me that all of this, this whole world, it's… Not real?" She asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "We're all trapped in some sort of… Alternate reality… Inside a book?"

When Emma and Henry both nodded, Shae breathed out a low chuckle, slowly shaking her head. "I'm not sure if the two of you are delusional, or just plain mad."

"That's what I said, lo- Er… Mate!" Hook called out from the helm.

"Look, you don't _have_ to believe us, but we really _are_ telling the truth." Emma said with an exasperated sigh. "All you need to do is get back to Regina so the two of you can end all this with true love's kiss."

"'True love's kiss?'" Shae exclaimed, laughing even more. "There's no such thing!"

"Yes there is!" Emma insisted. "Regina saved you from a sleeping curse with it once."

"Right, in this… Other reality of yours?" Shae replied. When Henry and Emma nodded, Shae laughed once again. "Right, well, if this other world really _is_ real, it appears that you and I are… Quite close."

"Yeah, we are." Emma said with a smile. "We're… Best friends, actually."

"Oh… No." Shae replied, her amused grin falling into a frown. "Remus is my best friend."

"Well, yeah…" Emma said slowly. "But, I mean… You can have more than one best friend."

Shae snorted. "No you can't."

"Yes you can!" Emma exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air.

"No you can't!"

"Yes you-"

"LAND, HO!"

Emma, Shae, and Henry all glanced up at Hook. They leapt to their feet, and whirled around, following the pirate's pointed finger. In the distance, was indeed a small speck of land. A short while later, Shae finally set foot on dry, solid land once again, which she was immensely grateful for. She and Emma both borrowed some clothes from Hook, plus some swords, just in case they ran into trouble, and changed out of their dirty prison rags before setting out on the final leg of their adventure. Shae could scarcely believe it. She was finally going to be reunited with the woman that she loved. They were finally going to live happily ever after.

While Emma and Hook finished docking the ship, Shae went with Henry to hunt down some food. They purchased some bread and cheese from a nearby stall, and they both munched on the bread as they headed back to the dock.

"So, tell me, how exactly did you know all those things about Regina and I?" Shae asked of the boy as they walked.

"Well," Henry began through a mouthful of bread. "I have this book back in our world, one that tells everyone's stories, even yours and The Evil-, Er… Regina's."

"I see." Shae muttered. "And this book is… Different than the one we're supposedly trapped in?"

"Written by the same guy." Henry replied with a small shrug, stuffing some cheese into his mouth. "Anyway, in your story, Regina asks you one night what you love so much about her, and, all that stuff is… What you told her."

Shae chuckled lightly. "Yes, we've had that conversation many times." She said with a wistful smile. "I think she might have some memory problems, and just a touch of self loathing."

Henry laughed, and Shae laughed with him. "She loves you too, you know." Henry said, smiling up at her.

Shae smiled back at him. "Yes… I know." She whispered. She then cleared her throat, and went on. "So, in this other world, are Regina and I… Together? A-Are we married yet?"

The smile suddenly faded from Henry's face. "Um… Well, it's a long story." He muttered with another one armed shrug. "Things are kinda… Complicated."

Shae chuckled once again. "Yes, that does sound like us." She replied. "It's never been easy, in any world, I suppose."

"Yeah, that's for sure." Henry agreed with a laugh. "But… I think you guys are gonna be really happy soon. Or at least I hope so. I mean… You _did_ come all the way back from The Underworld just for her."

"'The Underworld?'" Shae exclaimed, her blue eyes wide. "My god… H-How did I end up there? D-Did I die?"

"Um… No." Henry replied slowly. "It was because of Dracula, he found you and-"

Henry stopped mid sentence as he and Shae rounded the corner toward the docks, and they both froze at what they saw, the bread and cheese slipping from their hands. Emma and Hook were standing rigidly still, their backs to both Shae and Henry. Standing just before them was the guard from Shae and Emma's prison on the sea. She was accompanied by a few other black knights, and the captain of The Evil Queen's guard, Prince Charming. Beside Charming, stood The Queen herself, Snow White, a dark and twisted grin stretching across her face.

"Your Majesty! Look!" Charming exclaimed, pointing at Henry and Shae.

Snow White turned her eyes onto the two of them, and when her gaze met Shae's, Shae was paralyzed with fear. "Well, well, well…" Sneered The Queen. "If it isn't Shae. I almost didn't recognize you outside of your cell."

The fear that had taken hold of Shae's limbs suddenly melted away, replaced by a boiling, white hot rage. She let out an enraged snarl, wrenching her sword from the scabbard tied to her belt. Her vision turned red as blood as she stomped toward Snow White. The guard from the prison and her fellow black knights all rushed toward Shae, who slashed out with her sword at a nearby post. The awning above gave way, and the knights shrieked as sacks of flour and grain descended down upon them. Now, only Prince Charming stood in the way of Shae's vengeance.

"DON'!" Hook shouted, stepping in front of Shae.

"Out of my way, pirate." Shae snarled, glaring at Snow White's grinning face.

"Take Emma and the boy and get out of here!" Hook commanded, pushing Shae back. "If what they say is true, then you and Regina are the only hope to set things right."

Shae breathed out a low, dark chuckle, never taking her eyes off of Snow White. "Oh, I know of a much better way to set things right."

"Listen, mate, I know what it is to want revenge." Hook said in a rush, staring intently into Shae's eyes. "But it will only cost you your life. If you throw it away now, then you'll never see Regina again. Is that really what you want?"

Shae continued to glare into Snow White's grinning eyes for a moment, her heart hammering in her chest, rage boiling in her stomach. Then, she shifted her gaze to meet Hook's. She wrestled with the confliction in her heart, but, in the end, she knew the pirate was right. All she wanted was to see the woman she loved. Once they were reunited, they could take their revenge on The Evil Queen together.

"Emma…" Shae muttered, slowly walking backwards, eyeing Snow White and Prince Charming carefully. "Take the boy and run. I'm right behind you."

"Killian, no!" Emma shouted. "You can't do this, you'll-"

Emma stopped mid sentence, drawing in a startled gasp as Snow White summoned a dagger into her hand with a puff of purple smoke. "Now, now," She sneered, her wicked grin wider than ever. "Did you really think I'd let your wretched little boy escape that easily?"

Snow White hurled the dagger from her hand, and it sped right toward Henry's head. Emma screamed, and Henry's eyes grew wide with terror. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Shae watched the horror unfolding before her. Then, she forced her legs to move, and she dove forward, straight into the dagger's path. She grunted, and there was a hollow sounding thump as the dagger buried itself in her shoulder. Shae tumbled to the ground, and howled in pain, clutching her shoulder.

"KILLIAN!"

Shae snapped her head to the side, and her eyes grew wide with horror when she spotted the pirate. Prince Charming was standing just behind him, his sword protruding grotesquely out of Killian Jones's chest.

"NO!" Emma shrieked, her hazel green eyes streaming with tears. "KILLIAN!"

Shae watched as Hook slumped lifeless to the ground, her mouth gaping open in sheer horror. Then, she saw a strange light out of the corner of her eye. She spotted The Evil Queen's fireball just as she hurled it from her hand, straight at Henry. Shae scrambled up onto her feet, and seized the boy by the front of his jacket, pulling him out of the way just in the nick of time. She clung to Henry's jacket, and wrapped her free arm around Emma's waist, dragging her away, still screaming.

"NOOOO!" Emma bellowed.

"GO! RUN!" Shae commanded, shoving both her and Henry forward. "RUN!"

Emma choked out a horrified, strangled sob, but obeyed. She, Shae, and Henry ran as fast as their legs would carry them through the streets of the tiny, seaside village. They kept running until they finally entered the forest, and kept running some more, their feet pounding wildly into the grass and dirt. None of them spoke, all too shocked and horrified for words. The only sounds to be heard were the pounding of their footsteps, and Emma's quiet sobbing. Shae barely knew the pirate called Hook, but her heart ached too for his loss, his sacrifice.

Suddenly, Shae felt a stinging, white hot pain shooting out from the dagger still buried in her shoulder. She felt it spreading all the way down to her fingertips, and straight across her chest. Her legs suddenly felt like they were made of jelly, and the trees around her started spinning wildly. Something was very, very wrong.

"SHAE!" Shouted Henry.

He and Emma both skidded to a stop as Shae suddenly collapsed to the forest floor. They exchanged a quick, panicked glance, then rushed over to her, dropping to their knees on either side of her, their chests still heaving with exertion, their hearts pounding. With quivering hands, Emma carefully pulled back Shae's shirt and leather coat, and she and Henry both gasped at what they saw. Some sort of blackness was spreading through Shae's veins from around the dagger.

"Oh my god…" Henry whispered, his eyes wide with horror. "I-I think the dagger was… P-Poisoned!"

"Shit… We've gotta get it out." Emma muttered, seizing the dagger's handle.

"No!" Shae shouted, gripping Emma's wrist. "Dammit… No. I'll just bleed to death."

"Right. Y-You're right." Emma stammered as she released the dagger. "Come on, we have to keep going. We need to get you to Regina, quick."

"I can't." Shae muttered through gritted teeth, her face contorted in pain. "Just… J-Just leave me."

"No!" Cried Henry, his eyes welling with frightened tears. "Shae, you have to get up! Y-You have to go to Regina! You have to save us!"

Shae started to cough violently, and Henry and Emma watched in horror as the blackness began to spread up the veins in her neck. "I… I-I won't make it, Henry. I'm sorry." Shae whispered, her breathing suddenly quite labored. "It's spreading to quickly. There… T-There has to be another way."

Emma suddenly gasped, gripping Henry's arm tight. "Henry… I think she's right." She muttered, her hazel green eyes wide.

Henry's own eyes grew wide with realization. "Robin Hood."

Shae snorted, which turned into another cough. "Robin Hood." She spat, grimacing in pain again. "The, 'noble thief.' Whatever the hell _that_ is. What's he got to do with all this?"

Emma exchanged an uncertain glance with her son. "Um… That's a long story."

Shae chuckled, and coughed weakly some more. "Yes, well, it seems like I don't exactly have the time." She muttered, her normal olive toned face now suddenly pale as snow. "If everything you say is true, and he really can fix all this, then… T-Then you have to find him."

"But… Shae, we can't just leave you here." Henry protested, tears now falling freely down his face. "You saved me. You saved _us_."

Shae gave the boy a weak smile. "Oh, Henry. I've been dying every day since Snow White locked me away in that tower." She whispered. "At least this is a better death than rotting away in there, a noble death. I thank you for that."

Henry looked to his mother, his mouth gaping open in horror, his bottom lip trembling. "But… B-But… What about Regina?"

Shae smiled some more, gently taking Henry's hand in her own. "You find her for me." She murmured, emitting another strangled, painful cough. "Tell her that… T-Tell… Tell her…"

Shae words trailed off into another fit of violent coughing. "We will, Shae." Emma promised her, tears now leaking out of her own eyes. "We'll tell her."

Shae nodded, squeezing her eyes shut, tears of her own leaking out of the corners of her eyes. Henry choked out a strangled sob, throwing his arms around Shae, resting his head on her chest as he wept. Shae reached out a quivering arm, and gently patted him on the back.

"It's alright, Henry. Maybe there's still time." She whispered softly, more black poison slowly creeping up her neck. "If everything you said about this world is really true then… Maybe what happens to me here won't really matter… Right?"

Emma nodded as Shae turned her gaze onto her, and she smiled through her tears. "Right." She whispered back. "We're going to put a stop to all this. I won't let anyone else die. I… I won't lose you too. I can't."

Emma bit back a sob, and she leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on Shae's sweat covered forehead. "Then go." Shae told her quietly, her voice strained, and riddled with pain. "Don't let my sacrifice _or_ the pirate's be in vain."

Emma nodded some more, and she rose to her feet. She pulled her shaking and weeping son up onto his own feet as well. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders as they slowly walked away from another one of their loved ones, dying on the forest floor. Emma glanced over her shoulder at Shae, who was now lying with her eyes closed, singing softly into the air.

"Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you,  
For a thousand years.  
I'll love you for a thousand more."

XX

Emma Swan watched in horror as the bells atop the chapel in the woods started to ring. A group of people came bursting out of the doors, laughing merrily as they threw rice at Robin Hood, arm in arm with his new wife, Zelena. The jubilant laughter came to a screeching halt when the wedding goers all saw the scene before them. Henry was kneeling next to his other mother, Regina, who lying bleeding on the ground.

Emma and Henry had finally found her, and were about to stop the wedding, when Rumplestiltskin intervened. He was about to cut Henry down, but Regina saved his life by taking the blow for him. Now, The Dark One was gone, his task complete, unlike Emma and Henry's. The wedding was over, and Regina, just like Hook and Shae, was dying. It was too late, they were at the end of the book. They weren't going to be able to fix anything now.

"It's alright." Robin said gently, smiling at Regina as he knelt down on her other side. "You're going to be alright."

Regina choked out a strangled laugh, grimacing in pain. "No… I'm not." She wheezed.

"Mom…" Henry sobbed, tears streaming down his face.

Robin sighed, placing his hand on top of Regina's. "At least I can promise you," He began with another gentle smile. "You won't die alone."

"No, she won't."

Robin leapt to his feet in alarm at the sudden voice. He whirled around, and Emma and Henry both drew in startled gasps. Standing behind him, was none other than Shae. Henry glanced back at Emma, and they both smiled at each other, barely able to believe their eyes. Snow White's dagger was still buried firmly in Shae's shoulder, and the poison had spread even farther up her neck. She was swaying dangerously on her feet, her eye sockets shallow and sunken, her skin ghostly pale. However, miraculously, she was still very much alive.

Emma opened her mouth to call out to Shae, but all that came out was another startled gasp as Shae struck Robin Hood in the face with her fist. The wedding guests all cried out in alarm as Robin immediately slumped to the ground, totally senseless.

"That felt strangely good." Shae muttered, staring down at her own fist.

"Shae?"

Shae smiled down at the woman she loved so very, very much, the woman that she fought off death itself just to see one last time. "Regina."

Regina sat forward, her pain momentarily forgotten as Shae collapsed to her knees beside her. She choked out a strangled sob of pure joy, throwing her arms around her. She squeezed her arms, her shoulders, her face, unable to believe that she was actually real.

"Shae… Oh, Shae…" She whispered, tears streaming from her eyes. "Is… I-Is it really you?"

Shae nodded, and opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a strangled cry of pain. She doubled over, bracing herself with on hand on the ground, the other clutching her heart as the poison took hold of it. Regina watched with wide, horrified eyes as the veins in Shae's cheeks started to turn black.

"Shae… W-What's happened to you?" Regina breathed.

"Snow White." Shae replied through gritted teeth. She nodded down at the bloody, gaping wound in Regina's stomach. "You?"

"Rumplestiltskin." Replied Regina.

Shae breathed out a bitter, sour laugh, which turned into another fit of coughs. "Well," She began, smiling at the woman she loved through her pain. "At least we got to see each other… One last time."

Regina choked out a sob, and threw her arms around Shae once again, and placed a kiss firmly on her lips. Henry gasped, glancing over his shoulder at his other mother, Emma. He smiled excitedly, and Emma smiled back at him. They watched and waited as Shae and Regina kissed, their hearts pounding in their chests. Slowly, the smiles faded from their faces. Nothing was happening, nothing at all.

"B-But…" Henry stammered, glancing back at Emma again. "True love's kiss."

Emma breathed out a miserable, heavy sigh. "We're at the end of the book, Henry." She muttered, slowly shaking her head. "It's too late."

Henry slowly turned his gaze back onto Regina and Shae, who had broken apart, and were smiling into each other's eyes. "You came back." Regina whispered, placing her hand gently on Shae's cheek.

"I always come ba-"

"AAH!"

Regina suddenly cried out in pain, doubled over with her hands on the wound in her stomach. Shae watched in horror as blood spilled out from between her fingers. She gasped as Regina's back arched, her body convulsing violently. She took hold of her just as she was about to hit the ground, and held her lover's quivering body tightly in her arms.

"Oh god…" Regina whispered, tears streaming down her face, her features contorted in pain. "Oh god, Shae… It hurts…"

"I know, I know…" Shae whispered back. "It's alright. It'll all be over soon."

Regina sobbed loudly, digging her hands into the front of Shae's coat as more pain wracked her body. "No… No, no, no…" She muttered, vigorously shaking her head. "It can't… It can't end like this. Not now."

"Shh… Just be still. I've got you." Shae whispered softly. She grunted, squeezing her eyes shut and gritting her teeth as pain shot through her own body, more blackness creeping up her cheeks. "I… I-Ive been writing you a song." She went on with a smile, once the pain subsided. "It's not quite finished yet, but… W-Would you like to hear it?"

Regina grimaced, then nodded, smiling up at Shae through her pain. Shae nodded back, and cleared her throat. A solemn silence fell over the group gathered around as Shae started to sing softly to the woman that she loved, the woman that was dying in her arms.

"The day we met,  
Frozen I held my breath.  
Right from the start,  
I knew that I'd found a home for my heart,  
Beats fast,  
Colors and promises.  
How to be brave?  
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?  
But watching you stand alone,  
All of my doubt suddenly goes away, somehow.  
One step closer.  
I have died everyday waiting for you.  
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you,  
For a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more."

Though Shae's voice was soft and strained with pain, with sorrow, it was still so hauntingly beautiful. Emma slowly walked over to her son as Shae sang, and knelt down beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders as they both wept. She glanced up at all the wedding goers that were gathered around Shae and Regina, and she noticed there wasn't a single dry eye to be seen. She then turned her gaze back onto the two dying lovers. Regina stared up into Shae's eyes in wonder as she sang to her, tears streaming from her deep brown eyes. Shae gently caressed Regina's face as she sang on, her voice gaining strength and swelling with emotion. Her voice rang out through the trees, surrounding them all.

"Time stands still,  
Beauty in all she is.  
I will be brave.  
I will not let anything take away,  
What's standing in front of me.  
Every breath,  
Every hour has come to this.  
One step closer.  
I have died everyday waiting for you.  
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you,  
For a thousand years.  
I'll love you for a thousand more."

Shae suddenly stopped singing, and everyone was broken out of their trance as she cried out in pain. They all gasped as Regina slipped from her arms, and she slumped backwards onto the ground. Regina grunted and groaned as she pushed herself up onto her knees beside Shae, her whole body trembling. She sobbed loudly as the poison crept up her lover's face, snaking its way into her eyes. Still, though, she stared into those eyes that she loved so very much.

With tears streaming down her face, Shae reached out a quivering hand, and placed it gently on Regina's cheek. Her chest heaved with ragged, hollow breaths. Still, though, she continued to sing to the woman that she loved, her voice barely above a whisper.

"All along I believed I would find you,  
Time has brought your heart to me.  
I have loved you for a thousand years,  
I'll love you for a thousand… More."

Shae drew in a sharp gasp, her eyes suddenly hazy and unfocused, gaping up at the sky. They all watched in horror as her eyes fluttered closed, and her arm fell away from her lover's face. She let out her last hollow, shuddering breath, and drew in no more. She was gone.

"Too little, too late."

Regina glanced up, and saw a strangely dressed man standing behind Emma and Henry. As soon as she noticed him, Emma immediately leapt to her feet, and punched him square in the jaw. Regina had no idea who this man was, and, at the moment, she didn't really care. She turned her gaze back onto the woman that she loved, the woman that she had been dying to see again for such a long time. She sobbed as she leaned forward, and placed one last kiss on Shae's lips.

Suddenly, Regina felt extremely weak. Unable to sit up any longer, she slumped down onto the ground beside Shae. She groaned as pain wracked her body, and she felt more blood oozing out of the wound in her stomach. She sobbed quietly as she stared at her lover's still, lifeless face lying beside her.

"Bring back Hook, bring back Shae! Save Regina!" She heard Emma shouting.

"I can't!" The strange man's voice shouted back. "I'm not The Author any more. I can't change a thing."

Regina's whole body felt like it was made of lead. Slowly, painfully, she forced her arm to move. She entwined her fingers in with Shae's, taking some comfort in the fact that her hand was still warm. She heard Emma's voice again as she continued to stare desperately at Shae's face, coupled with others.

"What's happening?"

"He's the next Author!"

"Henry! Fix it! Write everything the way it was!"

Regina's eyelids began to grow heavy, her entire body going numb. She heard voices all around her, but none of them made sense. Nothing made sense any more, nothing mattered, not now that Shae was gone.

"NO!"

"HENRY, DO IT!"

A small, hazy figure was bending over Regina, and she felt something touch her hand. "Hold on, mom." She heard Henry whisper.

Suddenly, Regina found that it was hard to breathe. She squeezed Shae's hand as tight as she could. The corners of her vision started to turn black, and she closed her eyes, more tears leaking down her face. _I'll be seeing you soon, my love._

"Thanks to the heroic sacrifices of both Shae and Regina," She heard Henry muttering from somewhere nearby. "Isaac's villainous work was undone."

X-X-X-X-X

Regina slowly blinked her eyes open, and found that she was no longer staring up at the tops of trees. She lie still for a moment, frightened and confused, trying to make sense of her strange surroundings. Suddenly, she gasped, and sat bolt upright. She glanced down at her own body, and realized that not only was her gaping stab wound gone, but so were her dirty bandit rags. She was wearing a long black coat, along with a sensible pant suit. Suddenly, all her memories rushed back to her, memories of her real life. She now knew exactly who she was, and exactly where she was: Storybrooke.

"Mom!"

Regina turned her head to the side, and found her son, Henry, kneeling beside her, a joyous smile stretching across his face. She immediately pulled him into her arms, kissing the top of his head as grateful tears poured out of her eyes.

"You did it, Henry." She whispered to him.

Henry smiled at his mother, and slowly shook his head. "No, Mom. _We_ did it."

"Henry!"

Henry's smile grew even wider when he saw his other mother, Emma, rushing toward him. He leapt up onto his feet, and threw himself into her arms. Emma smiled at Regina over Henry's shoulder, and Regina smiled back. Suddenly, the smile faded from her face. She turned to her other side, and gasped when she found Shae lying beside her. Her eyes were still closed, and she still wasn't moving.

"No… No, no, no…" Regina muttered, scrambling up onto her knees. "Shae? SHAE!"

Emma and Henry both exchanged a panicked glace. They rushed over to Shae, and knelt down on her other side. They watched in silent horror as as Regina shook Shae's shoulders, shouting at her as she patted her cheeks, desperately trying to wake her up. Emma glanced up at The Apprentice, who was now awake and on his feet. The old man simply stared down at Shae in solemn silence.

"No, please…" Regina sobbed, resting her head on Shae's chest. "Please… Not again. I can't. I-"

Regina was thrown back as Shae suddenly sat bolt upright, drawing in a deep, shuddering gasp. She stared wide eyed all around her, her chest heaving, her whole body shaking. She then glanced down at her own body, and patted her shoulder, where there had once been a dagger. When she found that it was gone, she breathed out a sigh of relief, and turned her eyes onto Emma and Henry.

"Bitches… Need to stop… TRYING TO KILL ME!"

Emma and Henry both burst out laughing, crying tears of joy as they threw their arms around Shae. When they released her, Regina placed her quivering hand on Shae's shoulder, causing her to jump in fright. When she finally saw Regina, the woman that she loved, the woman that she almost lost, her jaw dropped open, and her piercing blue eyes welled with tears.

Shae reached out with trembling hands, placing them on Regina's shoulders. She glanced down at Regina's stomach, then back into her eyes, her mouth opening and closing several times. Unable to come up with any words, she pulled Regina into her arms, placing a deep, passionate kiss on her lips. Regina sobbed with joy against Shae's lips, throwing her arms around her, holding her desperately, gratefully.

"You came back." She whispered, smiling through her joyous tears.

"I always come back." Shae whispered back.

They kissed again, and, just as it always did when the two lovers kissed, the entire rest of the world melted away. In that moment, nothing else mattered besides the two of them. Against all odds, they had found their way back to each other once again. After all the heartache, all the pain, their bond of true love remained as strong as ever.

"Oh my god…" Emma suddenly whispered, causing Shae and Regina to break apart. "Hook!"

Emma leapt up to her feet, and raced off down the street toward her apartment. Suddenly, Regina, Shae, and Henry heard groaning from beside them. "Remus!" Shae shouted.

It was indeed Remus, now finally awake, sitting on the ground beside Shae. He blinked dazedly a few times, staring all around him. "What the bloody hell?" He muttered.

"Hey! You ok?" Shae asked, reaching out and shaking him by the shoulder.

Remus nodded, slowly turning his gaze onto the other three. "What happened to you?" Asked Henry. "Where've you been this whole time?"

"I… I was a farmer." Remus answered, his now green eyes growing wide. "A pig farmer, of all things! And I had a wife, a-and children!" Somehow, his eyes grew even wider. "My god… Do you know the things I had to do to make children?"

Shae, Regina, and Henry all laughed at the absolutely mortified look on Remus's face. "It's alright, buddy. None of it was real." Shae said, gently patting his back. "It's all over now."

Shae then turned back to Regina, smiling into the gorgeous brown eyes that she loved so very much. "I love you." She whispered softly.

"I love you too." Regina whispered back.

Shae's now beating heart skipped an entire beat when she saw Regina's smile, the one that was her favorite, the one that meant everything. Regina reached out, and placed her hand on Shae's cheek, gently caressing it with her thumb. They both leaned in toward each other's lips again, but stopped when they heard a sudden shout.

"Regina!"

Regina gasped, and Shae clenched her jaw when she saw who it was: Robin Hood. The thief stopped in his tracks when he spotted Shae. Shae rose slowly to her feet, cocking her fist as she stomped toward him.

"Shae, don't!" Regina shouted.

"STOP!" Robin exclaimed, raising his hands in surrender and drawing back a step. "Please! There's no need to hit me again!"

Shae froze where she stood, fist still raised in the air. She glanced up at her own fist, then at Robin, then back at Regina. She slowly lowered her arm. What she did next floored them all; She stepped up to Robin Hood, seized him by his shoulders, and pulled him into a tight embrace.

A stunned silence fell over the street where they were all standing. Robin gave Regina a very confused, and slightly frightened, wide eyed glance from over Shae's shoulder. Regina had no idea what to say. She looked to Henry and Remus, who both shrugged at her.

Shae suddenly cleared her throat, releasing Robin and taking a step back. "W-What… What was that for?" Robin stammered.

"I dunno…" Muttered Shae, ruffling her jet black hair. "I'm just… Confused and… A-And emotional, and stuff." She glanced over at Regina, then back at Robin, heaving a heavy sigh. "Look, I think the three of us should… Sit down and talk."

Robin raised his eyebrows in shock. "Really?" He asked. When Shae nodded, he breathed out a bemused laugh. "Well, I think I rather like this new you. N-Not that I didn't like the old you, the vampire you, b-but… W-What I mean, is-"

Shae groaned, rolling her eyes as she spun Robin around by his shoulder. "Just… Shut up and go." She grumbled, shoving him forward.

Regina glanced over at Remus and her son, who both shrugged at her once again. She followed Shae and Robin to Granny's Diner, Remus and Henry trailing along behind them. When they arrived, they found many residents of Storybrooke were already celebrating their return to reality within. Remus and Henry sat at the counter together, while Regina, Shae, and Robin chose a booth at the very back.

Shae sat and listened as Robin, once again, recounted a shocking and miserable tale. She was shocked and alarmed to learn that Zelena was still alive, and that she had been posing as Marian the whole time. What was most alarming, was that Zelena was now pregnant, with Robin's baby.

"The worst part of it all," Robin was saying, his bright blue eyes glistening with tears. "Is that I fell in love with my wife all over again, only to learn that… That…"

"She wasn't really your wife." Shae finished for him. She then breathed out a sad, heavy sigh, running a hand over her face. "Jesus Christ… Robin, I… I-I'm so sorry."

"Yes… As am I." Robin replied, smiling sadly. "I really am, for everything. For all I've put you both through, I… I really am sorry."

Regina and Shae both exchanged sad smiles of their own. "It's alright, Robin." Regina said gently.

"It's all forgiven." Said Shae.

"Good." Robin replied with a gracious nod. "That is a considerable weight off my shoulders. Thank you." He paused, and smiled fondly at both Shae and Regina. "You should know," He went on, looking to Shae. "The only reason I was with Regina at the hospital is that we had been talking. She told me that, even though I was no longer married, that I was back in her life, and that you were gone, she… Couldn't be with me. Even if you were to never return from The Underworld, she simply couldn't betray you again. She loves you too much."

Shae slowly turned her eyes onto the woman that she loved, and they instantly welled with tears as she gazed upon her smile. "Regina," Robin went on, reaching out and gently taking Regina's hand. "I will always cherish what we had. It was really something… Special." He paused once more, giving the two lovers another fond smile. "But it pales in comparison to the bond that the two of you have. It defies all odds. Even in a whole different reality, on the brink of death, you found your way back to each other. It defies logic, to be perfectly honest."

Shae and Regina both chuckled, as did Robin. He then cleared his throat, and went on. "I would be mad to try and stand in the way of such a powerful force of nature, and I won't any longer. I only hope that, one day, I might find something that comes even close to what you two have."

Regina squeezed Robin's hand tight, her own eyes shining with tears. "You _will_ , Robin." She whispered to him. "I will always cherish what we had as well. Always."

"And, listen," Shae began, leaning forward in her seat, staring determinedly into the eyes of the man she once hated. "We're going to help you figure out this whole Zelena situation."

"Yes, of course." Regina agreed with a nod. "She _is_ my sister, as much as I hate to admit it."

"Thank you, that's… Kind of you both." Robin replied with another sad smile. "But I don't want to burden the two of you any more than I already have." Regina and Shae both watched sadly as he rose from his seat. "Now then… I will leave the two of you to celebrate. You _are_ the heroes of the day, after all."

Regina reached out and took Robin's hand, staring concernedly up into his eyes. "Robin… Will you be alright?"

Robin squeezed her hand gently. "Yes, I believe so, with time." He said with a nod. "For now, I think I will go spend some time with my son. To say he needs me is certainly true, but… I think I might need _him_ more, especially now."

Regina nodded, and Robin took his leave from them. Shae and Regina sat in silence for a time, their hearts heavy with the weight of Robin Hood's unpleasant situation. Shae had spent a long time hating the man, but now she felt nothing but pity for the noble thief. She turned slowly to Regina, carefully searching her eyes.

"How do you feel?" She asked her quietly.

Regina sighed, leaning back in her seat. "Sad." She answered. "And… Happy. All at the same time. You?"

Shae nodded in agreement. "Yeah." She muttered.

"Do you… Still think about Elsa?" Regina asked slowly. "Did you remember her at all, back in the other world?"

Shae slowly shook her head. "No. Not at all." She replied. "I thought that maybe not remembering her was better, but… I'm glad that I do. She helped me see who I really am, and I think Robin did the same for you. And… And now-"

"Now we're here." Regina said with a smile.

Shae smiled back at her, and nodded. "Yeah." She whispered. "And I'm sure glad we finally are."

Regina smiled too, placing her hand on the back of Shae's neck as she kissed her. "I love you, Regina." Shae whispered softly.

Regina nodded, placing another kiss on Shae's lips. "I love you too, Shae." She whispered back. "I love you. So much."

XX

More residents of Storybrooke began piling in to Granny's Diner, and Shae was relieved when Emma returned with her parents, along with a still very much alive Captain Hook. Shae and Regina both enjoyed the party for a time, but then decided to go for a walk, so they could finally be alone together. As they walked hand in hand, Regina told Shae all about how she felt it in her heart when she and Remus returned from The Underworld. Shae was shocked to learn that Regina discovered her heart was now whole, which meant Shae's own was as well.

"You really don't remember anything?" Regina asked of Shae. When Shae shook her head, her face fell into a frown. "That is… A bit concerning."

"Yeah. A bit." Shae muttered, then gave a shrug. "I'm not really worried about it. I'm not really worried about much of anything right now."

Regina rubbed Shae's arm affectionately as she smiled at her. "So, how does it feel to be human again?" She asked her lover.

"Um…" Shae mumbled, pursing her lips as she thought. "Squishy."

Regina laughed loudly. "Squishy?"

"Well, I mean… As a vampire, I was basically indestructible." Shae replied, shrugging uncertainly once again. "And now I'm just… You know…"

"Squishy." Regina finished for her. She laughed again when Shae nodded, then went on. "Still, though, it must be nice to finally be rid of your darkness."

Shae's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you know, you're not a violent, bloodsucking creature anymore." Regina replied with a shrug of her own. "You're certainly… Different. You took pity on Robin, forgave him, hugged him, even. You're a changed woman now, Shae."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Shae agreed with a small chuckle. "I definitely feel… Different." Slowly, the smile faded from her face. "Still… I don't think that means my darkness is gone. I still feel it, Regina. It's still very much a part of me. I think… I think it always will be, as much as I don't want it to."

Regina bit her lip, and the two of them fell silent for a time. Regina found herself contemplating her own darkness, turning over the memories of all the things that she and her Royal Protector had done, all the things that they had been through. Now, everything was different. They had both changed so much. She smiled. Now, they could finally start a new life, together.

Shae suddenly stopped walking, and tugged on Regina's hand, pulling her to a stop as well. "Regina, listen." She muttered, a deep sadness suddenly filling her eyes. She took both Regina's hands in her own, staring mournfully into her eyes. "I'm so sorry, for everything, for all of it, and-"

"No. Stop." Regina cut in, vigorously shaking her head. She placed her hands on Shae's shoulders, staring intently into her new and stunning blue eyes. "No more of that. No more apologizing, from either of us. What's done is done." She paused for a moment, smiling as she moved her hands to Shae's face. "Everything that's happened between us, all that we've been through, it's in the past now, especially everything in Henry's book. Let's just… Leave that all behind us, and start a new chapter, a brighter chapter, together."

Shae smiled back at her, her piercing blue eyes glistening with tears. She pulled Regina into her arms, holding her tight as grateful tears spilled down her cheeks. Regina rested her head against Shae's shoulder, nuzzling her face into her neck. She enjoyed the new warmth radiating from Shae's body, and smiled as she drew in her scent. It was much different now, but she loved it all the same.

"What do you say we, uh… Start that new chapter the best way _we_ know how?" Shae suggested with a grin.

Regina grinned back at her, wrapping her arms around Shae's neck. "Mmm… I think that's a wonderful idea."

Regina smiled against Shae's lips as she kissed her. Their lips parted slowly, gently, their tongues brushing lightly against each other. Regina loved how warm Shae's lips were now. She gasped as Shae ran her hands over the curve of her backside, and she felt that familiar ache between her legs. She dug her fingers into the front of Shae's jacket, ready to tear it off as soon as she teleported them to her bedroom.

"Where is it?"

"We don't know!"

"It just… Disappeared!"

Shae and Regina broke apart at the sudden and distressed shouting. "Oh, good." Shae muttered sarcastically. "Right on cue."

Regina rolled her eyes, breathing out an exasperated sigh. "What the hell is it _now_?"

They both turned toward the sound, and found Emma, her parents, Hook, and Remus gathered in the middle of the street a few yards away. Regina grabbed on to Shae's hand, and they both rushed over to them. They immediately grew gravely concerned when they saw the panicked look on everyone's faces.

"Hey! What's going on?" Asked Regina.

"The Dark One, it's no longer tethered to the Crocodile." Hook answered gravely.

"That Apprentice fellow, he tried to seal it in that strange hat." Remus explained in a rush. "But it didn't work. It's… Gone!"

"No. Not gone." Shae suddenly whispered. They all watched her curiously as she stared wide eyed all around her. "It's everywhere. It's surrounding us."

"You're right." Emma whispered too, her eyes just as wide as Shae's. "I… I-I can feel it."

They all stood rooted in their spots, their eyes filled with fear as they gaze all around them. Suddenly, Regina emitted a startled gasp, and the others all turned toward her, just in time to see black tendrils of pure darkness shooting down from the night sky. Regina's hand was wrenched from Shae's as the darkness swept her up and dragged her away. Regina screamed as it began swirling around her like a massive, terrifying cyclone, crackling with magical energy.

"REGINA!" Shae screamed.

"My god." Muttered Remus, his mouth gaping open in horror. "W-What's it doing?"

"What darkness does best." Emma replied gravely. "Snuffing out the light."

Shae watched in sheer horror as the woman that she loved was slowly being consumed by the swirling black cyclone. "NO!" She shouted. "No, I won't let it!"

Shae rushed at the cyclone, only to be blown backwards. She sailed through the air, crashing straight into Remus. They both tumbled across the ground, and Shae immediately scrambled back onto her feet, her whole body trembling.

"That's not going to work on this thing!" Emma shouted over the magical energy that was crackling like lightning. "The Apprentice said we need to do what The Sorcerer did! We need to tether it to another person to contain it!"

Emma then glanced down at The Dark One's dagger that was clenched firmly in her fist. Suddenly, they all realized what she was about to do. "EMMA!" Shrieked Mary Margaret.

"NO!" Shae exclaimed, staring at Emma with horror in her eyes. "T-There… There has to be another way!"

"There isn't." Emma replied, slowly shaking her head. She then turned to her parents, smiling at them with tears in her eyes. "You got the darkness out of me once. You're gonna have to do it again."

"NO!" Shouted David.

"Emma, please!" Cried Hook, his own eyes glistening with tears. "Please… Don't do this!"

Emma smiled at Killian Jones, the man that she loved. "I love you." She whispered softly.

Emma then turned around, and raised the dagger into the air. "NO!" Shae screamed.

Shae rushed forward, and grabbed onto Emma's hands just in time, her own curling around the handle of the dagger as well. "Stop!" She shouted desperately. "Let me!"

"NO!" Emma refused, trying to wrench the dagger away from Shae. "You've worked too hard for your happiness to let it just get crushed by this thing!"

"Emma, you're The Savior!" Shae cried.

"SHAE, LET GO!"

"NO!"

Emma struggled against Shae for a moment, but then managed to shove both of their hands forward, stabbing the dagger straight into the cyclone of darkness. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Emma and Shae both stood with their hands clamped firmly onto the dagger, staring up at the terrifying, swirling cyclone. Then, the cyclone suddenly stopped spinning, and slowly began to shift. Regina was released from it's grasp.

Regina staggered backwards, her chest heaving, her whole body trembling. She watched in silent horror as the cyclone began spinning again. Black tendrils of magic began to work their way down both Emma and Shae's arms, creeping up to their shoulders, their necks, their faces. Regina caught Shae's eye just before both her and Emma were consumed by the darkness. She saw nothing but fear into those eyes that she loved so very much.

Regina drew in a startled gasp, they all did, as, suddenly, the cyclone disappeared into the night air, Shae and Emma along with it. A stunned, horrified silence fell over the group gathered on the main street of Storybrooke. Slowly, Regina forced her legs to move. She bent over and picked up The Dark One's dagger, which was all that had been left behind. The others all crowded around, staring down at the dagger in Regina's hands.

"'Emma Swan.'" Hook muttered, reading the name that was now etched into the dagger's blade.

With trembling hands, Regina turned the dagger over, expecting to find Shae's name etched into the other side. However, the back side of the dagger was blank. She turned it over again, then glanced up at the others, her mouth opening and closing several times, her bottom lip trembling.

"I… I-I don't understand." She whispered, frightened tears beginning to well into her eyes. "Shae's name isn't on here."

"What exactly does that mean?" Asked Remus, look just as terrified as Regina.

Regina slowly shook her head. "I don't know." She muttered in reply. She swallowed the hard, fearful lump that had formed in her throat, gazing around at all the others. "Where is she? Where did it take her?"

XX

Shae felt her body spinning round and round, twisting and turning wildly through the air. She peeled her eyes open a crack, and saw nothing but the swirling, spinning darkness. She heard strange noises through the wind rushing through her ears, horrible, terrifying noises. Some of them were voices, shouting, crying, laughing. Some of them were nothing but deep, guttural growls. The pressure in her head threatened to crush her skull, and the rushing wide drew all breath straight out of her lungs. Then, just when she thought she was going to be crushed to death, it all stopped.

Shae grunted as she was deposited face first out onto solid ground. She lie still for a few moments, her chest heaving, her whole body trembling violently. She rolled onto her side, and slowly peeled her eyes open. She found herself staring at a dark, rocky wall. She pushed herself shakily up onto her knees, staring wide eyed all around her. It looked like she was in a long, dark hallway inside some sort of cave. There was a cobblestone path beneath her, and there were torches sitting in sconces lining the rocky walls. Above all else, Shae could sense nothing but darkness from all around her, nothing but evil.

"What the fuck?" She whispered, peering down the long, torch lit hallway. "Where the hell am I now?"

She staggered up onto her feet, bracing herself with one hand on the wall as her legs trembled beneath her. She turned in her spot, examining her new and strange surroundings. Suddenly, she froze where she stood when she heard a strange whisper, a whisper that chilled her right to the very bone.

 _Shae…_

XX


	24. Chapter 24, Camelot

CHAPTER 24

Regina groaned, slowly blinking her eyes open. For a moment, she lie still, trying to make sense of what happened, and where exactly she was. She was roused from her stupor when she heard more grunting and groaning from all around her. She sat forward, her brown eyes growing wide when she realized that she was sitting on the floor of Granny's Diner. All around her, there were others lying on the floor. They were all dressed in medieval style clothing, including herself. She quickly realized that all the people who had gone to Camelot in search of Emma and Shae were surrounding her, all of them slowly waking from some sort of daze.

Suddenly, the door to Granny's burst open. The dwarves Sneezy and Sleepy both rushed in, looking panicked. "What are you guys doing here?" Asked Sneezy.

"W-What… What happened?" Stammered Mary Margaret, clutching baby Neal carefully to her chest as her husband helped her to her feet.

"Oh my god…" David muttered, staring wide eyed out of the window. "We're back!"

Regina staggered to her own feet, and glanced out the window herself. David was right. Granny's was right back where it was supposed to be, on Main Street Storybrooke. Regina squeezed her eyes shut, trying desperately to make any sense of what was happening.

She remembered tricking her sister, Zelena, into summoning a cyclone with The Apprentice's wand, a cyclone that took the entirety of Granny's Diner, and those gathered inside, back to the realm of The Enchanted Forest. She remembered finding Emma in the forest, and then encountering King Arthur and his knights. The very last thing she remembered was walking up the drawbridge toward King Arthur's castle in Camelot. Then… Nothing.

"This doesn't make any sense." She muttered. "We were just walking into Camelot."

"What the hell are we wearing?" Growled Leroy, staring down at his own clothes. He then turned to his fellow dwarves. "Sneezy, Sleepy, what happened? How long were we gone?"

"Six weeks." Answered Sneezy.

Regina's eyes grew even wider than they already were. "What?"

"Our memories…" David whispered, his own eyes filled with fear. "T-They're gone!"

"Again." Mary Margaret added glumly.

Regina opened her mouth to speak, but stopped when she heard groaning from behind her. It was Remus, who was finally waking. "What? W-Where are-" He muttered, stopping mid sentence as he stared down at his own legs. "Dear god… Am I wearing tights?"

"Remus!" Regina exclaimed, rushing over to him. She then gasped, gazing frantically all around her. "Oh my god… Shae! W-Where's Shae?"

Silence fell over the diner momentarily as they searched all around them. "Look!" Henry suddenly exclaimed, pointing toward the back corner of the diner. "Over there!"

There were a pair of legs sticking out from behind one of the booths, and Regina immediately rushed over to them. "Shae!" She exclaimed. "It's her! It's Shae!"

Regina knelt down beside the woman she loved, her eyes immediately welling with tears as relief washed over her. Other than how exactly they all made it back to Storybrooke, Regina also had absolutely no memory of finding Shae. She was dressed as strangely as all the others, in a pair of medieval style black breeches, black boots, a white shirt, and a silk, dark blue vest. For some reason, all her piercings were missing as well. However, there was no mistaking that messy black hair. It was most definitely her.

"No, Beyonce, those are my pancakes…" Shae mumbled, her eyes still closed.

Regina couldn't help but laugh at Shae's dazed muttering. "Shae… Shae, wake up." She whispered, gently shaking her shoulder.

"Stop… Gettin' syrup all over…" Shae continued to mutter, weakly shoving Regina's hand away.

Regina breathed out an irritated sigh, her amusement quickly fading. "Shae! Come on, wake up!" She shouted, patting Shae's cheeks.

"Ow… OW!" Shae exclaimed, finally snapping awake. "Jesus Christ! I'm up, I-" She stopped mid sentence, her blue eyes growing wide as she gazed all around her. "Woah… Wait… What's going on?"

"That is an excellent question." Regina replied, smiling as tears of joy began to trickle down her cheeks. "We'll figure all that out later, right after this."

Regina took Shae's face in her hands, and placed a deep, passionate kiss on her lips. "You came back." She whispered, pulling away from Shae's lips and smiling into her eyes.

"Don't I always?" Shae replied with a wink and a grin.

Regina leaned in toward Shae's lips again, but stopped when Hook spoke from behind her. "That's all well and good, love." He said, his face grave. "But if _you're_ here… Then where's Emma?"

"Relax. I'm right here."

Everyone in the diner gasped at the sudden, quiet voice, and Regina and Shae both leapt to their feet. "Woah." Shae whispered, staring wide eyed at the person who was suddenly standing by the diner's door.

It was indeed Emma Swan, but, she was no longer the Emma that they all knew. She was dressed head to toe in black, complete with a long, black coat, made out of a material that was very familiar to them all. It was the same kind of material that Rumplestiltskin used to wear, the kind that looked like it was made out of some sort of crocodile skin. Her usual long, blonde hair was now stark white, and tied up in a tight bun. What was most shocking of all, was the uncharacteristic and sinister scowl on her face. Her scowl was so dark, so full of malice, that it gave all of them chills.

"Mom?" Henry whispered, as he gaped at his mother in horror. "W-What… What happened to you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Emma asked in reply, raising an eyebrow at them all. "You went to Camelot to get the darkness out of me."

Emma stepped up to her mother, Mary Margaret, and placed her hand gently on her cheek. "And you failed." She whispered.

Mary Margaret gasped, and visibly shivered at her daughter's touch. Emma stepped away from her mother, and froze when the aptly named Sneezy suddenly sneezed from beside her. Emma slowly turned her head to glare into Sneezy's eyes, which grew wide with fear. He then tilted his head back, and was about to sneeze again, when Emma waved her hand, and turned him completely to stone.

"Woah." Shae whispered again.

"Emma, stop!" Regina snarled, taking an angry step forward. "That's enough!"

"Or what?" Emma snarled back, glaring menacingly at Regina.

"Or I'll do exactly what you asked me to."

Regina reached for something at the sash tied around her red velvet dress, and she frowned when she realized that there was nothing there. "Looking for this?" Asked Emma, holding up The Dark One's dagger, which now had her name on it.

"Woah." Shae whispered once again, then grunted when Remus wacked her in the stomach with the back of his hand.

"No one is going to touch this dagger but me." Emma whispered to Regina, still glaring into her eyes. She then stepped away from Regina, sauntering amongst them as she swept her menacing gaze across their startled faces. "Now, for what you all did to me… You're going to be punished."

"Emma… Please…" Hook pleaded, his eyes glistening with tears.

"Emma." Shae whispered, reaching out and grabbing Emma's arm. "Stop… W-What's going on? Why are you doing this?"

Emma glanced down at Shae's hand on her arm, then back into Shae's eyes. Her lips curled into fearsome snarl that gave Shae even more chills. Then, slowly, as she continued to stare into Shae's eyes, her face softened, and her snarl faded. For a moment, just a moment, Shae saw her friend, the old Emma, the _true_ Emma.

"Because…" Emma whispered, placing her hand gently on Shae's chest, right over her heart. "I… I-I had to-"

Suddenly, Emma stepped back, removing her hand from Shae's chest, wrenching her other out of Shae's grip. "Because," She whispered again, her malicious scowl returning. "I'm The Dark One."

Emma took a moment to glare sinisterly around at all the others, then, she disappeared in a puff of black smoke. While everyone else stood in shocked silence, Shae placed her own quivering hand over her heart, right where Emma's hand had been only a moment ago. She gasped as, suddenly, a memory popped into her head, a memory of what happened to her six weeks ago, back in The Enchanted Forest.

XXXXX

 _Shae…_

Shae whirled around, peering down the dark, torch lit hallway of the cave she had been deposited in. She could have sworn she heard someone whisper her name. She shook it off, deciding that it was just her nerves. She turned around around, and set off carefully down the cobblestone hall, hoping that she would, somehow, find a way out of the strange cave.

 _Shae…_

Shae stopped in her tracks, spinning back around again. She had definitely heard it that time, someone was definitely whispering to her. "Hello?" She called out. "Emma, is that you?"

She remained where she stood for a moment, straining her ears and listening hard. When she was met with nothing but silence, she breathed out a shaky sigh. She ran an equally shaky hand through her hair, trying to calm her racing heart. She was about to turn back around, when she heard the voice again, much louder this time, and much more familiar.

"Shae!"

"Emma?"

"Shae! Shae, help!"

"EMMA!"

Shae sprinted headlong down the hallway, following Emma's voice as she continued to call out for her. Shae's heart pounded wildly in her chest as she followed the cave's every twist and turn. It appeared to go on forever. Finally, she rounded another corner, and was met by some sort of tall stone door. It looked ancient, impossibly ancient.

"SHAE!"

"EMMA!" Shae screamed, racing toward the door. "I'm here! I'm here!"

Shae frantically ran her hands up and down the door, finding no seam, no handle, no sort of mechanism of any kind to open it. There was nothing but a small circle carved right into the center. Shae drew back a step, her chest heaving, her heart racing with panic. Then, she stepped up to the door again, reaching out a quivering hand, and placing it atop the circle.

The circle began to glow with a bright, burning red light, and Shae leapt back in alarm. She clamped her hands over her ears, crying out as the circle began to emit a piercing, deafening humming noise. The very ground began to quake beneath her feet, and, suddenly, something dark and sinister burst forth violently from the circle. It looked like some sort of swarm of black flies, flies that were pulsating with dark magic.

Shae staggered backward, and fell to the ground. She threw her arms over her head as the dark swarm encircled her, buzzing wildly all around her body. After a few impossibly long and terrifying moments, the swarm swept away from her, and Shae removed her arms from around her head. She watched in horrified wonder as the swarm formed a humanoid shape, and hovered before her in the air.

"Emma?" Shae whispered, her heart hammering in her chest. "P-Please tell me that isn't you."

The swarm emitted a deep, dark chuckle, and then, it spoke. "I am not." It said, it's voice not quite a man's or a woman's, and certainly not human. "I have gone by many names, but most know me as… The Hollow."

Shae rose shakily to her feet, too confused, too frightened to find any more words. "I have been waiting many centuries for you, oh, Hollow One." The creature called The Hollow spoke again. "I have been waiting for someone with great and powerful magic such as yours, with a heart such as yours. Finally, you have arrived, and you have set me free my eternal prison."

Shae swallowed the hard, fearful lump that had formed in her throat. "I… I just… I-I don't…" She stammered, her chest heaving, her heart racing. "What?"

The Hollow chuckled again. "It is not your place to understand, Hollow One. Your purpose is to be my vessel, nothing more."

"What?" Shae exclaimed, drawing back another step. "W-What the hell does that mean? What do you want?"

The dark creature known as The Hollow emitted another deep, guttural laugh, and slowly hovered forward, whispering softly, sinisterly. "Everything."

Shae cried out in alarm as The Hollow reached one of its arms forward, and plunged it straight into her chest. She howled with pain as the flesh over her heart sizzled and burned, and watched in horror as the swirling black swarm began to shoot straight into her body. She could feel it inside her, from deep in her heart, straight down to her toes. All she could see was the buzzing black flies, all she could hear was a deafening ringing, blocking out even her own screams. The ground quaked beneath her feet again, and the only other thing she could feel was The Hollow swarming into her body.

Suddenly, Shae felt something strange on her fingertips, and she quickly realized it as the familiar tingle of magic. She seized upon it, and was suddenly swept up in a swirling gust of wind. She felt her body rising into the air, and she began to twist and turn wildly. As quickly as it came, it all stopped, and she collapsed onto solid ground once again.

Shae remained curled up on the ground for a few moments, her chest heaving, her heart hammering in her ribcage. Her chest still ached, but the rest of the pain was gone, and she could hear birds chirping softly in the distance. She slowly peeled her eyes open, and sat shakily forward. Her brow furrowed in confusion when she realized that she was in the courtyard of some sort of castle, a castle that she had never seen before.

She sat there on the ground for a while, trying to make sense of what had just happened to her. Finally, she realized that, for the first time in a long, long time, she had used her magic, her own magic. She had teleported herself out of the cave. Her brow furrowed even more as she stared up at the castle before her. She hadn't exactly chosen a destination. The last thing she remembered thinking just before she teleported, was that she needed to get out, and find a way to stop The Hollow from consuming her.

Shae craned her torso around when she heard a strange rustling from behind her. Her eyes grew wide when she realized that it was the wind blowing through the leaves of the great tree that was sitting in the middle of the courtyard. Slowly, shakily, Shae pushed herself up onto her feet. There was something very strange about this tree, something… Magical.

"You there!"

Shae nearly leapt out of her skin at the sudden shout. There was a man stomping toward her, a man with short, neatly combed brown hair, with a neatly trimmed brown beard to match. He was wearing a polished suit of armor, with a flowing red cape on his back. He promptly froze in his tracks as Shae turned around, and his eyes grew wide. What Shae saw in his eyes was all too familiar to her: Fear.

"You." He whispered, pointing a quivering finger at Shae. "It's… I-It's you!"

"Um…" Shae mumbled. "Hi?"

"Your majesty!"

Shae whirled around, and saw a group of armed knights marching toward her. "Is everything alright?" One of the knights asked, then raised an eyebrow curiously at Shae. "Who is-"

"SEIZE HER!"

The knights immediately obeyed, and rushed at Shae, grabbing her by her arms. "Hey! What the hell?" Shae exclaimed as two of the knights pulled her arms behind her back, and shoved her down onto her knees. "Get your fucking hands off me!"

"Silence!" One of the knights shouted. "You will mind your tongue in the presence of The King!"

"The King?" Shae asked, staring up at the man with the cape, who was now standing before her. "Who the hell are you?"

"I don't expect you to remember me. I was just a boy when we last met." The man answered. "I am Arthur, King of Camelot." He then crouched down in front of Shae, glaring deep into her eyes. "And _you_ … You are under arrest."

XXXXX

Since she had not been with them when they were entering Camelot, Regina and the others questioned Shae about what she remembered. She told them that she had been in some sort of cave, which she found out had been the vault of The Dark One. All she had said was that she found her way out of the cave, and was apprehended by King Arthur and his knights. None of them seemed to know why exactly Arthur had arrested her, and neither did Shae. At the moment, she had much bigger things to worry about.

Shae stood in front of the mirror in Regina's bedroom in only a pair of boxers and a t-shirt, staring at her own reflection. It was strange to look upon her human face again, her own piercing blue eyes almost unfamiliar to her after so many years. Slowly, shakily, she lifted up her shirt, and gasped audibly at what she saw. There was a black circle right over her heart, the exact same circle that had been carved into the door where she had released The Hollow. Her flesh within and around it was a bright shade of red. It looked as if it had been branded into her skin. She had been branded by The Hollow.

She quickly pulled down her shirt again when Regina entered the bedroom. She had left out her encounter with The Hollow, and the fact that she had used magic. She didn't want to worry anyone, since they already had enough problems to deal with. She especially didn't want to worry Regina. She felt bad about lying to her, but, they were finally together again, and she didn't want to spoil their reunion. She would tell Regina and the rest all about The Hollow once they found a way to help Emma. Then, she hoped, they could find a way to get rid of The Hollow.

Shae laughed when, as soon as she entered the bedroom, Regina threw herself into her arms, practically tackling her down onto the bed. Shae smiled as the woman she loved kissed her lips, and she felt all her worries slowly melting away. They lie there in silence for a few moments, slowly and gently enjoying each other's lips. Shae ran her hands up and down Regina's body, relishing the feeling of her comforting and familiar curves at her fingertips.

"You're so warm now." Regina whispered to her with a smile.

"You like it?" Asked Shae, raising an eyebrow at her lover.

"I love it." Regina replied.

Shae smiled against her lips as Regina kissed her again. "I love _you_." She whispered.

"I love you too." Regina whispered back. "I know our situation isn't exactly… Ideal. But at least we're finally together. At least you're safe. I was so worried about you."

"Hey, you should know by now that you don't have to worry about me." Shae told her, gently brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I'm always alright, and I always come back, remember?"

Regina nodded, placing another kiss on Shae's lips. After a few moments, she leaned back, frowning down at her hands that were resting on Shae's stomach. "Still, though, I can't help wonder about… Everything." She muttered, folding her arms across her chest. "How does Arthur know you, and why did he have you arrested? What exactly happened to make Emma go all… Dark Swan?" She then breathed out a sad, heavy sigh, running her hands over her face. "What the hell happened in Camelot?"

Shae sat forward, wrapping her arms around Regina, placing a quick kiss on her lips. "Hey, we're gonna figure it all out. We always do." She whispered soothingly. "We agreed that we're gonna start in the morning. For now… Let's just enjoy being back together again. What do you say?"

Regina smiled, running her hands gently through Shae's messy black hair. "How can I refuse when I have _you_ back in my bed?" She whispered back.

Shae grinned, and Regina cried out in shock, which turned into a laugh as Shae flipped them both over, and climbed on top of her. They began to tear at each other's clothes, and Shae was grateful that Regina's bedroom was dark enough so she couldn't see the brand left by The Hollow on her chest. She made especially sure that Regina's fingers never even made contact with it as they made urgent and passionate love.

Shae found it much more difficult now that she was human. Her arm now got tired, and she kept having to come up for air any time she had her face buried deep between her lover's legs. However, Regina put her concerns to rest. She assured her that she was just as good as she always was, better, even, now that she didn't have to worry about the icy chill of Shae's skin. Shae was grateful for that fact as she held Regina close once they were spent. There was no more need for a blanket tucked between them. They now could be as close as they wanted, their bodies entangled up in each other. They both loved it.

Regina fell asleep before Shae did, and Shae was left alone with her thoughts, with her worries. She thought about The Hollow, about how exactly she was going to continue to keep it a secret from Regina, and, more importantly, how she was going to free herself from it. Most of all, she wondered why the fabled King Arthur seemed to hate her so much, and how exactly she had made it out of his dungeon. The last thing she remembered before waking up in Storybrooke was Arthur's knights locking her in a cell, then… Nothing.

XXXXX

Shae stumbled and staggered ever forward through King Arthur's dungeon, her hands shackled behind her back, two of Arthur's knights leading her firmly by her arms. She could see nothing through the black hood that was tied over her head. She heard a door burst open, and small beams of sunlight broke through the cloth of the hood. She heard murmured voices, and she stumbled more as the knights led her up some wooden steps. Finally she came to a stop, and she heard a familiar voice ring out.

"Remove her hood! I wish to look upon her face as she dies!"

She recognized it as The King's voice. She gritted her teeth as she felt one of the knights fumbling with the knot behind her head. She knew that she shouldn't, but it looked like she was going to be forced to use her magic again. There was no other way out. She knew full well what the consequences of using her magic would be, but she had little other choice. She would not die like this. She had to find Emma, had to make sure she was safe. Then, she would find a way back to Storybrooke, back to the woman that she loved.

"SHAE!"

As the hood was removed from her head, she heard another voice call out, another _very_ familiar voice. She blinked dazedly in the sunlight for a moment, then, when her eyes finally focused, they grew wide with shock. She was standing upon a small, wooden platform, a headsman's block at her feet. The headsman himself was standing beside her, armed with a very large, and very sharp looking axe. Many of King Arthur's subjects were gathered around the courtyard, and Shae was shocked to see familiar faces among them.

Her heart soared when she spotted Emma, with her parents, her son, and Hook beside her. Belle was there as well, and so was Granny, as well as Leroy and few of his fellow dwarves. Shae spotted Robin Hood, and, shockingly, Zelena. Standing at the front of the group from Storybrooke was her best friend, Remus. Standing beside _him_ , was her true love, Regina.

"Shae!" Remus exclaimed as he rushed toward her. He was immediately stopped by several of Arthur's knights, and his lips curled into a furious snarl as they shoved him back. "Let her go!" He shouted at The King. "You let her go RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"

"SILENCE!" Arthur commanded, rising from his chair where he had been sitting in a small pavilion, next to his wife, Queen Guinevere. He then turned to Regina, his eyes wide with shock. "You… Know this creature?"

"Er… Well, yes." Regina stammered in reply, looking quite nervous. "She's, um… She's my, uh-"

"Friend!" Mary Margaret suddenly cut in. "She's our friend."

"You would _dare_ call this monster, 'friend?'" Arthur demanded incredulously.

"Shae… What did you do?" Asked David, raising an irritated eyebrow at her.

"I didn't do anything!" Cried Shae.

"LIES!" Roared Arthur.

"Look, I don't know, ok?" Shae retorted, glaring irritably at Arthur. "He won't tell me!"

Arthur's eyes flashed with rage, and he pointed a furious finger at Shae. "You know full well what you did!"

"See!" Shae exclaimed. "He just shouts at me like an asshole!"

"Mate, I think it would be in your best interest to keep that sharp tongue where it belongs." Said Hook, rolling his eyes at Shae.

"Please, Your Majesty," Mary Margaret cut in, before Shae could retort. "What exactly has she done to warrant an execution?"

King Arthur exchanged a knowing glance with his Queen. Then, he stepped down from his pavilion, and he took a moment to glare maliciously at Shae before answering. A sudden hush fell over the courtyard as he began to tell a horrible, terrifying tale.

"I was orphaned when I was just a boy." He explained quietly, his face grave. "My village was small, it's people poor, but they did their best to look after me. They did everything they could to make sure I had food in my belly, and a roof over my head. They were kind people, gentle people."

Arthur paused for a moment, turning his gaze back onto Shae, his eyes full of pure hatred. "One night, I ventured out into the forest, to gather firewood for the family I was to stay with that night." He went on. "When I returned, I was met with a blood curdling sight. My village was ablaze, and bodies littered the ground. I'll never forget the sight of all that blood."

The King paused again, his clenched fists trembling with rage. "I hid myself, and prayed to the gods to send down an angel of mercy to save me from that horrid nightmare." He continued, his voice quavering with emotion. "That was when I saw her, the angel of death. She had pale gray skin, and eyes red as blood. She laughed as my village burned, as she slaughtered men, women, and children alike."

The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves, casting fearful glances up at Shae. "The angel of death saw me, and I tried to run, but she appeared before me in a cloud of smoke, just as blood red as her eyes." Arthur went on quietly. "'Always leave one alive to tell the tale,' she said to me. 'And you will tell this tale well, boy. Tell everyone you can what you saw here today. Tell them that I am nothing but a monster to be feared.'"

Shae stood with her mouth gaping open as Arthur finished his tale. She remembered that night, that boy from the village. Her eyes welled with tears as she remembered tearing those poor townsfolk limb from limb. It was just after Ingrid had sent her away from Elsa, and that was the night she let the darkness into her heart once again, the night that she had been consumed by it.

"She may not have those blood red eyes anymore, or that pale skin, but I have never forgotten that face." Arthur snarled, glaring viciously up at Shae. "It haunts my dreams to this very day. Now, I will avenge my village, and put an end to this monster."

Arthur raised his hand in a commanding way, and Shae grunted as she was forced down onto her knees by the knights standing beside her. They shoved her face down onto the block before her, and the headsman took up his axe once again.

"SHAE!" Remus screamed.

"NO!" Regina shrieked, her eyes welling with frightened tears. "No, please! You can't!"

"SILENCE!" Arthur roared once again. "You may be The Savior, but I am The King!"

"Please, Your Majesty!" David pleaded with The King. "We know what Shae did all those years ago was awful, but she's changed! She's done a lot of good since then!"

Arthur laughed loudly, mockingly. "I have a hard time believing that."

"It's true!" Mary Margaret exclaimed. "She may have been a monster once, but she's not anymore. She's nearly sacrificed her life several times now to save our town, to save all of us. She nearly sacrificed her life to save our own daughter."

Mary Margaret turned to her daughter as the rest of the group from Storybrooke muttered in agreement. "She's right." Emma said as she stepped forward. "What Shae did to you and your village was truly awful, but she's not that person any more."

"Please." Regina begged of The King. "She's a… A-A friend, to all of us. Please… She doesn't deserve to die."

When Arthur continued to stand in conflicted silence, Guinevere finally rose from her chair. "Arthur." She said quietly, placing her hand gently on her husband's shoulder. "You've said yourself countless times that Camelot is a place of second chances. Perhaps even _she_ is deserving of one. The Savior does call her friend, after all."

Silence fell over the courtyard once again as Arthur stared deep into his wife's eyes. He shifted his gaze over to Regina and the others, then over to Shae, then back at Guinevere. Finally, after several impossibly long moments, he breathed out a heavy, relenting sigh.

"When you speak true, my love, you truly speak it." He said, smiling affectionately at his wife. He then turned toward the wooden platform, where Shae was still lying with her head on the headsman's block. "Release her! There will be no beheading today."

The entire group from Storybrooke all let out the breaths they had been holding, as did Shae. She breathed out a sigh of relief as she was pulled to her feet, and the knights unlocked her shackles. As soon as she was free, Remus rushed toward her. Shae leapt down from the platform, and laughed as Remus threw his arms around her.

"Are you alright?" Asked Remus, holding her out at arm's length.

"Fine, I'm fine." Shae replied breathlessly.

The rest of Shae's friends from Storybrooke all rushed over to her, and Shae smiled when she caught Regina's eye. She stepped toward her, ready to sweep her up in her arms. She could hardly believe that she had found her. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, as Mary Margaret stepped in front of her.

"Shae!" She exclaimed, smiling a nervous smile. "You remember The Savior, right?"

Shae opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again when Mary Margaret tilted her head toward Regina. "Um…" Shae muttered, brow furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"Regina. _She's_ The Savior." Mary Margaret went on, still smiling anxiously, her eyes gaping wide. "Remember?"

"Er… R-Right. Yeah." Shae stammered, nodding her head in agreement. Still, though, she wasn't entirely sure what was going on. "The Savior. Right."

Regina gave Shae a nervous smile as well, and she opened her mouth to speak, but shut it again when Arthur cleared his throat loudly from behind Shae. Shae whirled around, and drew back a step. She ruffled her messy black hair uncomfortable when she found The King glaring at her.

"You should be thanking The Savior, you know." He said, folding his arms across his chest. "It is because of her, _and_ my lovely wife, that I have spared your life today." Arthur then took a step forward, bringing his face dangerously close to Shae's. "But know this… Every step you take in my kingdom will be carefully watched. If you so much as lay a finger on either myself, my wife, or any of my subjects, it will be straight back to the block for you. Understood?"

Shae quickly nodded her head, then cleared her throat awkwardly. "Look, um… I-I know it's probably not worth much…" She stammered anxiously. "But I really am sorry for what I did to your village."

Arthur continued to glare into Shae's eyes for a moment, then drew back a step, emitting a low, sour chuckle. "You're right. That _isn't_ worth much." He replied scathingly. Then, he turned to the rest of the Storybrooke residents. "Now, then. I expect you all would like to freshen up before the festivities tonight. Allow The Queen and I to show you to your rooms."

The group from Storybrooke followed The King and Queen back into the castle, and Shae kept carefully silent as they led them to Camelot Castle's upper floors. She wasn't entirely sure how they had all gotten to the realm of The Enchanted Forest, or why Regina was suddenly pretending to be The Savior. She decided to keep her mouth shut for the time being. She could tell by the look on both Regina and Mary Margaret's faces that something strange was going on.

Each of the Storybrooke residents was given a room to stay in by Camelot's King and Queen. Once they had all settled in, they gathered inside David and Mary Margaret's room. "Are we finally alone?" Regina asked of everyone present.

David poked his head out the door, glancing carefully down both sides of the hallway. "Looks like it." He announced, swinging the door shut.

"Thank god!" Regina breathed.

She rushed over to Shae, and immediately threw her arms around her. Shae held her tight, joyous tears welling into her eyes. She smiled as she kissed the woman that she loved so very deeply. She was so immensely grateful that Regina had found her, that they were back in each other's arms once again.

"I was so worried about you." Regina whispered, pressing her forehead to Shae's, gently caressing her face with quivering hands. "What happened to you? Are you alright."

"I'm fine." Shae whispered back with a smile. "How the hell did you guys even get here?"

"They flew Granny's all the way here on the back of a cyclone." Emma answered with a chuckle.

Shae's piercing blue eyes grew wide when she suddenly noticed Emma. "Oh, shit! Emma!" She exclaimed, rushing over to her. She grabbed Emma by her shoulders, looking her up and down. "A-Are you alright? You look alright. Are you… Um… You know-"

"The Dark One?" Emma finished for her. "Yeah. Looks like you're not, though. My name is the only one on the dagger."

"Nope." Shae said with an anxious smile as she thought about her encounter with The Hollow. "Still just me." She paused for a moment, smiling as she glanced around at all the others. "It's good to see you guys." She then narrowed her eyes at Zelena. "Except for _you_. You can go fuck yourself."

Zelena's only response was a silent, seething glare. "What? No snarky comeback?" Shae asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh, she can't speak." Regina explained, grinning deviously at Zelena. "My sister is now my simple, silent handmaiden."

Shae barked out a loud, mocking laugh. "Oh, I can get used to that." She said with a grin of her own. She then cleared her throat, glancing around at the others again. "So, uh… Does someone want to tell me what's going on? Why do you got Regina playing The Savior?"

"Shh! Not so loud!" Regina exclaimed in a whisper. "I'm pretending to be The Savior because if Arthur finds out that it's Emma, she'll be forced to use magic. Dark magic. We can't let that happen."

"Oh." Shae mumbled, still extremely confused. "Um… Why exactly would she have to use magic?"

"Because The Sorcerer, er… Merlin, _he's_ the only one that can free Emma from The Dark One." Mary Margaret explained. "And, well… He's, um… He's a tree."

Shae's eyes grew wide with shock. "A tree?" She asked, looking alarmed. "So… That tree in the courtyard, that's… Merlin?"

"Aye, that's why we've come to Camelot. To find him." Hook confirmed with a nod. "Though, finding him inside a tree is _not_ something we expected."

"Now, we've got to set _him_ free, before we can set Emma free." Leroy added.

"I think you're all up to speed now." Mary Margaret said with a smile. "Now, why don't you tell us what happened to _you_?"

Shae hesitated for a moment, biting her lip as she glanced over at Regina. Then, she recounted her tale of winding up inside the strange cave. She carefully left out her encounter with The Hollow. Now that she knew what exactly they had to do to save Emma from The Dark One, she figured that they all had much more than enough to deal with. She would tell them all about The Hollow when the time was right, and, hopefully, they'd figure out a way to rid Shae of her own darkness.

"Right, well, I guess we'd better start getting ready." David said, once Shae was finished.

"Ready for what?" Asked Shae.

David chuckled, and he smiled at his wife as she exclaimed excitedly. "The ball!"

XXXXX

Regina woke slowly the next morning, the sound of birds chirping floating in from her bedroom window. She opened her eyes when she felt a strange pressure on her chest, which she realized was Shae's head. She smiled as memories of the previous night washed over her, and she wrapped her arms around the woman that she loved, who was fast asleep, her head nestled between her breasts. She sighed contentedly, running her fingers gently through Shae's messy black hair. For a few moments, Regina's mind and heart were at peace as she held Shae in her arms.

"Good morning." Shae mumbled sleepily.

"Good morning." Regina whispered with a smile.

Shae picked her head up from Regina's chest, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Regina breathed out another contented sigh, and wrapped her arms around Shae's neck. They lie there together for a while, their lips parting slowly, gently, their tongues brushing lightly against each other. Shae then released Regina's lips and leaned back. She was ready to plunge her face between her lover's legs, like she had done several times the night before, but stopped when Regina emitted a startled gasp.

"What is _that_?"

Shae's heart nearly stopped dead in her chest. For a moment, she had forgotten all about the mark on her chest left by The Hollow. Now, Regina was staring wide eyed at it, her mouth gaping open in horror.

"Um… Right." Shae slowly replied. "A-About that…"

"Shae…" Regina whispered as she sat forward, brushing her fingers lightly across the black circle branded into her lover's flesh. "W-What… What _is_ that?"

Shae hesitated for a moment, biting her lip anxiously. Then, she slowly explained to Regina all that happened within The Dark One's vault. Regina was shocked and alarmed when Shae told her all about her encounter with The Hollow. Once Shae was finished, they both immediately vacated the bed and got dressed. They quickly woke Remus, who had decided to remain in Storybrooke, and had taken up residence in Regina's spare bedroom. Shae quickly told him the same story, and the three of them were racing to Granny's Diner a few moments later.

Regina had made a call to David and Mary Margaret, and they told her to meet them at Granny's. They found them in the company of Henry and Hook, as well as Belle. Once they had settled in, Shae told her story all over again.

"The Hollow." Belle whispered, her eyes suddenly wide as saucers. "Hold on… I know that name…"

"You do?" Shae asked, looking surprised.

Belle nodded, her face suddenly quite grave. "Rumple told me about it once." She explained. "He said that it's been sealed inside The Dark One's vault for centuries. He never dared to even go near it."

"Bloody hell…" Hook whispered, his eyes just as wide as Belle's. "If even The Crocodile is afraid of this thing, then… Well, what exactly is it?"

"It's evil in its purest form." Belle explained in a dark tone. "It's said that it was released from Pandora's Box by Pandora herself, centuries and centuries ago. A few of The Dark Ones tried to harness it, to bend it to their will. None of them succeeded. It was too powerful, even for them. So, they had it sealed away inside their own vault. None have touched it since."

"My god…" Remus whispered, his green eyes wide with fear. "W-What… What exactly does it _do_? What does it want?"

Belle emitted a dark, knowing chuckle. "What else does evil want?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at all of them. "Power. Rumple said that it's only goal is to feed off of magical power. But, much like The Dark One itself, it can only gain power by living inside a host, a magical host. It feeds off of their magic until they're drained dry. Then, it moves on to another. Once it gains enough power, only then will it be able to fully sustain itself. And, once it can, well… I'm not sure. But I can assume it's nothing good."

They all sat in fearful, horrified silence for a few moments, processing everything Belle had just said. "So… How do we stop it?" Asked Henry, glancing concernedly at Shae. "How do we get rid of it?"

Belle heaved a heavy sigh, and slowly shook her head. "I don't know." She muttered. "I'm not sure if even Rumple knows."

"Shae…" Regina whispered, staring at her lover, her brown eyes glistening with frightened tears. "Why didn't you tell me about all this?"

Shae breathed out her own sad, heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Regina." She whispered back. "I just… Didn't want you to worry. We're finally back together again, and… A-And we've all got enough to deal with, you know?"

Regina nodded slowly, and placed her hand gently on Shae's cheek. "I… Understand." She slowly replied. "But… Shae, if this is going to work, if _we're_ going to work, then… I need you to be honest with me, about everything, no matter how much it might upset me."

Shae smiled a sad smile, and placed her hand ontop of Regina's. "You're right. I'm sorry. I… I should have told you."

"Hold on… There's something I don't understand." Mary Margaret cut in suddenly, her brow furrowed deep as she turned to Belle. "You said that The Hollow has to live inside a host that has magic." When Belle nodded, she went on. "Then… What exactly does it want with Shae? She doesn't have powers anymore… Right?"

They all looked expectantly to the former vampire. For a moment, silence fell over their table as Shae chewed nervously on her thumbnail. Then, she glanced over at her best friend, Remus.

"Shae…" Remus said quietly, his eyes wide. "Don't."

"Remus…" Shae sighed, running a hand through her messy black hair. "Regina's right. I can't keep secrets anymore."

"Yes, but this is a very _big_ secret." Remus whispered through gritted teeth. "A very important and well guarded secret."

"What's going on?" Asked Regina, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at the two of them. "What are you two talking about?"

Shae heaved another sad, heavy sigh. She then turned to Regina, and gently took her hand in both of her own. "Regina…" She slowly began, staring mournfully into her lover's eyes. "There's, um… There's something else I haven't told you…"

XXXXX

Shae stood at the back of the ballroom inside Castle Camelot, idly scratching at the brand that had been left by The Hollow. As soon as she had been alone inside her room, she had examined her chest, and was horrified by what she saw. However, at the moment, she wasn't particularly worried about the strange mark. She was too busy glaring at Robin Hood, who was twirling the woman she loved about on the dance floor.

"There you are!" Belle said as she approached Shae. "You sure clean up nice."

Shae rolled her eyes as Belle smiled at her, looking her up and down. Shae had been furious when Arthur's servants tried to put her in a dress. After chastising the poor women, and giving them a long speech about the ridiculousness of gendered clothing, she chose a fine pair of black breeches, a white shirt, and a silk, dark blue vest. Regina had loved it, and said that it brought out her eyes.

"What happened to all your piercings?" Belle asked with a frown, staring at Shae's now metal free face.

"Snow suggested that I take them out." Shae replied with a shrug. "She said it would make me look less… Threatening, I guess."

"Well, I think you look quite nice." Belle said with another smile.

"Thanks." Shae grumbled.

Belle's furrowed her brow, and she curiously followed Shae's line of sight. "What is Regina doing dancing with Robin?" She asked of Shae.

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, folding her arms across her chest. "Snow _also_ suggested that, since Regina is pretending to be The Savior, it might not be a good idea for her to be seen with _me_." She explained. "Since, you know, Arthur hates my guts and his whole kingdom is generally terrified of me."

"Oh." Belle muttered, frowning again. "Well… I suppose she isn't wrong."

Shae sighed again. "I know." She growled. "Doesn't mean it doesn't suck."

Belle nodded, staring glumly down at the small glass case she was cradling carefully in her arms. Inside, was a single red rose, magically suspended in the air. It had been given to her by Mother Superior after Mr. Gold had fallen into a coma. Mother Superior explained that, while the rose still bloomed, it meant that Gold was still alive. But, with every petal that fell, he became closer and closer to death.

"Yeah…" Belle mumbled. "Love is shit sometimes, isn't it?"

"Mmhmm." Shae mumbled back.

The stood in silence for a time, Shae watching Regina and Robin, Belle watching one more petal fall from her rose. Shae couldn't help but smile as she gazed upon the woman that she loved. Though she always loved Regina's dresses from her time as The Evil Queen, she thought she looked exceptionally beautiful in her ball gown, which was a soft shade of pink. She desperately longed to be the one twirling her gracefully about the dance floor.

"Do you want to get _really_ drunk?" Belle suddenly asked of Shae.

Shae thought for a moment, tapping a finger against her chin. "I _really_ do." She replied with a grin.

Belle nodded, and shoved her glass case into Shae's hands. "Hold this." She instructed.

Shae obliged, and watched as Belle scurried away from her. Her brow furrowed in confusion as Belle passed up every servant that was carrying a tray of assorted drinks. Her blue eyes grew wide as she watched Belle scoop up two whole bottles of wine from the table where the alcohol was being kept.

"Go, go, go!" Belle whispered as she rushed past Shae.

Shae laughed loudly as she hurried after Belle. "Holy shit!" She exclaimed in a whisper. "I think I like this new Belle!"

Belle and Shae left the merriment of the ballroom behind them, and drank deep from their bottles of wine as they wandered about the castle. As they continued to get more and more drunk, their woes were suddenly forgotten. They laughed merrily as they skipped stones across the moat outside the castle, laughed even more as they tried on some suits of armor that were on display along the castle halls. They were caught during their mock sword fight by a few of Arthur's servants, and they quickly scampered away, giggling as their suits of armor clanked and clanged down the empty halls.

They were forced to remove their suits of armor when their bottles of wine were empty. They snuck back into the ballroom, and stole two more, as well as a whole tray of orderves. They ate and drank some more out in the courtyard, their backs resting against Merlin the Tree.

"You know what I realized is totally awesome?" Shae asked, taking another swig of her wine. "Food."

"I know, right?" Belle exclaimed. "Here, try this one!"

Belle giggled as she popped one of the orderves into Shae's open mouth. "Mmm!" Shae sighed. "So good!"

Belle nodded in agreement, popping one into her own mouth as well. "Hey! Where's Remus?" She asked of Shae.

"Dunno." Shae replied through a mouthful of food, shrugging one of her shoulders. "He was flirting with one of Arthur's knights last time I saw him. They're probably back at his room by now."

"Already?" Asked Belle, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

Shae chuckled, nodding her head. "He works fast."

"There you guys are!"

Belle and Shae both snapped their heads up, and found Mary Margaret stepping out into the courtyard. "Having fun?" She asked, crossing her arms and raising a knowing eyebrow at the two drunk women. "I heard that you guys stole some wine from the drink table, _and_ some suits of armor."

Both Shae and Belle's eyes grew wide, and they glanced over at the armor lying in a heap next to the tree. They glanced back at each other, then at Mary Margaret. "Belle did it." Said Shae, pointing at Belle.

Belle gasped, smacking Shae in the chest with the back of her hand. "Liar!"

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes, and opened her mouth to chastise them more. She shut it again, and they all jumped when they heard a sudden scream from inside the castle. "That doesn't sound good." Mary Margaret whispered, then rushed back inside.

Shae and Belle both exchanged a panicked, wide eyed glance, then threw their food and wine aside. They scrambled up onto their feet, and stumbled after Mary Margaret. When they entered the ballroom, they found that the music had stopped, and everyone was gathered around the middle of the dance floor.

Shae and Belle both pushed their way through the crowd, and found Robin Hood lying on the floor, Regina kneeling beside him. Robin groaned as he clutched at the gaping wound in his belly, blood pooling around his fingers. A few feet away, another man was lying on the ground, David's sword protruding from his chest. He looked to be one of Arthur's knights.

"W-What happened?" Shae stammered.

Regina glanced up at Shae, her eyes streaming with tears. "T-That man, he tried to kill me!" She exclaimed, pointing a quivering finger at the dead knight. "But Robin, he… H-He saved me, and… Oh god…"

Regina choked out a strangled sob, and rested her head on Robin's chest. Suddenly, Shae drew in a sharp breath as she felt a stinging, burning pain in her chest. She clutched her heart as her flesh seared with pain, and, suddenly, the ballroom began to spin wildly around her. She heard someone talking to her, felt strong hands gripping her arms. Her vision turned red, her ears started ringing, and she felt a vicious, white hot fury burning inside her. All she wanted to do was curl her fingers around Robin Hood's throat, choke the life out of him, and watch as the light left his eyes.

"Shae? SHAE!"

As quickly as it came, it all stopped. Shae watched as David, Granny, Leroy, and Happy carefully lifted Robin from the ground, and began carrying him away. She stared at the back of Regina's head as she hurried after them, and she stood rooted in her spot, frightened and confused, her chest heaving. She felt someone gently shake her shoulder, and she realized it was Remus, who was now standing beside her.

"Shae, are you alright?" He asked her, brow furrowed in concern.

Shae nodded, gently rubbing her still aching chest. "I'm fine." She mumbled. "Come on."

Shae rushed off after Regina and the others, Remus and Belle following close behind her. The King and Queen remained behind to deal with their now dead, traitorous knight, while the group from Storybrooke took Robin to a nearby empty room. They carefully laid him down on a table, where Regina immediately bent over him, arms outstretched over his wound, her hands quivering, her eyes streaming with panicked tears.

Shae rubbed at her chest as it gave another painful twinge, and she was grateful that was all that happened. The rage she felt earlier, it was unlike anything she had ever felt before. It was pure, unadulterated evil. She had no idea what was happening to her, what The Hollow had done to her. All she knew was that she was terrified.

Shae snapped back to reality when she saw Emma step toward Robin, and outstretch her hands toward him. "Woah!" Shae exclaimed. "W-What's going on?"

"Shae… You're drunk." Mary Margaret muttered with a sigh.

Shae scoffed. " _You're_ drunk!"

Mary Margaret sighed again, rolling her eyes at Shae. "Shae, just… Shut up." She mumbled, waving her hand impatiently.

"DON'T FUCKING TELL ME TO SHUT UP!"

Everyone in the room gasped in alarm at Shae's sudden, roaring outburst. They turned their heads toward her, and watched as she gripped Mary Margaret's arm tight, her chest heaving, her whole body trembling. Mary Margaret stood rooted in her spot, staring fearfully into Shae's wide, rage filled eyes. Robin then emitted another strangled cry of pain, which seemed to snap Shae out of her trance. She released Mary Margaret's arm, and stumbled backward, rubbing her chest.

"Emma!" Regina exclaimed, more tears spilling out of her eyes. "Please! Please, hurry!"

Emma tore her eyes away from Shae, and nodded, placing her hands out over Robin's wound once again. "WAIT!" Shae shouted, stumbling forward. "Don't!"

"There's no other way." Emma said quietly. "Regina can't heal him. I'm the only one that can."

Shae sighed, and pushed Emma out of her way, stepping up next to Robin. "No. You're not."

"Shae…" Remus muttered, staring wide eyed at her. "Don't."

Shae ignored her best friend. They all watched curiously as she outstretched her hands over Robin's bloody wound, squeezing her eyes shut. "Come on, come on…" She muttered to herself.

"Shae, what are you doing?" Cried Regina. "You don't have powers anymore! You can't-"

Regina stopped mid sentence, and drew in a shocked gasp, they all did. Shae's hands had started to glow with a soft, yellow light. They watched in silent wonder as Robin's wound began to close, and the blood began to disappear. Suddenly, he drew in a deep, shuddering gasp, and sat bolt upright on the table. Shae stepped back as he stared down at the spot where his wound had been, then into Shae's eyes.

"There you go." Shae said with a satisfied grin, clapping him on the shoulder. "Don't say I never did anything for you."

Shae turned her eyes onto Regina and the others, and her slightly drunken grin slowly faded as they stared wide eyed at her. "Shae…" Emma whispered. "How did you do that?"

"Hm? Do what?" Shae asked with an innocent shrug.

"You just used magic." Regina whispered as well, her eyes just as wide and confused as everyone else's. "You used healing magic. How?"

"Oh! Oh, _that_! Er… Right." Shae stammered with a nervous laugh. "Well, um… Y-You see… Here's the thing. I-"

"SHAE." Remus snarled through gritted teeth. "DON'T."

Shae rolled her eyes at Remus, snatching Hook's flask from off of his belt. "Come on, Remus. Cat's outta the bag now."

"That's mine!" Hook exclaimed, reaching for his flask.

"Stop it!" Shae shouted, holding the flask out of Hook's reach, attempting to push his hand away. "Just… Share!"

"ENOUGH!"

They all jumped at Regina's sudden, furious shriek. "Will someone _please_ tell me what the hell is going on here?" She demanded.

Hook snatched his flask back from Shae, who breathed out a heavy sigh, running a hand through her messy black hair. "Right, um… You all might want to sit down for this." She mumbled. When noone moved a muscle, she sighed again. "Fine. _I'll_ sit."

Shae grabbed a nearby chair, and sat herself down upon it. She hesitated for a moment, staring nervously around at everyone's shocked and expectant faces. "Er… Remus." She said, looking to her best friend. "Do you want to-"

"Oh, no!" Remus exclaimed, folding his arms across his chest, vigorously shaking his head. "You explain. This is your show, now."

"Fine, fine." Shae grumbled. She heaved another heavy sigh, leaning forward in her chair with her elbows on her knees. "Right, um… I guess I should start by telling you that, the homeland Remus and I talk about, it's not exactly… Our homeland. At least, not the one we were born in."

"What?" Regina whispered, staring at Shae with wide, baffled eyes. "Where exactly are you from, then?"

"Avalon."

Everyone's eyes grew just as wide as Regina's, and they gaped silently at each other for a moment. "Hold on… Isn't Avalon a part of the King Arthur myth?" Asked Emma.

"Yeah, it was some sort of… Afterlife, I think. Wasn't it?" Asked Belle, brow furrowed in confusion.

"Well, in reality, it's a… Whole different world." Shae slowly explained. "Ruled by the elves."

"No way!" Henry whispered excitedly. "Avalon is a world of elves?"

"Not _just_ elves." Shae replied with a quick shake of her head. "There's humans too, and dwarves and fairies… All kinds of magical creatures. But the elves are the superior race."

Remus snorted, rolling his now green eyes. "Well, _they_ certainly think so, at least."

"They sure do." Shae muttered, breathing out a sour chuckle. "The elves hate anyone who isn't an elf, _especially_ humans. They think they're just dirty, brainless savages. They rule over them with an iron fucking fist, which means that the humans hate the elves just as much. They were always at war with each other."

"The elven King married off his son to a human Queen from a neighboring kingdom a few centuries back, in attempt to bring peace between the two races." Remus added in a dark tone. "It's said that she simply died of illness. I wouldn't be surprised if The Prince had her killed. He wasn't exactly thrilled about the union, and neither were the rest of the elves."

"I don't understand." Said Regina, slowly shaking her head. "What does all this have to do with Shae using magic?"

Shae exchanged a quick, anxious glance with Remus. "Right… That." She muttered. She then cleared her throat, shifting nervously in her seat. "See, Remus and I, we're not exactly, um… Human. At least, not fully."

Everyone's jaws dropped open in pure and utter shock. "What?" Regina whispered.

"Bloody hell." Hook whispered as well. "What exactly are you, then?"

"We are what you would call… Halflings." Answered Remus. "Half human, half… Elf."

Silence fell over the room for a brief moment as they all stared wide eyed at Shae and Remus. "Wait… If you guys are half elf, then why doing you have pointy ears?" Asked Henry.

"It would seem that pointed ears are a recessive trait." Remus replied with a slight shrug. "Most halflings are born without them, and those few that are, well… Let's just say they got it worse than the rest, even the slaves like us."

"Slaves?" Robin asked, his mouth gaping open in horror. "Y-You both were… Slaves?"

Shae and Remus both nodded gravely. "Sold by the people who ran our orphanage." Shae grumbled bitterly.

"I heard we fetched a good price." Commented Remus.

"Oh, great. That sure is comforting." Replied Shae, rolling her eyes.

"Wait a minute…" Mary Margaret suddenly cut in, brow furrowed in confusion. "I don't get it. If the elves hate human so much, then why would they have children with them?"

"Er… Well… Lets just say that most halflings get their elf blood from their fathers." Shae replied slowly, carefully. "I'll let you fill in the blanks. I don't want to say it in front of Henry."

Everyone in the room furrowed their brows at each other. Then, their eyes grew wide with collective understanding. "Oh." Mary Margaret breathed, placing her hand over her mouth.

"Oh, no." David whispered.

"Yeah." Shae said with a grimace. "Most storytellers in this world got it all wrong. The elves aren't some gentle woodland creatures. They're fucking savages.

"What are you guys talking about?" Asked Henry.

"Nothing!" Mary Margaret, David, Emma, and Shae all replied in unison.

"So, Remus," Belle cut in, hastily changing the subject. "Does this mean that you have magic too?"

Remus and Shae both exchanged another knowing, anxious glance. "Well… No." Remus slowly replied. "That's where things get even more interesting. Most halflings don't have magical abilities. The magic from their elf blood is nullified by their human blood. Shae is… An anomaly. Actually, we think she's likely the first, and, well… The only."

"Seriously?" Asked Emma, eyebrows raised in shock.

Shae and Remus both nodded. "I tried to keep my magic hidden." Shae replied. "And I did, for almost twenty years. Well… More like two hundred to you guys."

"Huh?" Said Henry.

"Time works… Differently, in Avalon." Shae slowly explained. "A year there is more like ten here, and in most other realms."

"So that's why you're so old." Emma muttered. "You weren't vampires for that long, were you?"

Shae breathed out a sad, heavy sigh. "No." She muttered as well. "I kind of… Lied about that too. We only became vampires after we escaped Avalon, so we couldn't be tracked by the elves."

"Wait a minute…" David said slowly, staring between Shae and Remus with wide eyes. "Are you guys saying you became vampires… On purpose?"

When Shae and Remus both nodded again, everyone's eyes grew just as wide as David's. "You see, the elves keep a _very_ close eye on their slaves." Remus explained in a dark, bitter tone. "They use something they call a phylactery. It's a bit of our blood, infused with magic. Once they have it, they can use it to track us, no matter where we go."

"Even across worlds?" Asked Mary Margaret.

The two halflings Shae and Remus nodded once more. "The elves aren't originally from Avalon." Shae went on to explain. "They used to be sort of… Nomads. Travellers across worlds. They have all kinds of magic that can take them from one world to another. They even found us a few times after we left Avalon. Then, _we_ found Dracula. Once we were vampires, our blood wasn't our own anymore. We were safe. And… A-And now-"

"Now you're not." Belle finished for her.

"Indeed." Remus agreed in another dark tone. "Shae, especially. Which is why I tried to warn her _not_ to use her magic."

When Shae saw the perplexed look on everyone's faces, she quickly explained. "When the elves found out that I had magic, they captured me, and took even more of my blood. They were… Fascinated that a halfling like me had magic. Remus and Nadia helped me escape, but I figured out that every time I used my magic, even in a whole different world, they could find me that much easier."

"So… What kind of magic can you do?" Asked Henry, a bit suddenly, as if the question had been burning in his mind the whole time.

"Well… I can heal people." Shae replied, gesturing to a now injury free Robin Hood. "Just other people, though, not myself. The rest is mostly… Elemental. I can harness the elements, and create them too. Earth and air are pretty easy, since they're, you know, everywhere. Water is a little harder, and fire… Well, fire is the hardest."

"Woah!" Henry exclaimed, smiling excitedly. "So, you're like… The Avatar!"

"The Last Airbender?" Shae asked, with an excited smile of her own. "Exactly! Oh my god! As soon as I say that show, I was like, 'Holy shit! That's me!'"

Emma breathed out a small chuckle. "Can you guys, you know, nerd out later?"

"Sorry." Shae and Henry both mumbled.

Silence fell over the room once again as they all processed everything Shae and Remus had told them. "Wow, that is… A lot to take in." Mary Margaret said quietly. She then turned to Regina, who was staring silently down at the floor. "Regina, are you alright? You've barely said a word."

Regina nodded, slowly turning her eyes up from the floor. "I'm fine." She said with a small, strained smile. "It's just… Not every day you find out that the person you think you know best in the world, you don't really know at all."

"Regina…" Shae whispered, her piercing blue eyes filled with sorrow. She quickly rose from her chair, and rushed over to the woman she loved, taking both of her hands in her own. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. I just… I couldn't. But it's all out in the open now. I'm still the same person that I always was, I promise. I'm still… Me."

Regina nodded slowly. "You're right." She whispered, gently squeezing Shae's hands. However, she kept her eyes down on the floor, carefully avoiding her lover's gaze. "I'm just… Feeling a bit light headed. I think I'll go lie down."

"Regina… Wait, I-" Shae began, making to follow Regina as she started toward the door.

"Shae, please…" Regina whispered quietly, her voice quavering with emotion. "I just… I need to be alone right now."

Shae released Regina's hand, and her heart ached with sorrow as she watched her go. Slowly, everyone else began filing from the room, and Shae left as well, side by side with Remus. She paused, glancing over at Regina and the others, who were all gathered around Arthur and Guinevere, who were both apologizing profusely for their knight Percival's actions. Then, Remus wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and they slowly made their way back to their rooms.

As soon as she was alone in her room, Shae walked over to the vanity sitting against the wall, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She slowly undid the buttons of her vest, and lifted up her shirt. The black circle branded into her flesh was still there, looking as ominous as ever. For a moment, she had felt a great weight lifted off of her shoulders, now that Regina knew the truth about who she really was. Now, she felt the same heaviness all over again. Regina was obviously hurt by all her lies, all her secrets. But, she _had_ to tell the woman she loved about The Hollow. She just didn't know how.

XXXXX

Shae sat at a table in the Storybrooke library with Remus and Belle, the three of them pouring over every book about magic and magical creatures that they could find. Regina had been shocked to learn both Remus and Shae's true origin, their true nature, as was everyone else. Regina had told Shae that she needed to be alone for a while, to process everything. She said that she was going to go have a talk with the new Dark One in town, Emma Swan.

Shae was heartbroken over keeping so many secrets from the woman that she loved so very dearly, but she knew that there was nothing more she could do to ease her pain. Regina needed her space. So, Shae, Remus, and Belle headed to the library, to try and find something, anything, that might tell them more about The Hollow, and, possibly, how to get rid of it.

Remus was idly clicking a pen as he read. Shae suddenly reached out, and smacked his hand down flat onto the table. "Click that pen again and I'll shove it up your ass." She snapped irritably.

Remus scoffed, wrenching his hand away from Shae. "Rude." He grumbled.

Shae sighed, rubbing her aching forehead. "Sorry." She mumbled. "I'm just… Upset."

"Are you sure it isn't The Hollow?" Asked Belle, eyeing Shae with concern. "It _is_ pure darkness, after all. It might be making you act more… Aggressively, than normal."

Shae sighed once again, and slowly shook her head. "I dunno… Maybe." She admitted. "I just… Feel terrible. After I told Regina about The Hollow, about my magic, about who I really am, she just looked so… Hurt. We're finally back together again, and now all _this_." She paused, breathing out a frustrated groan as she ran her hands over her face. "I just… I _had_ to have figured something out about The Hollow back in Camelot, I _know_ I did. I just can't remember. Why the hell is Emma even doing this?"

Belle sighed herself, shaking her own head. "I wish I knew." She muttered quietly.

Remus and Belle both exchanged a sad, worried glance, as Shae groaned again, resting her forehead on the table. Remus gently patted her on the back, and opened his mouth to speak reassuring words to his oldest and dearest friend. He stopped, and they all jumped as the door to the library suddenly burst open. It was Leroy, closely followed by Granny. They both had wide eyed, panicked looks on their faces.

"You." Leroy said, pointing a finger at Shae. "You'd better come quick, sister. Your girlfriends in trouble."

"Regina?" Shae asked, immediately leaping to her feet in alarm. "What's going on? What happened?"

"Its Robin Hood." Granny replied breathlessly. "Some kind of creature with wings scooped him up and carried him away. Last we saw of our Mayor, she was racing off after the damn thing into the north woods."

"She's gonna get herself killed!" Cried Leroy.

Shae nodded hastily. "Right. North Woods. Got it."

They all watched curiously as Shae shook out her hands, and bent her knees. "Right. Gotta remember how to do this." She mumbled. "Last time I did it out of panic."

"Shae… What are you doing?" Asked Belle, brow furrowed in confusion.

"Teleporting."

Remus's jaw dropped open in shock. "Shae, no! You can't!" He exclaimed. "Just… Take a car, or something!"

"No time." Shae sharply replied. "Alright… Here we go…"

"SHAE, NO!"

Remus leapt to his feet, just as Shae disappeared in a gust of swirling wind. "Dammit!" He snarled, snatching his jacket from off his chair and stomping toward the door. "She's going to be the death of me, I just know it. Is my hair turning gray? I can feel it turning gray!"

While Belle, Leroy, and Granny followed a very angry Remus out of the library, Shae was landing deep in the Storybrooke forest. She swayed on her feet, grabbing on to a nearby tree as the world spun wildly around her. Using her own magic was much different than using her vampiric powers, and she wasn't quite used to it yet. She blinked furiously through hazy vision, trying desperately to steady herself. She had to find Regina.

"ROBIN!"

Shae turned toward the sound of Regina's voice, and staggered shakily toward it. She froze when she heard the blood curdling screech of something that most certainly wasn't human. Then, she broke into a run, her feet pounding into the dirt as she sprinted through the trees. She searched wildly all around her, her now beating heart hammering in her chest. Finally, she spotted a small group of people standing in a nearby clearing. It was Regina, accompanied by Mary Margaret and David. There was another man as well, whom Shae recognized as King Arthur.

"You!" Arthur snarled when he spotted Shae, pointing a furious finger at her. "What are _you_ doing here? I thought I-"

"Oh, go shove it up your ass!" Shae snarled at him.

Shae dropped down to her knees in front of Regina, who was sitting on the ground, wincing in pain as she held her head. "Regina! Are you alright?" Shae asked, placing her quivering hands on her shoulders. "Y-You're bleeding!"

Regina nodded, wiping at her nose, which was trickling with blood. "I'm fine." She muttered shakily. "Robin… T-That thing… It took him."

"Regina, you're hurt." Mary Margaret said gently.

"Hold on, just hold still." Shae said in the same gentle tone, placing her hands on either side of Regina's face. "I can heal you."

Regina shook her head, and pushed Shae's hands away. "No… No, no, no… Robin… I have to save Robin."

"Regina, please!" Shae begged, attempting to hold Regina still as she struggled to get to her feet. "Just let me heal you!"

"Stop!" Regina shouted, shoving Shae's hands away from her again, her whole body trembling. "Robin! I… I-I have to…"

"Regina, calm down." Said David.

"No… Robin!"

"Regina!"

"ROBIN!"

"AAHH!"

Shae emitted a strangled cry of pain, and doubled over on the ground. She clutched at her chest as it seared with stinging pain. A deafening ringing began to toll through her ears, and her whole body began to tremble violently. Suddenly, she felt a white hot, vicious rage burning within her, and her vision turned red.

"Shae? Shae!" Regina exclaimed, urgently shaking her shoulder. "Are you alright? What-"

Regina stopped mid sentence as Shae straightened up again. Slowly, she turned her head toward Regina, who let out a startled, horrified gasp. Shae's lips were curled into a vicious snarl, and the entirety of her eyes had turned black as night.

"Shae?" Regina whispered, her mouth gaping open in horror. "What are you-"

The rest of Regina's words were lost, as Shae suddenly reached out, and grabbed her by her throat. Regina emitted a strangled gurgle as Shae rose to her feet, her hand closing around her windpipe as she lifted her effortlessly into the air. Mary Margaret, David, and Arthur all rushed at Shae, who casually flicked her free hand. A circle of flames erupted all around her, causing the other three to stop in their tracks.

"Regina? REGINA!" Mary Margaret screamed.

Shae emitted a deep, guttural chuckle, grinning at Regina with her black eyes. "You have great power." She said in a voice that wasn't quite her own. "Soon, it will be mine. Then… You will be nothing. NOTHING!"

Regina gasped desperately for air as Shae laughed loudly in her face, and she clawed at Shae's hand, digging her nails into her flesh, trying frantically to free herself from her vice like grip Suddenly, something behind Shae caught her eye. It was Arthur, bellowing out a fearsome war cry as he leapt through the flames, sword in the air. There was a hollow sounding thump as he struck Shae in the back of the head with the pommel of his sword.

Shae stood rigidly still, her black eyes gaping wide. Then, the circle of flames around her and Regina disappeared. Shae's eyes faded back to their normal shade, and her now piercing blue eyes rolled into the back of her head. Regina was released from her grip, and the last thing Shae saw was her true love's frightened, tear stained face, then everything went black.

XX

Shae stirred weakly as she slowly woke. She blinked her eyes open, wincing as her head pounded with pain. She found herself staring up at the ceiling of Regina's bedroom, and she quickly realized that she was lying in Regina's bed. She turned her head towards the window. Night had fallen over Storybrooke.

"Shae? Are you alright?"

Shae turned her heard to the other side, and found Belle sitting in a chair next to the bed, a book lying open in her lap. "Belle?" She muttered. "What are you doing here?"

"Regina asked me to look after you." Belle replied with a gentle smile. "She took Remus with her to go hunt down The Fury."

"Fury?" Asked Shae.

Belle nodded gravely. "It's what was after Robin Hood." She explained. "It was sent to collect the unpaid price of magic. It was going to drag him down to The Underworld."

"Holy shit." Shae breathed, sitting forward in alarm. "I-Is he ok? And Regina? Is she alright? Is she-"

"Fine, they're both fine." Belle cut in with a smile. "They saved Robin just in time. And Regina called to check in on you not that long ago. She said that she's meeting up with Mary Margaret and David at Granny's for a bit." She then shifted in her seat, staring concernedly into Shae's eyes. "How are _you_? Regina said that The Hollow sort of… Took over you, for a moment."

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of her head as it ached with pain. "Yeah." She mumbled. "I… I-I could see what I was doing, but I couldn't stop it. I… Could have killed her."

Belle sighed herself, and slowly reached out, taking Shae's hand. "It's alright, Shae, it wasn't you." She said, gently squeezing Shae's hand. "It was The Hollow."

"Yeah, I know." Shae whispered in reply. "I just… I need to get this thing out of me. I have find Emma. She needs to give me back my memories. I _know_ I figured something out back in Camelot, I can feel it. I just-"

"Yes, you're right. You did."

Shae swung her legs down to the floor. She was about to head for the door, but stopped, furrowing her brow at Belle. "What? What do you mean?"

Belle bit her lip hesitantly, and, suddenly, her eyes grew very sad. "While you were still knocked out, I thought I'd help out a bit by cleaning up in here." She slowly explained. "I found these in the pocket of the vest you were wearing when we came back from Camelot."

Belle removed two pieces of paper from where they had been tucked inside her book. She handed them to Shae, whose eyes grew wide with shock. One of the papers looked like it had been torn out of a book. On it, was a drawing of a familiar looking black swarm. There was a very brief description next to the drawing.

 _The Hollow._

 _A powerful and ancient evil, it's origins shrouded in mystery. It took the combined strength of a force of great good, and a force of great evil, to seal it away. Should it ever be freed again, it will surely mean the end of days._

Shae swallowed the hard, fearful lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. Slowly, she turned to the other page, and her eyes grew even wider. The ink looked to be relatively fresh, and the parchment itself was not nearly as old as the other page. The writing was also strangely familiar to Shae. Her heart began to race as she read, and, suddenly, she knew exactly why The Hollow had chosen her, why it had spent centuries waiting for her. More importantly, she knew exactly how to get rid of it.

"My god…" Shae whispered, turned her wide eyed gaze onto Belle. "I… I-I have to go… I have to tell Regina."

"Wait!" Belle exclaimed, grabbing onto Shae's arm as she leapt to her feet. "There was… Something else in your pocket, something that I think you might want."

Belle reached into her own pocket, and placed something small into Shae's hand. It was a necklace, a necklace that Shae had seen many times before. It's chain was silver, as was the pendant. The pendant was in the shape of a snowflake, a blue gem glittering gently from the center. Suddenly, she knew exactly why the handwriting from the page looked so familiar.

Shae's eyes welled with tears as she stared down at the necklace in her hand. She quickly shook herself, and tucked the necklace, as well as the papers, carefully away inside her jacket. She then squeezed her eyes shut, picturing Granny's Diner in her mind. There was no time to walk. This was much too urgent.

The world spun wildly around Shae as she appeared on the darkened main street of Storybrooke with a whirl of rushing wind. She swayed dangerously on her feet again, and rested her hand on a nearby parked car. Once her vision focused, she saw Granny's Diner sitting across the street. She spotted the back of Regina's head at one of the booths, Mary Margaret, David, and Henry all sitting around her.

"Being a little reckless with your magic, don't you think?" A very familiar voice spoke quietly from behind Shae. "You don't want the elves to find you again, do you?"

Shae spun around in alarm, and found The Dark One, Emma Swan, standing behind her. She was now dressed in an elegant black trenchcoat, her hair still stark white, and tied up in a tight bun. Her heart ached as she looked upon the woman who had once been The Savior, who had once been her friend. Now, that Emma was gone, consumed by darkness.

"Emma?" Shae muttered, rubbing her chest as it gave a painful twinge. "What are you doing out here?"

Emma chuckled, leaning casually against a lightpost, hands in the pockets of her trench coat. "I don't think that's any of your business."

Shae folded her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes angrily at Emma. "Well I'm _making_ it my business."

Emma chuckled again, and pushed away from the lightpost. She stepped up to Shae, grinning deviously into her eyes. "You think you can threaten me, Shae?" She whispered, bringing her face dangerously close to Shae's. "You may have elf blood, and magic, but _I_ am That Dark One."

Shae glared into Emma's eyes. Then, her face softened, and her heart ached with sorrow once again. "I'm sorry, Emma." She whispered back. "I don't know what exactly happened in Camelot. You obviously saw to that. But, I'm just… Sorry that we failed you."

Emma's face softened as well. Shae held rigidly still, watching Emma's face curiously as she reached out, and ran her fingers gently through her messy black hair. Emma then placed her hand on Shae's cheek, and leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on her other.

"You didn't fail me, Shae." Emma whispered softly in her ear. "Everyone else did." She then stepped back slightly, moving her hand down to Shae's chest. "Besides…" She went on, placing her hand over Shae's heart, just as she had once before. "You had your own problems to deal with."

"You're talking about The Hollow, aren't you?" Shae asked of her. "What do you know about it? You obviously know all about _me_ , now. You have to know something about The Hollow."

"I know everything."

Shae breathed out a small chuckle of her own. "Well, sorry to burst your bubble, Dark One, but so do I." She removed the papers Belle had found from within her jacket. "I found these. I'm surprised you didn't take them from me, after you took my memories."

Emma seemed unimpressed. "Why would I?" She asked, giving Shae an unconcerned shrug. "I never wanted to prevent you from finding out what The Hollow was."

Shae blinked several times in surprise. She then shook herself, and held out one of the pages, pointing to the last sentence scrawled out at the bottom. "Is this really true?" She asked of Emma, her hand shaking slightly. "Is there really no other way?"

Emma didn't respond right away. For a moment, she simply stared into Shae's eyes, her own filled with a deep sorrow. "Why do you think I did all this, Shae?" She whispered softly, mournfully. "I did it for _you_ , to save you. And, well… A few other reasons."

Emma glanced over at Granny's Diner, and Shae curiously followed her line of sight. "Hook?" She asked, watching the pirate, who was sitting alone at the counter, looking glum. "What happened to him? What happened to _me_?"

Emma slowly shook her head, turning her gaze back onto Shae. "You can't know, Shae. Neither of you can." She muttered, her eyes still filled with a deep and heavy sadness. "If you do, if you remember, then… Well… You'll end up just like me."

Shae opened her mouth to question Emma further, but shut it again when she disappeared in a whirl of black smoke. Shae breathed out a frustrated groan, running a quivering hand through her hair. Emma's cryptic words left her head spinning. She put their strange conversation out of her mind, and headed toward Granny's. She had much more important things to worry about at the moment.

As soon as she stepped into the diner, Regina whirled around in her seat, and gasped when she saw the woman that she loved. "Shae!" She exclaimed, rushing over to her and throwing herself into her arms. "Oh, I'm so glad you're alright!"

"Yeah, me too." Shae said with a laugh. "I'm glad _you're_ ok, too." Her smile then faded, and she stared mournfully into her true love's eyes. "Regina, I… I'm so sorry. I didn't-"

"Shh, it's ok, it's alright." Regina whispered softly, gently caressing Shae's face. "It wasn't you. It was The Hollow." She smiled, her gorgeous brown eyes welling with grateful tears. "I just… I love you."

"I love you too." Shae whispered back.

Regina wrapped her arms around Shae's neck, and Shae breathed out a contented sigh as she held her tight. For a moment, just a moment, all her worries, all her fears, they melted away as she held the woman she loved in her arms.

"Shae, listen." David said from his seat at the booth. "We've been… Talking."

"Obviously we still need to figure out how to save Emma." Said Mary Margaret. "But… We think we need to save _you_ first. The Hollow is obviously a much bigger threat at the moment. We're going to put everything else on hold, and figure out a way to get it out of you."

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, and slowly shook her head. "There's no need. I know exactly how to get rid of it."

All their eyes grew wide with shock. "What?" Regina breathed.

"I, um… I found something. Well… Belle did, actually." Shae stammered nervously in reply. "But, uh… I think you all should see it."

Regina returned to her seat at the booth, and Shae pulled up a chair, as did Hook. She briefly explained where Belle had found the pages before she presented them to them all. Regina read them out loud, starting with the page that had been torn from a book. She quickly moved on from the brief, unhelpful description of The Hollow, and flipped to the other page. As she continued to read, her voice grew softer and softer, and began to quaver with emotion. Shae's heart hung heavy with sorrow as she watched the tears welling into her true love's eyes. She gazed around at all the others, who listened in shocked silence, their mouths gaping open in horror.

Finally, Regina finished reading. "Oh my god…" She whispered, tears beginning to fall freely down her face. "It's… It's all my fault."

Shae sighed heavily, placing her hand gently on Regina's shoulder. "Regina, no, don't say that."

"Why not? It's the truth!" Regina exclaimed, her voice cracking with sorrow as she slammed the paper onto the table.

Regina buried her face in her hands, and Shae gently rubbed her back, unable to come up with any comforting words. "Wait a minute…" Mary Margaret suddenly muttered as she examined the paper. "Who wrote this? This doesn't look like your handwriting."

"It's not." Shae replied, slowly shaking her head. "But… I recognize it."

"Really?" Asked Henry, eyebrows raised in surprise. "Who's is it?"

Shae hesitated for a moment, biting her lip anxiously. "Well, uh… It's… Um…" She stammered quietly. "It's… Elsa's."

Regina dropped her hands back into her lap, turning her head to stare wide eyed at Shae. "What?" She whispered.

"Are you saying that The Ice Queen was in Camelot with us?" Asked Hook, his eyes just as wide as Regina's.

Shae slowly shook her head again, breathing out another heavy sigh. "I… Don't know."

XXXXX

After seeing the pain that the woman she loved was in from finally learning all her secrets, Shae found herself unable to sleep. She sat beside the fire in her room within Camelot Castle, reading from one of the old books on magic that Arthur had gathered from Merlin's tower. Shae eventually nodded off in her chair as she read. The fire had long since burned out, but she finally slept with relative peace. That was, until she heard a strange but familiar whooshing noise.

"W-What?" She exclaimed, snapping violently awake. "Who's there?"

"Shae, it's me. It's just me."

Shae sighed in relief. "Regina?" She asked, turning in her chair toward the sound of Regina's voice. "W-What are you doing here?"

"I… Couldn't sleep." Regina slowly replied. "I just… Couldn't go to bed angry at you."

Shae breathed out a small, astonished laugh. "I'm really glad to hear you say that." She whispered with a smile. She peered through the darkness, barely able to make out Regina's outline standing behind her chair. "Just… Hold on." She fumbled around for a match on the end table beside her. "Dammit… I forgot how much not having electricity sucks."

Finally, she managed to find a match, and she struck it, lighting the candle sitting on the end table. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the light, and, when they did, she drew in a sharp gasp. Regina was now standing before her, her nightgown lying in a heap at her feet. Shae stared in wonder at Regina's slender, naked body, feeling herself growing instantly wet. She had seen Regina's body countless times, but it never failed to leave her breathless.

Regina stepped forward, and slid slowly into Shae's lap. Shae leaned back in her chair as Regina straddled her waist, and she tilted her head back, gratefully and eagerly receiving the kiss that she placed on her lips. She ran her hands up Regina's back, relishing the feeling of her smooth, bare skin on her fingertips.

"I don't care who you are, Shae." Regina whispered softly, gently running her fingers through Shae's soft, messy black hair. "I don't care what you are. You're still the woman I fell in love with. I'm… Sorry I got so angry, I-"

Shae cut her off with another kiss. "We agreed, no more apologizing. Remember?"

Regina nodded, smiling against Shae's lips as she kissed her again. They enjoyed the taste of each other's lips for a while, their tongues gently exploring each other's mouths. Their desire quickly began to swell, and Regina drew back with a gasp as Shae gently pinched one of her already firm and swollen nipples.

"Tell me what you want." Shae whispered to her.

"You." Regina whispered back, staring hungrily into her lover's eyes. "I want you. All of you."

Shae smiled, and gently pushed Regina off of her lap. She spun them both around, and pushed Regina down onto the chair. Shae got down on her knees in front of Regina, and took both of her hands in her own.

"I'm yours, Regina." Shae whispered, smiling tenderly into her eyes. "All that I have, all that I am, it's yours. It's always been yours."

Regina smiled back into her lover's eyes, and her own welled with tears at Shae's loving, whispered words. Her eyes fluttered closed as Shae leaned forward, placing another deep, passionate kiss on her lips. She then moved away from her lips, and planted gentle kisses all down her torso. Regina grinned as Shae pushed her legs apart, and she gasped as she placed another kiss deep into her womanhood.

"Oh, Shae…" Regina moaned as she leaned back in the chair. "Mmm… Yes…"

Shae started out slow and gentle, like a cat, lazily lapping up some milk. Regina stared down at her as she slowly licked her from end to end, and she ran her fingers gently through the soft, messy black hair that she loved so much. She couldn't help but marvel at how incredibly beautiful Shae looked, on her knees before her like she had been so many times before, ready and willing to give her anything and everything she wanted.

"Oh! Oh, Shae!" Regina exclaimed as Shae focused her tongue on her clit. "Oh god, yes!"

Regina squeezed a fistful of Shae's hair as her tongue moved faster and faster. She raked the nails of her other hand up Shae's back, and she grinned as she felt her whole body shiver beneath her fingertips. Regina fought hard to keep her cries and moans of pleasure quiet, but it was proving quite difficult. Shae licked and sucked on her clit as if she were a rabid, starving animal, as if her lover's arousal was the only sustenance that she so desperately needed.

"Shae! Shae, I need you!" Regina cried, her chest heaving with exertion. "I need you inside me!"

Suddenly, Shae pulled away from between Regina's legs, and sat back on her knees, her own breaths deep and ragged. Regina opened her mouth to chastise her for stopping, but shut it again as Shae pulled her to her feet. She paused for a moment to carefully blow out the candle, then began to push Regina backwards toward the bed, viciously attacking her lips. She could taste her own arousal on her lips, but she didn't care. Shae's lips were the only sustenance that _she_ needed, at the moment.

As soon as they crashed down onto the bed together, Shae slipped two fingers deep inside her. Shae loved the taste of her, loved the feeling of her fingers gliding between the glorious, glistening wetness of her folds. She pumped her fingers slow and deep, the sounds of Regina's muffled moans from around her lips making her shiver with pleasure. They kissed with a vigorous, unyielding hunger as Shae began to thrust her fingers deeper and harder inside her. Shae bucked her hips against Regina's slender, muscular leg, leaving the skin of her inner thigh hot and slick.

"More!" Regina whispered breathlessly in her ear.

Shae immediately obeyed, just as she almost always did, and inserted a third finger. There were times when Shae liked to be coy and elusive, deliberately disobeying her lover's every command, teasing her, but only for a little while. However, this was not the time for that. After everything they had been through, all she wanted was to give the woman that she loved whatever pleasure she so desired.

"Oh god! Shae!" Regina cried, digging her nails into the back of Shae's head, into the flesh of her shoulder blade. "Shae! YES!"

Shae bit down into Regina's neck, a muffled moan escaping her lips as Regina dug her nails deeper into her flesh. She felt blood trickling down her back, but she didn't care. She thrust her fingers wildly, fucking her as hard and as fast as she possibly could. She kept going as Regina's back arched high into the air, causing wave after wave of pleasure to crash over her. Finally, Regina collapsed back down onto the bed, and Shae removed her cum covered fingers from inside her.

As Regina lie breathless and quivering on the bed, Shae pressed gentle kisses on every inch of her that she could, worshiping her lover's sweat covered body with her lips and her tongue. She then rested her head between Regina's breasts, listening to her racing heart. Regina smiled, and ran her fingers gently through Shae's messy black hair.

"Oh, Shae." Regina whispered, her body still quivering with pleasure. "Shae, I love you."

"I love you too, Regina." Shae whispered back.

Regina smiled again, and grabbed a fistful of Shae's hair, pulling her head up to place a kiss on her lips. "I don't like keeping things between us a secret." She murmured against Shae lips. "I don't care what Arthur thinks of you. I want to be with you, fully."

Shae sighed, and propped herself up on her elbow. "Look, I don't like it either." She quietly replied. "But you've seen the way people around here look at me, and I can barely go anywhere without Arthur's guards a few steps behind. It sucks, but it's just… For the best."

Regina pursed her lips into a frown, to which Shae chuckled. "Besides," She went on, gently tracing a finger across Regina's collarbone. "Sneaking around could be kinda, you know… Fun."

Regina nodded, falling silent for a moment as she pondered. "I suppose it could be." She muttered in reply. Then, a devious grin stretched across her lips, and she wrapped her arms around Shae's neck. "By day, we can only look, not touch. And, maybe, in passing, I could… Whisper a little something in your ear, a little something about what I might do to you later."

Shae laughed, and her whole body shivered at her lover's whispered words. "See? Fun." She said with a grin of her own. "Maybe you could, uh… Whisper a few of those somethings right now. Or, you know… Just _do_ them."

Regina laughed too, and placed another kiss on Shae's lips. "Mmm… Perhaps I could."

Regina rolled on top of Shae, who grinned even more as Regina pinned her arms down onto the bed. Regina gave Shae the same treatment that she had received, and she fell asleep with a smile on her face, watching the woman she loved quivering with pleasure.

Shae fell asleep soon after, grateful that her bedroom was dark enough to hide the brand on her chest left from The Hollow. She had tried hard to keep Regina's fingers carefully away from it as her lover ravaged her body. She was immensely grateful that she had succeeded, that she was able to keep her secret, so she could find the proper time to actually tell Regina about The Hollow. Unfortunately, her plan completely fell apart the very next morning.

In her blissful daze over waking up in the arms of the woman that she loved, Shae had completely forgotten about the dark circle branded into her flesh. Regina was shocked and horrified when she saw it, even more so when Shae was finally forced to tell her what had really happened inside The Dark One's vault.

They both got dressed immediately after, and quickly woke the others. Once they were all gathered in Regina's room, Shae told her story once more, and Belle shared with them the little knowledge about The Hollow she had gained from Rumplestiltskin. They were all shocked and confused, and Regina was hurt that Shae had kept yet another secret from her. However, she quickly forgave the woman she loved so very deeply, and they all began to formulate a plan for how to free Merlin from his tree, save Emma, and, now, save Shae.

"Sorry, are we boring you?" Regina snapped at Remus, who had emitted yet another yawn.

"Oh, my deepest apologies, but some wailing from the room next to mine kept me awake all night." Remus snapped back. He paused for a moment to raise a knowing eyebrow at both Shae and Regina. "You know our rooms share a wall, yes? Do try and keep it down next time."

Regina and Shae both exchanged a wide eyed, anxious glance. "Seriously?" Mary Margaret exclaimed. "You guys need to be careful! Arthur hates your guts, Shae. It won't be good if he finds out you're with The Savior."

"Especially now that you have some sort of… Evil creature living inside you." Added David.

Shae breathed out a sad, heavy sigh, and nodded. Emma sighed as well, and placed her hand gently on Shae's shoulder. "Look, you just… Need to get Arthur to like you." She said with a gentle smile.

Shae snorted loudly. "Yeah, like _that's_ going to be easy. I mean… How long did it take _you_ guys to like me?"

The room fell silent for a moment as they all exchanged uncertain glances. "Um… I mean… It took a few weeks, I guess." Mary Margaret stammered in reply.

"A few months." Muttered David.

"Jury's still out." Said Hook.

"See?" Shae exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air.

Regina chuckled, and she too placed her hand on Shae's shoulder. She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped when they all heard shouting and rushing footsteps from out in the hall. They all exchanged curious, and slightly panicked glances, and immediately rushed out of the room. Leroy and Granny were talking with one of Arthur's servants at the end of the hall, and they all hurried over to them.

"What's going on?" Asked David.

"Dunno." Leroy replied with a shrug. "I guess Arthur found some sort of dark creature skulking around in the garden."

The rest exchanged more wide eyed glances. "That's not good." Emma muttered.

"Great, that's _exactly_ what we need right now." Regina grumbled sarcastically. "More evil creatures running around."

They all silently agreed, and promptly rushed off to investigate. When they entered the main part of the castle, they found more inhabitants hurrying toward the castle entrance. The group from Storybrooke followed them to the front hall, where they found Arthur and a few of his knights. They were all gathered around a burlap sack. There was something inside, something that was struggling wildly, and calling out for help.

"Help! Get me out of here! Let me go!"

The creature that Arthur had captured had a voice that sounded strangely human, and strangely familiar to Shae. She pushed her way to the front of the crowd, brow furrowed as she tried to recall where she had heard that voice before.

"Arm yourselves, men!" Arthur commanded to his knights. "There's no telling what kind of dark magic this creature possesses."

The knights immediately obeyed, and drew their swords, pointing the tips at the sack lying at Arthur's feet. Arthur then bent down, and undid the knot that was holding the sack shut. Then, he scooped it up, and turned it upside down. He drew his own sword as the dark and dangerous creature he had found in the garden tumbled out onto the floor. The crowd drew in a shocked and startled gasp.

"OLAF!"

They all turned their wide eyes onto Shae, who had an astonished smile plastered to her face. It was indeed Olaf the snowman, her old friend from Arendelle. He looked just the same as Shae remembered him, with his stick arms and carrot nose, the perpetually snowing cloud still hovering above his head.

The snowman named Olaf blinked several times, staring dazedly all around him. Finally, his eyes rested on Shae, and they grew wide with shock. "Shae?" He whispered.

Shae nodded, and Olaf's snowy, glistening features lit up with joy. "SHAE!" He exclaimed.

Olaf scrambled up onto his stubby, snowball feet, giggling happily as he ran toward Shae, arms spread wide. He skidded to a stop, emitting a frightened gasp as Arthur's knights blocked his way, their swords pointed straight at his carrot nose. Shae tried to go to him, but was stopped by more knights.

"Stop it! Leave him alone!" Shae shouted at Arthur.

"You know this creature?" Asked Arthur, to which Shae nodded. He then breathed out a dark chuckle, slowly shaking his head. "I should have known. You foul monsters do seem to come in packs."

Shae's jaw dropped open, and she gazed around at Arthur's knights and subjects in utter disbelief. " _This_ is a monster to you people?" She exclaimed, gesturing to Olaf. "This is a snowman, with the mental and emotional capacity of a nine year old!"

"Yeah!" Said Olaf, folding his stick arms across his chest. He then furrowed his brow at Shae. "Wait… Should I be offended?"

"Don't worry about it." Shae hastily replied, waving her hand dismissively. She then turned her gaze back onto Arthur. "Look, he's not dangerous, he's not going to hurt anybody. He probably just got lost. Right?"

Olaf nodded vigorously. "Oh, yes, I'm _very_ lost right now."

"Then what exactly were you doing trespassing in my garden?" Arthur demanded angrily, pointing his sword at the snowman.

"Well, you have the prettiest flowers in your garden." Olaf explained with a shrug. "And, well… I just _had_ to stop and smell them."

Shae breathed out an exasperated groan, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Dammit, Olaf… You're gonna get yourself killed." She then paused, and raised an eyebrow at the snowman. "Actually, I don't know… _Can_ you die? You're made of snow, and you kind of just… Fall apart, sometimes."

Olaf simply shrugged, to which Shae laughed. "Alright, come on, just… Let him go." She pleaded with Arthur once again. "I already told you, he's not going to hurt anyone."

"Absolutely not!" Arthur snarled, glaring fiercely at Shae. "I already have one foul creature wandering about my castle, and I will _not_ have another!"

"Oh, go shove it up your ass!" Shae snarled back. She then shoved Arthur's knights out of her way, and scooped Olaf up into her arms, like one would a toddler. "Come on, Olaf. We don't need to listen to this bullshit."

Shae began stomping away, and Olaf stuck his tongue out at Arthur from over Shae's shoulder. "I'll make you some tea." Shae said to Olaf. "Do you like tea?"

"Oh, I _love_ tea!" Olaf exclaimed excitedly. "But only if it has lots of honey in it. Do you think they have honey here?"

"Of course they do." Shae replied with a chuckle. "Don't worry, I'll get you all the honey you want."

Olaf giggled happily, wrapping his stick arms affectionately around Shae's neck. "Aww! I missed you so much!"

Shae laughed some more as she turned a corner toward the kitchens. "I missed you too, buddy." She said, just as she and Olaf were lost from sight. "I missed you too."

XX

While Mary Margaret and David remained behind to calm Arthur down, the others all followed Shae to the castle kitchens. She brewed up a pot of tea, just as she promised, and they all watched in astonished wonder as steam rose out of Olaf's snow covered body every time he took a sip. They could scarcely believe that they were actually meeting Olaf, the magical snowman from Shae's past in Arendelle.

They all listened with rapt attention as Olaf told them all about what he had been doing since Shae last saw him. Apparently, he had been on his way back to Arendelle, and arrived just in time to get caught up in Ingrid's spell. He was frozen with the rest of the kingdom for twenty eight years, and awoke to find Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff gone. Sven the reindeer had been the only one left behind, and the two of them fled Arendelle when Hans took the throne.

The snowman and the reindeer went in search of their friends, but never found them. Eventually, they got word that The Queen and The Princess had finally returned from a land far away, and they too returned to Arendelle. By the time they got back, Elsa and Anna had removed Hans from the throne, and chased him and his brothers out of their kingdom once again. Olaf and Sven were overjoyed to finally see Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff again, and they joined the rest of the kingdom for Anna and Kristoff's wedding. After that, Olaf set off on another adventure, and wandered into Camelot, where he had been apprehended by Arthur and his knights.

When Olaf was done with his tale, he questioned Shae about her own life the past thirty years. Shae gave him a very brief version of her own tale, and Olaf was shocked to learn that the reason she looked so strange to him was that she was now human, but only in part. Shae told him all about her past, her powers, and even The Hollow. Then, she told him why they had all come to Camelot.

"So, um… H-How's Elsa?" Shae asked of him once she was finished.

"Oh, she's great!" Olaf happily replied. Then, slowly, the smile faded from his snow covered face. "Well, I mean… She was really sad for a while. She told me all about what happened, how you couldn't come back to Arendelle with her. But she's great now!"

Shae heaved a sad, heavy sigh. "Yeah, it was… Rough." She muttered. "But I'm glad that she's ok now."

"You should go see her!" Olaf exclaimed, practically bouncing in his seat. "Oh, she'd be _so_ happy to see you, Anna and Kristoff too. Oh! And Sven! He _really_ misses you."

"Yeah, I, uh… I miss them too." Shae replied with a small, sad smile. "But, Olaf… I can't. Ingrid's spell, it'll turn me to ice as soon as I set foot in Arendelle."

"Well, I don't know, Shae." Belle suddenly cut in with a shrug. "You _are_ human now, well… Sort of. You've got a new body, a new heart. Maybe Ingrid's spell won't have any affect any more."

"Yeah! What she said!" Olaf agreed, smiling at Belle. "I like you! You're smart!"

Belle laughed, rolling her eyes. "Well, at least _someone_ noticed."

Shae fell silent for a moment, biting her lip as she pondered Belle's words. "Do you… D-Do you really think so?" She asked of her.

Belle shrugged once again. "It wouldn't hurt to try, right?'

Shae remained silent for another moment. Then, slowly, a smile crept across her face. "Yeah… Maybe you're right." She muttered. "I mean… I at least need to make sure Olaf gets home safe, you know?"

"Are you sure it's wise to leave at the moment?" Asked Hook, raising an eyebrow at Shae. He then leaned in close, lowering his voice as one of Arthur's knights strolled by the kitchen doorway. "We still have to figure out how to get that… _Thing_ out of you."

"Oh, Elsa has _lots_ of books about magic." Olaf replied matter-of-factly. "And she's really good at it now. If anyone can figure out a way to get rid of The Hollow, she can."

"Yeah… Maybe you're right." Shae muttered once again. "Besides, uh…" She paused, shifting her eyes over to another one of Arthur's knights passing by the kitchen doorway. "It's probably best for everyone if I'm out of sight and out of mind at the moment."

"Not _everyone_." Replied Remus, placing his hand pointedly on Regina's shoulder.

"It's alright, Remus." Regina said quietly, gently patting Remus's hand. She then gazed into her lover's eyes with a small smile. "You _are_ back in this realm now. I think it would be… Good, for you to at least try and go see Elsa. I think you owe it to her, and… To yourself."

Shae nodded, and smiled back at the woman she loved. She stared deep into those gorgeous brown eyes that she loved so very much. She so desperately wanted to kiss her, but knew that she shouldn't, that she couldn't.

"Just… Promise that you'll come back." Regina said quietly.

"Always." Shae replied with a wink. She then rose to her feet, and patted Olaf on his snowy head. "Come on, Olaf. I guess we're going back to Arendelle."

"Hooray!" Olaf exclaimed.

"I'll go with you." Said Remus, as he too rose to his feet.

Shae sighed, and slowly shook her head. "Remus, we've been on a lot of adventures together." She said with a sad smile. "But, um… I think this is one I have to go on alone."

Remus frowned, looking hurt. He then heaved a heavy sigh, and sat back in his chair. "Fine, fine…" He muttered, dramatically rolling his eyes. "Just leave me here alone with this lot, I suppose."

"Gee, thanks." Muttered Emma, rolling her eyes as well.

Shae laughed, and so did Olaf, as she lifted him up onto her shoulders. "Ready?" She asked of him.

"Ready." Olaf replied.

Shae gave Regina one last smile, and she smiled back at her, but Shae saw pain in that smile, in those eyes. Shae felt the same pain deep within her own heart. She knew that Regina was right, that she owed it to herself and to Elsa to at least try and return to Arendelle. Still, though, it hurt to leave the woman she loved behind, especially since memories of the previous night were still fresh in her mind. Still, she knew what she was doing was right. Regina and the others would be free to find a way to free Merlin without the prying eyes of Arthur's knights that were constantly watching Shae. And, maybe, just maybe, Shae might be able to find some answers about her own predicament in Arendelle.

"I think the nearest dock is that way." Olaf said as Shae stepped out onto the road outside Camelot.

Shae chuckled, slowly shaking her head. "Oh, no. We're not taking a ship." She said with a grin. "We're teleporting."

Olaf furrowed his snowy brow as he frowned down at the top of Shae's head. "I thought you said you couldn't use your magic. Because of, you know, the elves."

"Yeah, well, the elves are a long way away, and it's been a _really_ long time." Shae replied dismissively. "Besides, I'm extremely impatient, and I hate ships."

Shae stopped walking, deciding that she was now far enough away from Camelot Castle. "Ready?" She asked Olaf once again.

"Ready." Olaf replied.

Shae nodded, and squeezed her eyes shut. She pictured Arendelle in her mind, and, suddenly, she felt her body being lifted into the air. She began to spin wildly round and round again, wind rushing through her ears. Finally, it all stopped, and her feet touched solid ground again.

Slowly, Shae blinked her eyes open. She smiled when she found herself standing in a very familiar town square. There were people milling about, casting shocked glances at the woman and the snowman that had just appeared out of thin air. Shae ignored them, instead choosing to stare down at her own hands.

"Holy shit." She whispered, breathing out an astonished laugh as her hands remained ice free. "Belle was right."

"Look!" Olaf exclaimed. "There it is!"

Shae slowly turned around, and glanced up at Olaf's pointed finger. She followed it, and she smiled at the grand, magnificent castle that was sitting off in the distance. Her eyes immediately welled with tears as she looked upon that castle, the castle that had once been her home.

"Arendelle."

XX


	25. Chapter 25, Darkness Rises

**Author's Note: Yikes. Again. I'd like to apologize once more for how long it took me to put this chapter out. Honestly, this is going to be the last time I apologize. I do feel bad, for sure. I try my best to write as often as I can, but life sometimes gets in the way. I do sincerely hope that future chapters won't take me this long, but I honestly don't know. I _did_ make this chapter extra long for you all! To be honest, I didn't really do it on purpose. It just kinda happened. Hope you don't mind!**

 **Also, I'd like to announce that I am at over 100 followers, and STILL GROWING! Thank you all SOOO much for reading and going on this journey with me, and thank you to all of you who have left reviews. I do read your comments, compliments, _and_ your complaints. I hope that those of you with complaints will still stick with me. Big changes are happening in Shae and Regina's life together in the next couple chapters, I promise.**

 **Anyway... That's enough from me. Enjoy chapter 25!**

CHAPTER 25

Shae's heart began to race as she walked side by side with Olaf toward Arendelle castle. She could scarcely believe that she was actually about to see Elsa again. She smiled around at all the villagers milling about the town square, talking and laughing merrily. Suddenly, the smile faded from her face, and her eyes grew wide with shock when she saw a very familiar flash of light. There were two women standing near by, and one of them suddenly shifted into a tiny fairy form. Shae watched with her mouth gaping open as the fairy fluttered away into the air.

"Was… W-Was that… A fairy?" Shae stammered, turning her baffled gaze onto Olaf.

"Uh-huh." Olaf confirmed with a nod. "There's lots of them in Arendelle now."

Shae gasped, and her jaw dropped open even more when she spotted two men by a nearby stall. These weren't just any ordinary men. They were half man, half horse. "T-Those are… Centaurs!" Shae exclaimed.

"Yep." Olaf replied, nodding some more. "They're a little smelly, if you ask me. But they're nice."

Shae slowly shook her head in complete and utter befuddlement. She opened her mouth to speak more, but stopped when a large, green skinned creature lumbered by. "Holy shit!" She shouted, stopping in her tracks. "Olaf, that's… T-That's… An ogre!"

"Oh, don't worry, he's friendly." Olaf told her with a smile. "His names Shrek."

Shae's jaw dropped open all over again. "Shrek? _That's_ Shrek?"

Olaf nodded once again. "Do you know him?"

Shae breathed out an astonished laugh, shaking her head some more. "Um… Sort of." She muttered.

Shae remained where she stood, turning in her spot, finally taking a moment to properly observe her surroundings. The town square seemed to be filled with all kinds of different magical creatures. There were more centaurs trotting about, and fairies flitting around in the air. There was a man selling his wares at a nearby stall, delighting his customers by shooting flames from his hands. There was an old woman sitting in a rickety wheelchair, using a wand to water the flowers that she was selling. A group of dwarves were arguing loudly over something, and a few children that Shae recognized as satyrs chased each other about. Their legs were bowed and covered in thick, curly brown fur, black hooves for feet, and small nubs of antlers protruding from their foreheads. There was even a small group of water nymphs splashing about in the fountain.

"Olaf…" Shae began slowly, her piercing blue eyes gaping wide. "What exactly is going on around here?"

Olaf suddenly gasped, and smacked his stick hand to his snow covered forehead. "Oh, that's right, you don't know!" He exclaimed. "Elsa has sort of turned Arendelle into a… Um… Safe haven! For magical creatures, and people who have magic."

"Seriously?" Asked Shae.

"Uh-huh." Olaf replied with a smile. "It's pretty great, isn't it?"

Shae nodded, smiling an astonished smile herself. "It's… Amazing."

Olaf giggled joyfully, and grabbed on to Shae's hand, pulling her forward again. "Come on, hurry up! I know Elsa is probably _dying_ to see you!"

Shae continued walking toward the castle, staring around at all the magical inhabitants of Arendelle in wonder. She called out to Shrek the ogre, and he gave her a wide, yellow toothed smile, waving back at her as she passed by. Shae laughed loudly, hardly able to believe her eyes. Elsa had, somehow, created a kingdom where magical and non-magical creatures lived in harmony. It was truly amazing to behold.

"Ok, you wait here." Olaf instructed as they finally stepped into the entrance hall of Castle Arendelle. "I'll go get Elsa."

Shae nodded, then winced, clapping her hands over her ears as Olaf began shouting. "ELSA? ELSA!" He paused, frowning as he glanced all around him. "She's probably this way. ELSAAAA!"

Shae laughed, slowly shaking her head as Olaf wandered away from her deeper into the castle, continuing to shout Elsa's name. She waited for a few moments, then slowly began to ascend the steps leading to the palace's second floor. She thought it would likely be easier and faster to go in search of Elsa herself, rather than wait for Olaf to return.

Shae smiled as she walked the halls of Arendelle Castle, reminiscing about times long ago. As she passed by a certain room to her left, she could almost hear the sound of Elsa's servants screaming and yelling at Kristoff as he tried to force Sven's antlers through the doorway. She remembered staying up almost all night one night with Elsa and Kristoff, hanging streamers and flowers along the walls of the castle, in preparation for Anna's birthday. She could almost still hear the sound of Anna's joyful laughter at the sight of all they had done, just for her.

As she approached The Queen's bedchamber, Shae paused for a moment, trying to calm her racing heart. She knocked on the door, and when she was met with no response, she slowly pushed it open. Elsa's room had not changed much at all, and Shae gazed misty eyed all around her. Her smile slowly faded as she remembered the last time she had stepped foot in that room. It had been the night that Ingrid had cast her spell, the one that prevented her from ever returning to Arendelle, to the woman that she loved. Her smile quickly returned in the form of a triumphant grin.

"Suck it, Ingrid!" She snarled into the air.

After finding Elsa's bedroom empty, Shae stepped back out into the hallway, and continued on her search. As she approached the war room at the end of the hall, she could hear voices from within. The voices appeared to be arguing about something.

"Just… Calm down, ok?"

"It's alright. We'll figure it out."

Shae smiled as she recognized the voices of both Kristoff and Anna. The next voice that spoke caused her heart to skip a beat. "No, it's not alright!" Elsa shouted, quite angrily. "This is just… Absurd! The ignorance of some people!"

"I know, I know." Anna muttered sadly. "We just have to keep trying. We have to make them see that-"

Shae slowly and quietly pushed the door to the war room open. Elsa was standing before the table in the center of the room, her back to Shae. Anna and Kristoff were on the other side, and Anna stopped mid sentence when she spotted Shae. Her and Kristoff's eyes grew wide, and their mouths gaped open in shock.

"See what?" Elsa asked of her sister. "What's wrong? What are you two looking-"

Elsa spun around, and she drew in a sharp, startled gasp. She had been holding a scroll in her hand, and it clattered to the floor when she saw Shae smiling at her from the doorway. "Oh my god…" She whispered, her sparkling blue eyes as wide as saucers. "Shae?"

"Elsa." Shae whispered back, her own eyes welling with tears again.

Elsa stood rooted in her spot for a moment, her hand over her mouth in complete and utter shock. Then, she slowly and shakily stepped forward. She reached out with trembling hands, and gripped Shae's arms, then her shoulders, unable to believe that she was actually real. She then placed her hands on either side of Shae's face, and stared deep into her eyes.

"Oh my god…" She whispered again. "Shae!"

Elsa choked out a strangled sob of joy, and threw her arms around Shae. Shae held her tight, grateful and joyous tears streaming out of her own eyes. She had truly never thought she would ever see Elsa again. Now that she actually _was_ , she was overcome with emotion. She breathed in her comforting and familiar scent, unchanged even after their months apart. She was still garbed in the same glittering blue dress, the one that she had magically fashioned for herself all those years ago. Both Shae and Elsa sobbed loudly in each other's arms, both of them grateful to be reunited once again.

Anna and Kristoff both rushed around the table, and they too tightly embraced Shae, their old friend, their Protector. Both of their eyes streamed with grateful tears as well. "I… I-I don't understand." Kristoff stammered, wiping away the moisture from his face. "How are you here? Ingrid's spell, I saw it turn you to ice!"

"Well, um… I-I'm human now." Shae quickly explained, wiping at her own tears. "New body, so… No more spell."

Elsa gasped, her eyes growing wide all over again as she finally took a moment to look Shae up and down. "My god… You _are_ human, aren't you?" She whispered in wonder. "How? How did you do such a thing?"

Shae chuckled, ruffling her messy black hair. "Honestly, I'm not super sure." She slowly replied. "It's, um… A long story."

"Well, that definitely explains why you look so different." Anna said with a chuckle of her own.

"Not, like… _Bad_ , different." Kristoff added hastily.

"Oh, no, of course not!" Said Anna, vigorously shaking her head. "Just, you know… Different."

Shae laughed some more, and was about to reply when Olaf suddenly burst into the room. "Here you all are!" He exclaimed. "Elsa, look! I found Shae! I brought her back with me!"

Elsa laughed too, patting Olaf on his snowy head as he wrapped his stick arms around her legs. "Yes, Olaf, I see that." She said, smiling into Shae's eyes. "Thank you. Well done."

Olaf giggled happily, then stepped back, smiling fondly at them all. "Would you look at that? The whole family is back together again. It's nice, isn't it?"

"Group hug!" Kristoff suddenly exclaimed.

Shae laughed, rolling her bright blue eyes. "Yeah, alright. Bring it in."

The others all laughed too, and they threw their arms around Shae, Olaf's around their legs. Shae smiled as Elsa placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, and her eyes began to well with tears all over again. She was so happy to see her old friends again, to see the woman that she had once loved, the woman that still held a very special place in her heart. She was overjoyed to see all the wonderful things Elsa had done with her kingdom. For a moment, just a moment, her heart was at peace.

"I'm so glad you're here, Shae." Elsa whispered, smiling into her eyes.

Shae nodded, smiling back at her. "Me too, Elsa." She whispered back. "Me too."

XX

After sharing in a joyous and grateful reunion, they all sat down around the table in the war room, and Elsa had her servants bring up some tea. Olaf decided to go pay Sven a visit, and left Shae with the others, to tell them all about what had happened to her since they had been forced to leave her behind in Storybrooke. She kept no details hidden from any of them, she knew she didn't have to. The people sitting around her knew her better than almost anyone, they were her friends, her family. They had never judged her, and they all cared for her very, very much.

Shae started her story with going back to New York after Elsa and the others left for Arendelle. She told them about Gold and The Queens of Darkness, then Dracula, and waking up in the hospital to find that her and Remus were no longer vampires. She told them all the same tale that she told to Regina and the others in Camelot, the tale of her time in Avalon. Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff were all shocked to learn that Shae was not actually human, and that she had magic. They practically begged her to show off some of her powers, but Shae politely refused. She knew that she had already been reckless enough with her magic. Though it had been a long time since she left Avalon, there was still a very real chance that the elves might find her again.

Next, Shae told them about Emma becoming The Dark One, and that Regina and the others had gone to Camelot to free Merlin from his tree, so that he could rid her of the darkness. Then, she told them of her own darkness, of The Hollow. She shared what little knowledge she had about the creature, which she had mostly learned from Belle. They all listened with their mouths gaping open in horror, their eyes filled with concern.

"My god…" Elsa whispered, placing her hand over her mouth. "Emma is The Dark One, and you, you're… The Hollow?"

"Um… No, I don't think so." Shae replied with a slight frown. "I'm still… Me. The Hollow is just… Inside me, or something. I'm not really sure. It said it had been waiting for me, but I don't even know why, or how to even get it out. I don't even know where to start looking, honestly."

"Why don't we go ask Grand Pabbie?" Anna offered with a slight shrug. "You said The Hollow is ancient, and so is he. He might know something about it."

"Grand Pabbie is on his pilgrimage, remember?" Kristoff said with a sigh, placing his hand gently on his wife's arm. When Shae looked confused, he went on to explain. "Every few years, Grand Pabbie goes off… Somewhere. He calls it his pilgrimage. He never says where he goes, though."

"When do you think he'll be back?" Asked Shae.

Kristoff shrugged. "Not sure. Sometimes he's gone for weeks, sometimes months. Once, he was gone for almost a whole year."

"Can you blame him?" Anna said with a snort. "Your family is a little… Much, sometimes. Especially for an old man like him."

Shae breathed out a heavy, frustrated sigh, leaning back in her chair. "Great." She mumbled. "Grand Pabbie is on vacation, and the only other guy that might know anything is stuck in a damn tree."

Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff all exchanged a sad, pitying glance. "I'm so sorry, Shae." Elsa whispered, placing her hand gently on Shae's arm. "You've been through so much. Will you at least stay a while? I'd love to show you everything I've done in Arendelle since you've been gone."

"Oh, I've already seen a whole hell of a lot." Shae replied with a chuckle. "Honestly, it's… Amazing. How did it all start?"

"Well, you know my story better than most." Elsa began to explain. "My parents, they always feared my magic, and magic in itself, it seems. I wanted _my_ time as Arendelle's Queen to be… Different, than it was when they were in charge. I wanted _my_ Arendelle to be something _more_ , something… Better. I wanted to create a place where people and creatures such as myself could have a home, where they would be safe and welcome."

"And you know how Elsa is." Anna cut in, winking at her sister. "So she just kinda, you know… Did!"

Shae laughed again, slowly shaking her head, still in slight shock over everything she had witnessed in the town square. "It's just… So amazing. And everyone seems so… Happy!"

Suddenly, the smiles slowly faded from all of their faces. "Yeah, well… It didn't exactly start out that way." Kristoff admitted sadly. "Honestly, a lot of the people around here didn't take too kindly to living with a bunch of strange creatures. There was a lot of panic, a lot of fighting. Well, until Her Majesty here put them in their place."

"Believe it or not, the magical ones have never caused any trouble." Anna said with a shrug. "I guess they all just want a quiet place to call home."

"Yes, it's been the _non_ magical folk that have caused us the most grief." Elsa agreed in a bitter tone. "The hardest part has been finding other kingdoms that are actually willing to trade with us. I had just received another rejection notice when you arrived."

"Weselton and The Southern Isles are obviously off the table." Said Kristoff. "And Misthaven is a bit empty since the, uh… You know…"

"The curse." Shae finished for him.

"Right." Kristoff said with a nod. "A lot of the other kingdoms around here are still pretty wary of magic and magical creatures, but… We make do."

Elsa sighed heavily, her dazzling blue eyes suddenly very sad. "Yes, we do." She muttered quietly. "The forest nymphs have been a great help. Our farmers report that their crops have never grown better. But, winter is coming, and I fear that our crops alone might not be enough. More and more people and creatures pour in every day."

"And Shrek eats enough for five." Anna said with a laugh.

Shae laughed too. She then reached out, and gently took Elsa's hand in her own. "Don't worry. If anyone can figure all this out, _you_ can." She said, smiling fondly at Arendelle's kind and gentle Queen. "It's really great, everything you've done here. I'm… Really proud of you, Elsa."

Elsa smiled back at her, and gently squeezed her hand. She was about to speak more, when one of her guards entered the war room. "Apologies, Your Majesty." Said the guard, bowing low. "But you told me to send word when the hunting party returned to the castle."

Elsa gasped, and suddenly sprang to her feet. "She's back!" She exclaimed.

"Who's back?" Asked Shae, brow furrowed in confusion.

"You'll see!" Elsa replied excitedly. She then seized both of Shae's hands, and pulled her to her feet. "Come on! There's someone else who's going to be _very_ excited to see you."

XXXXX

Shae sat bolt upright in bed, her chest heaving, her body covered in a cold sweat. She had been having a strange dream, a nightmare. In it, all she could see was a buzzing, swirling black swarm. She could feel it inside her, crawling, writhing beneath her skin. It whispered to her, a deep, dark, guttural whisper. It's words were unintelligible, but still deeply sinister.

Shae buried her face in her hands, taking deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart. She turned her head to the side, and frowned when she found Regina's side of the bed empty. She sighed, lying her head back on her pillow. Regina had barely spoken a word since Granny's. She was deeply troubled by everything Elsa had written about The Hollow. Shae was as well, and she had no comforting words for the woman that she loved. They had gone to bed without speaking, without even touching. Shae had listened, her heart aching as Regina quietly cried herself to sleep.

It was well into the early hours of the morning, and Shae shivered as she crawled out of Regina's bed. Being cold was something that she was still getting used to. She pulled on the fuzzy blue robe that Regina had bought her a just the other day, and stepped out into the hallway. She slowly began to descend the steps, and found Regina sitting on the couch in the living room. There was a very familiar piece of paper sitting in her lap.

"Oh! Shae!" Regina whispered, frantically wiping at the tears on her face as Shae entered the room. "I'm… I-I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have read it, but-"

Shae sighed as she sat down next to Regina. "It's ok." She said with a smile. "I told you, I'm not keeping any more secrets from you."

Regina nodded, glancing back down at the paper in her lap. It was a letter, the one that Elsa had written to Shae. "Elsa… Really loved you." She whispered, wiping away more tears as they trickled down her cheeks. "I'm not sure what happened between you two in Camelot, but maybe… Maybe you should have stayed there with her."

"Regina, no, don't say that." Shae said sternly, vigorously shaking her head. "Don't you _ever_ say that."

"Why not?" Regina exclaimed loudly, angrily. "Shae, _I'm_ the cause of all your heartache. _I'm_ the reason The Hollow was even able to enter your body in the first place."

Regina snatched up another piece of paper from off the coffee table, one with even more of Elsa's handwriting on it. "It says right here that The Hollow takes root within the heart." She read from the paper. "Specifically, hearts that have been broken by love and loss so many times that they've become… Hollow."

"That does explain why it kept calling me, 'Hollow One.'" Shae muttered. She then shook her head some more, and shifted in her seat, to better face her lover. "Regina, listen… My heart wasn't broken by just you. It was broken when I lost Nadia, when I lost Elsa. It even hurts to see Emma how she is now. I felt it when I was talking to her earlier."

Shae sighed as she watched another tear roll down Regina's cheek. "Love comes in all kinds of different forms." She whispered softly, gently brushing Regina's tears away with her thumb. "And so does heartbreak. Remember when we watched Marley and Me that one time? That shit tore my heart to pieces!"

Regina laughed, placing her hand on top of Shae's. She then leaned forward, and wrapped her arms around Shae's torso. "You always know what to say to make me laugh." She murmured, resting her head against Shae's chest.

"I try my best." Shae replied, kissing the top of Regina's head. "Just, please… Don't blame yourself. None of this is your fault."

"Not _all_ my fault, you mean." Regina grumbled.

Shae sighed once again, and fell silent for a moment as she tried to come up with more words to comfort the woman that she loved. "I'll never understand." Regina suddenly whispered. "I'll never understand why you love me so much."

Shae placed her hand under Regina's chin, and tilted her head up so she could place a gentle kiss on her lips. "You know exactly why I love you." She whispered, smiling into her gorgeous brown eyes. "We've had this conversation a hundred times."

"Make that a hundred and one." Regina replied, smiling back.

Shae chuckled, and sighed contentedly as Regina kissed her again. Suddenly, they heard a quiet shuffling from behind them, and they broke apart. It was Henry, blinking dazedly in the lamp light.

"Mom? Shae?" He muttered as he rubbed sleep from his eyes. "Is everything ok?"

"Yes, Henry." Regina replied, smiling at her son. "I'm sorry if we woke you."

Henry shrugged as he plopped down on the couch next to his mother. "It's ok. I couldn't really sleep anyway."

"You worried about your mom?" Asked Shae.

"Yeah." Henry mumbled sadly. "Both of them. And _you_."

Shae sighed, and Regina wrapped her arm around Henry's shoulders. "Hey, don't you worry about me." Shae told him with a smile. "I'm always alright."

"I know." Henry replied, smiling a weak smile back. "It's just… This Hollow thing. It's really… Scary."

"Not nearly as scary as that leshen we faced back home."

They all turned toward the sound of Remus's voice, and found him stepping into the living room, yawning and stretching. "Doesn't anyone sleep around here?" Cried Regina.

"Apparently not." Remus replied as he took a seat in the arm chair. "Not when the weight of the world rests so heavily on our shoulders."

"Wow. Way to be extra dramatic." Shae muttered, rolling her eyes at Remus.

"Always." Remus said with a wink.

Regina sighed, giving him an eye roll as well. She then turned to Shae, and placed her hand gently on her shoulder. "Shae, listen…" She slowly began. "I think, for now, it would be best if you… Stay here, away from all the trouble."

Shae's jaw dropped open in indignant shock. "What? No!" She cried. "You can't bench me! I want to help!"

"Shae, please." Regina sighed again. "You said yourself that your heart hurt when you saw Emma. And just look at what happened to you in the forest earlier. We need to keep that heart safe, so it doesn't hollow any more than it already has."

"Yeah, but-" Shae began to protest.

Regina stopped her by placing a finger gently to her lips. "Please, Shae." She begged. "For me."

Shae frowned, and remained silent for a moment. She then breathed out a relenting sigh. She took Regina's hand in her own, and placed a kiss on her knuckles. "For you?" She said with a smile "Anything."

"Of course, Belle and I will help you search through all the books we have at our disposal to find a way to get that wretched thing out of you." Remus said reassuringly.

"I'll help too." Said Henry.

Shae breathed out a sad, heavy sigh, and slowly shook her head. "You guys… I'm pretty sure we've already found a way."

Shae picked up the paper that Elsa had written out information about The Hollow on, and pointed to the last few lines. "No!" Regina exclaimed, snatching the paper away from Shae. "No. There has to be another way."

"What are you talking about?" Asked Remus, brow furrowed in confusion.

Regina bit her lip hesitantly for a moment, then glanced down at the paper. "It says here that… That the only way to actually kill The Hollow and get rid of it for good is… The death of the host." She slowly explained. She then read directly from the page. "'The hollow heart must be pierced by the blade of legend, the darkness rending blade known as… Excalibur.'"

Remus's eyes grew wide with shock. "Oh dear." He muttered. "That… Does present a problem."

" _That's_ putting it lightly." Regina growled, slapping the paper back down onto the coffee table. "It's obviously not an option. We'll find another way."

Silence fell over the living room for a moment as they all pondered Shae's dire situation. Shae herself thought back to the conversation she had with Emma. She had asked her the very question that was on all their minds. _Was_ there another way? Emma hadn't exactly answered, and all she saw was pain in her eyes. Shae thought that, perhaps, that was an answer in itself.

"I don't get it." Henry suddenly muttered, now holding the paper in his hands. "How did Elsa even know all this?"

Shae sighed, and slowly shook her head. "I don't know, Henry." She whispered. "I just… Don't know."

XXXXX

Elsa led the way through the halls of Arendelle castle, pulling Shae along by her hand. "Now, Shae, there's something you should know." She said, slightly slowing her pace. "I have been, er, well… I've been… Seeing someone."

Shae gasped excitedly, and a wide grin stretched across her face. "Really?"

Elsa nodded, her cheeks suddenly a deep shade of red. "It's still a bit, well… New. But she's just… Wonderful."

"She?" Shae asked, her grin growing even wider.

Elsa laughed, and nodded once again. "Much like you, I've never really seen the appeal in the male form. They're a bit… Repulsive, if you ask me. With all the hair, and the way they smell."

Kristoff frowned, and gave his own armpit a careful sniff. "I took a bath today!" He cried.

"She's not talking about _you_ , specifically." Anna said with a reassuring smile. "I think she just means, you know… Men in general."

"Oh." Kristoff replied with a satisfied nod. "Good."

Elsa rolled her eyes at her sister and brother-in-law. She then grabbed on to Shae's arm, smiling excitedly. "Oh, I just can't wait! She's going to be _so_ excited to see you again!"

"Again?" Asked Shae. "We've met?" When Elsa nodded, Shae raised a curious eyebrow at her. "Who exactly is she?"

Elsa paused just before the door to the castle's entrance hall, a wide grin stretching across her face. "You'll see!"

Shae glanced back at Anna and Kristoff. Kristoff was grinning too, but he merely shrugged at her. Anna pretended to zip her mouth shut, lock it, and throw away the key. Shae narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the two of them, then followed Elsa out the door. There was a group of people gathered in the entrance hall. There were men and women both, as well as a few more centaurs, some adult satyrs, and a couple of dwarves. They were obviously the hunting party that Elsa's guard had spoken about, for they were all armed with bows and arrows. One of the human women was wearing a strangely familiar looking red cloak.

"Ruby!"

Shae stopped where she stood in the middle of the staircase, causing Anna to bump right into her, and Kristoff into _her_. She watched with her mouth gaping open as Elsa raced down the steps, and threw herself into the arms of the woman with the red cloak. It was indeed Ruby, Shae's old friend, and ex-lover.

"Holy shit." Shae whispered, watching with wide, baffled eyes as Elsa and Ruby kissed.

When they broke apart, Elsa said something to Ruby, which Shae couldn't hear, due to the din of lively chatter. Suddenly, Ruby glanced up at the staircase, and her brilliant green eyes grew wide. Shae was still unable to move, still in complete and utter shock.

"Oh my god!" Ruby exclaimed. "Shae? Is that you?"

Shae slowly and bewilderedly nodded her head. Ruby immediately began rushing toward the stairs, and Shae stumbled down the rest. Ruby laughed loudly as she threw her arms around Shae, who continued to remain in stunned silence as she held her tight. She could barely believe her eyes. After she had left for The Enchanted Forest, Shae truly never thought she would see Ruby again.

"I can't believe this! It's really you! You're here!" Ruby cried, her eyes glistening with joyous tears. Suddenly, she frowned as she looked Shae up and down. "Wait a minute… You look… Different."

"She's human now." Kristoff said with a grin. "Well… Sort of."

Ruby's eyes grew wide all over again. "What?"

"Long story." Shae said in a rush, finally finding her voice. "Ruby, oh my god, I… I-I can't believe this either! So… So you and… A-And Elsa are, um…"

Shae trailed off into silence, and Elsa and Ruby exchanged a nervous glance. "Er… Yeah." Mumbled Ruby. "That's probably a little, um… Weird, for you."

"Oh! No! No, of course not!" Shae exclaimed with an anxious laugh. "Do, um… D-Do you guys ever, you know… Talk about me?"

Ruby and Elsa both exchanged another silent glance. "Do you really want either of us to answer that?" Asked Elsa.

Shae blinked several times, then vigorously shook her head. "Nope. Nope, nope. It's good. We're all good."

"Aww, look, she's blushing!" Cried Anna. She then reached out, and pinched both of Shae's now very rosy cheeks. "Look at that! It's so cute!"

They all laughed loudly as Shae swatted Anna's hands away irritably. Shae then turned her attention back to Ruby, and they both smiled at each other for a moment. Ruby threw her arms around Shae once again, and Shae laughed as she squeezed her tight.

"I never thought I'd see you again." Shae whispered to her.

"Me either." Ruby whispered back.

"Your Majesty!"

Ruby and Shae released each other, and found a tiny man with a pointed, upturned nose rushing toward them. At first glance, Shae thought he was a child. But, on further inspection, he was a fully grown, but still relatively young man. He was a few inches shorter than most dwarves, and not nearly as stockily built. He was dressed in fine clothes, in the traditional style of Arendelle nobility.

"There you are!" The tiny man said, bowing low as he approached The Queen. "I have a trade agreement here for you to sign."

Elsa gasped excitedly as she took a scroll out of the tiny man's hands. "Oh, that's wonderful!" She cried.

Ruby smiled as she gently placed her hand on the small of Elsa's back. "See? I told you things were going to work out."

Elsa chuckled, smiling affectionately at Ruby. "Well, that's certainly the last time I don't listen to _you_." She placed a quick kiss on Ruby's cheek, then turned to Shae. "Shae, this is Boq, my new steward. He comes all the way from a land called Oz. Boq, this is Shae."

The tiny man named Boq, whom Shae suddenly realized was actually a munchkin, gasped, and his eyes grew wide. "My word!" He exclaimed as he shook Shae's outstretched hand. "Oh, it's certainly a pleasure to actually meet the famous Shae of Arendelle!"

Shae's brow furrowed in confusion. "Famous?"

Ruby turned to Elsa, and raised an eyebrow at her, folding her arms across her chest. "You… Haven't shown her yet, have you?"

Elsa bit her lip as she shook her head. Shae glanced around at the others, her brow furrowing even deeper when she saw the grins on all their faces. "Come on!" Said Ruby, smiling excitedly as she took Shae by the hand. "There's something you're going to want to see."

Ruby led the way out of the entrance hall, and hurried through the castle, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff following close behind. Ruby led them to the garden, where Shae had spent countless days and nights walking hand in hand with Elsa, talking about everything and nothing with the woman that she had loved. It was all just as Shae remembered it, apart from the large, marble statue that now stood in the center.

It was at that very statue where Ruby finally came to a stop. Shae's eyes grew impossibly wide when she realized who exactly the statue was in the form of, and she felt her heart skip a whole beat. It was a statue of herself, garbed in the clothes that she had worn as The Queen's Protector. The statue of Shae was standing proud with one hand on her hip, the other raising her sword called Soul Eater into the air. There was a solid gold plaque on the statue's pedestal, which read;

 _Shae of Arendelle_

 _Protector of The Queen,_

 _The Royal Family,_

 _And all The Kingdom._

"Do you like it?" Elsa asked quietly.

Shae stood rooted in her spot, unable to move, unable to even speak. She stared up at the polished marble statue of herself, her mouth gaping open. Tears began to flow down her cheeks, and Shae was too shocked, too overwhelmed to even raise her hand to wipe them away.

"Are… You crying?" Ruby asked with concern.

Shae's mouth opened and closed several times as she struggled to find words. "Um… Yeah. Sorry." She mumbled as she slowly shook her head. "It's just… In Camelot, I didn't exactly get a warm welcome. Everywhere I went, I was reminded of my past, of what I used to be. But… This. This is… A different reminder. A much better one."

Silence fell over the group once again as Shae continued to stare up at the monument to the hero that she once was, the hero that she aspired to be again. She thought about Regina, how happy she would be to see her statue. She wished with all her heart that she was with her now.

More and more tears continued to pour out of Shae's eyes, and Elsa gently took her by the hand. Shae smiled at her through her tears. She was so overcome with gratitude, with joy, and she found herself at a loss for words once again as she stared into Elsa's dazzling blue eyes.

"Thank you, Elsa." She whispered, gently squeezing Elsa's hand. "Just… Thank you."

XX

Shae spent the remainder of the evening telling her tale once again to Ruby. The young she-wolf was just as shocked and horrified as the others when she learned about The Hollow. She, as well as Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff, agreed that they would start searching for a way to rid Shae of her curse the next morning. Shae agreed as well, and she sent a quick letter to her friends in Camelot by raven. Though it hurt to be away from Regina, Shae knew that it was better for everyone if she remained in Arendelle, far away from the prying and hateful eyes of King Arthur.

Shae was unable to sleep that night, her dreams plagued by the dark and sinister whispers of The Hollow. She decided to pay Sven a visit herself, and, though the reindeer was a bit irritable after being woken up in the middle of the night, he was still overjoyed to see Shae again. Shae took him out of his stall in the stables, and she walked side by side with him through the garden. She told Sven her story too. She had no idea if the reindeer entirely understood what she was telling him, but it still felt nice to talk about it some more, especially to an impartial and silent party.

The moon was shining bright that night, and it cast a pale, shimmering glow upon the statue of Shae sitting in the center of the garden. Shae was sitting on a bench just before it, Sven lying in the grass beside her, happily munching on a carrot that Shae had given him. Shae turned around in her spot when she heard quiet footsteps from behind her.

"Can't sleep?" Asked Elsa, who was garbed in her nightgown and robe.

Shae shook her head as Elsa sat down beside her. They sat in silence for a few moments, staring up at the polished marble statue before them. It was somehow even more spectacular in the moonlight. Shae's eyes began to well with tears as she continued to gaze upon it. She could still hardly believe that Elsa had done something so grand and wonderful, just for her.

"You… Really loved me, didn't you?" Shae asked her quietly.

Elsa smiled, and placed her hand gently on Shae's cheek. "I don't think I ever stopped." She whispered softly, gently caressing Shae's cheek with her thumb. "And I don't think I ever will. Things are certainly… Different, now that I have Ruby in my life. But I think a part of me will always love you, Shae. You will always be so incredibly dear to my heart."

Shae nodded her head, struggling to find words as she was, once again, overcome with emotion. "Yeah." Was all she managed to say. "Same here."

Elsa smiled as she gently brushed a stray tear away from Shae's cheek, her own eyes glistening as she stared deep into Shae's. "I'm so sorry, Shae. For everything." She whispered, her eyes suddenly filled with sorrow. "As soon as I removed Hans from my throne, I immediately began searching for a way back to Storybrooke, back to _you_. But, Anna and Kristoff, they convinced me not to. They told me that you would want me to stay, to be the Queen that Arendelle deserves."

"They were right." Shae replied with a gentle smile. "You've done some amazing things here, Elsa. I've never really seen anything like it."

"Thank you." Elsa said with a smile of her own. "It certainly hasn't been easy, but I'm very proud of the kingdom I've created, and I… I knew _you_ would be too. It's what kept me going through all of it, knowing that you would be proud."

Shae wiped away more moisture from her face, and she softly cleared her throat. "I, um… I need to thank you for the letter you wrote me." She said quietly. "Ariel showed up in Storybrooke, and gave me the letter, right in the nick of time, actually. It helped me make a really important decision, one that ultimately led me back to Regina. We're finally together again, for real this time. Things _are_ a bit complicated right now, but, I mean… When _aren't_ they?"

Elsa chuckled lightly. "Well, not every relationship is perfect."

"You and Ruby seem awfully happy."

Elsa's cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. "Well, things are still very new, but… Yes. We are happy."

Shae grinned as Elsa's cheeks grew redder and redder. "How did it all start, anyway?" She asked. "How exactly did she end up in Arendelle?"

Elsa cleared her throat, shifting slightly in her seat. "Well, after she left Storybrooke and came to this land, Ruby set off to find others like her." She began to explain. "She was in the company of a young woman named Mulan when-"

"Woah, wait a minute!" Shae exclaimed, cutting Elsa off. "Mulan? As in… _The_ Mulan?"

Elsa raised a curious eyebrow at Shae. "Yes. Do you know her?"

"Um… Sort of." Shae mumbled, then quickly shook her head. "Just… Continue."

Elsa nodded, and went on. "Well, as I said, Ruby was travelling with Mulan, and both of them were in a very sorry state. They were both exhausted, half starved, and Ruby was injured. Apparently, they were attacked by some men from a small village. They had found out what Ruby was, and she tried to tell them that she meant no harm. It all fell on deaf ears. She and Mulan managed to escape with their lives, but only just."

"Jesus…" Shae muttered, her eyes wide. "So… How did they end up here?"

"A hunting party of mine stumbled upon them in the woods." Elsa explained. "They immediately brought them back to the castle, and my healers tended to Ruby's wounds. After Ruby and Mulan told me their story, I vowed then and there to make Arendelle a place where all would be welcome, no matter who or what they are."

Shae breathed out a small, astonished laugh. "So… All of this… It was for Ruby."

Elsa bit her lip, her cheeks flushing red again. "Well… In part, I suppose." She admitted with a smile. "Things between Ruby and I happened very… Quickly. Almost immediately, in fact. It was all a bit frightening, it still very much is, but-"

"You love her." Shae whispered with a knowing smile. "Don't you?"

"Oh, I don't know." Elsa muttered in reply, trying in vain to hide the grin stretching across her face. "We barely know each other. It's only been a few months."

"You told me you love _me_ after a few days." Shae said with a laugh.

Elsa laughed too as she slowly nodded her head. "Yes, I suppose you're right." She murmured in agreement. She paused for a moment, anxiously biting her lip again. "Honestly, Shae… I haven't felt this way about anyone since… Well, since _you_." She went on with a smile. "She's so beautiful and kind and smart. In a lot of ways, she reminds me of you. Also, in a lot of ways, she's… Entirely different."

"Yeah. She's really something." Shae agreed with a fond smile. "I'm assuming she told me all about, um… Me and her."

Elsa smiled back as she nodded her head. "She told me that you helped her gain control of her transformations. She also said that she finally felt like she belonged when she was with you. You helped her accept who and what she was, just like you did with me. We both owe a lot to you."

"Um… You're welcome?" Shae replied uncertainly.

Elsa laughed, and Shae laughed along with her. "I'm just… Glad Ruby has finally found a place where she belongs." Elsa went on with a smile. "She's finally found a home, her _and_ Mulan."

Shae gasped excitedly. "Mulan's still here?"

"Er… Yes and no." Elsa slowly replied. "She's become my… Ambassador, of sorts. She's been travelling from kingdom to kingdom, trying to broker trade agreements. She's gotten through to one of them, at least. It's not much, but it's a start."

"Oh." Shae muttered with a disappointed frown. "That sucks. I'd really like to meet her."

"Well, you still can, depending on how long you stay." Elsa replied with a reassuring smile. "How long _are_ you planning to stay, exactly?"

Shae sighed, and she slowly shook her head. "I'm… Not sure." She muttered. "Once we get the darkness out of Emma, and out of _me_ , we're all going back to Storybrooke."

Elsa nodded slowly. "I see." She replied, biting her lip once again. "And… You think you and Regina will be happy there?"

Shae nodded as well. "Yeah, I really think so." She said with a wistful smile. "Despite everything that's going on, for the first time in a long time, I really feel like we're on the right path. I think we finally just might… Have a future. Together." She paused for a moment, her eyes beginning to well with tears once again as she fiddled with the ring on her finger. "I just… Can't wait to actually start it."

Elsa nodded back in a satisfied sort of way. "Then I will do whatever I can to help see you to that future." She then reached out and placed both of her hands on either side of Shae's face, staring determinedly into her eyes. "I will do everything in my power to free you from The Hollow, Shae. I promise."

XXXXX

Per Regina's request, Shae spent the next several days holed up inside Regina's house with Remus, sometimes accompanied by Belle and Henry. While the other heroes of Storybrooke spent their time trying to find a way to stop Emma from whatever she was planning, Shae, Remus, Henry, and Belle poured over every book on magic and sorcery they could find. They searched desperately for a way to rid Shae of The Hollow that didn't require her death.

Shae spent her days in a constant state of worry. With every passing day, every book read through that held no answers, she continued to lose hope. Perhaps piercing her heart with the fabled blade Excalibur really _was_ the only answer. She often voiced her concerns to the others, and she was always given an impassioned speech about hope. She knew that her friends and loved ones were only trying to help ease her mind, but it was all starting to drive her insane.

Shae's only solace were her nights spent with Regina, the woman that she loved. Regina would always report to her everything that had happened in town, and, one night, she returned home with some startling news. Mr. Gold had finally been found. He was being held captive by Emma, who used him to pull Excalibur from its stone, which, apparently, had been hidden away in the basement of Emma's new home. She then reunited it with The Dark One dagger immediately after. Excalibur, the fabled blade that could rid Shae of The Hollow, was now whole, and in Emma Swan's hands.

Regina deduced that Emma was going to use Excalibur to destroy all light magic, but Shae, however, wasn't so sure. Though Emma _was_ now The Dark One, she was still Emma, The Savior. Shae wasn't sure exactly what she was up to, but she did know that it somehow involved herself, and Captain Hook. She had told Shae that everything she was doing was for them, to save them. Shae knew that Emma had been talking about The Hollow, but she still had no idea what exactly had happened to her in Camelot, or, what happened to Hook.

The next night, Shae was in the kitchen of Regina's home, staring intently at the pie that was baking in the oven. She stood up when she heard the sound of the front door opening, and she hurried into the living room. She found Regina sitting on the couch with her head in her hands, breathing out a sad, heavy sigh.

"Hey there, gorgeous." Shae said with a grin.

Regina raised her head, and managed a weak, worn out smile. Shae stepped up to the side of the couch, and spun around, spreading her arms wide. Regina laughed as she fell backwards with her head in her lap, and she leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on Shae's lips.

"Well, hello there." Regina said with a smile.

Shae felt her heart flutter inside her chest, just like it always did when she saw that smile that she loved so very much. "How was your day?" She asked of her lover.

Regina sighed again, leaning back heavily into the couch. "Just as fruitless as all the others." She mumbled, running her fingers through Shae's messy black hair. "How was yours?"

"Pretty much the same." Shae replied with a small shrug. "But, I _do_ have good news. Henry is with his grandparents tonight, and Remus is out with Will. That means… We have the house all to ourselves."

Regina smiled as Shae grinned up at her. Suddenly, her brow furrowed. "Wait a minute… You mean Will, as in… Will Scarlet?"

Shae nodded her head. "They had a kind of on-again, off-again… Thing, back when Remus was a part of the Merry Men." She explained. "And it looks like its, uh… Back on again."

Regina breathed out a small, astonished laugh. "So… You're saying Remus is now dating Belle's ex-boyfriend?"

"Well… 'Dating,' is kind of a strong word."

Regina laughed quietly again. "Right, I forgot. Remus doesn't really… _Do_ that."

Shae shook her head in a sad sort of way. "Nope." She mumbled. "Not since Anders, anway."

"Anders?"

Shae nodded again, her piercing blue eyes suddenly filled with sorrow. "He was Remus's first love, back in Avalon. His only love, actually." She quietly replied. "He was a good man. Well… A good elf."

Regina's eyes grew wide with shock. "Remus fell in love with an elf?"

Shae nodded some more. "Yeah. It was pretty scandalous, actually." She said with a sad, wistful smile. She then went on to explain more. "After we were sold as children, we changed hands a bunch of times, bouncing around from job to job. Eventually, we ended up being bought by an elven lord who ran a silver mine. Pretty ironic, actually, since silver would end up being our biggest weakness later."

Regina chuckled, and Shae smiled as she continued to gently run her fingers through her hair. "Anders was the elven lord's son." Shae went on. "He would come through the mine every so often and talk with all us slaves, check and see if we had everything we needed. He was kind to us, a lot more kind than his father, anyway. He and Remus had an instant connection, and, well… It all kind of snowballed from there."

"What happened to him?" Asked Regina.

Shae breathed out another sad, heavy sigh, her eyes filled with sorrow once again. "They tried to keep things between them a secret, and they did, for a long time, actually. But eventually they were caught. Anders' father was furious, and he immediately sent him away. And Remus, he… He was beaten."

"Beaten?" Regina echoed, her mouth gaping open in horror.

Shae nodded grimly. "Fifty lashes, in total." She replied. "And all of us had to watch. It was… Horrible. One of the few times where I actually didn't think Remus was going to make it. But he recovered, physically, anyway. After that, he never really allowed himself to love again."

Regina sat in shocked silence for a moment, slowly shaking her head as she processed Remus's heartbreaking story. "And then… We lost Nadia." Shae quietly went on. "She actually almost ended up at the end of the lash with Remus that day. She went bat shit crazy, screaming and yelling at the guards. Almost knocked one of them out too. I had to stop her before she got herself killed."

Shae paused for a moment, and she breathed out a small laugh. "I did a lot of that back then. Me and Remus both did." She went on with a smile. "Remus was always the calm and collected one, and Nadia, she was… Well, 'hot headed,' is putting it lightly, and stubborn as hell. She _hated_ being a slave, I mean, we all did, but… We didn't really have a choice, and we learned to just live with the hand we'd been dealt. Not Nadia, though. It just never sat right with her, being treated as property. She was always arguing and fighting with the guards. Always getting herself into trouble."

Regina smiled down at the woman she loved, gently tracing her finger along Shae's cheek. "It sounds like she was… Quite a woman."

Shae smiled back at her. "Yeah… She was." She whispered softly. Slowly, her smile began to fade, and she stared up into Regina's eyes. "Do you… D-Do you ever think about what Daniel would say if he saw you now?"

Regina sighed, and slowly nodded her head. "I think about that a lot, actually." She admitted, brushing a lock of Shae's hair gently off her forehead. "I think he would be sad to learn of all the things I did after he was killed, of what I became. But… I think he would be proud of who I am today. He'd be happy to see the woman that I became, and the woman that I fell in love with."

Shae nodded too, and her wistful smile returned. "I think Nadia would be proud too. I mean… She would probably knock me and Remus's heads together for all the terrible things we did after she was… Gone. She was the youngest of the three of us, but she was always trying to make a better life for us. She… She always tried so hard to make sure that we never lost hope."

Regina slowly nodded her head, and was about to reply, when there was a sudden ding from the oven in the kitchen. "My pie!" Shae exclaimed.

Shae scrambled off of the couch, and rushed into the kitchen. "Is that what smells so good?" Regina asked with a laugh.

Shae poked her head back around the corner with a grin. "It's your favorite!"

Regina chuckled some more as she rose from the couch, and followed Shae into the kitchen. She couldn't help but smile as she watched Shae carefully removing her apple pie from the oven, wearing a pair of floral print oven mitts. Suddenly, Regina noticed that every single surface in her kitchen was sparkling clean.

"Did you… Clean in here?" She asked of her lover. When Shae nodded, Regina laughed once again. "Well, well… Look at you. You're turning into a regular house wife."

Shae laughed loudly as she set the pie down on the counter. "Yeah I guess so. Who would have ever thought that someone like _me_ could go domestic?"

Regina chuckled as she stepped up to Shae, and she wrapped her arms around her neck. "Is it weird if I find it all very… Sexy?"

Shae grinned as she curled her arms around Regina's wasit, drawing her in closer. "Maybe later you can watch me as I… Scrub the toilet." She whispered seductively in her ear.

Regina laughed, and so did Shae. They both sighed contentedly as they kissed, holding each other close. "Speaking of domestic…" Shae began, pulling away slightly from Regina's lips. "How do you feel about actually, you know… Getting married?"

Regina's jaw dropped open in shock, and she breathed out a small, bewildered laugh. "You mean… After everything we've been through, everything _I've_ put you through, you… Still want to marry me?"

Shae silently nodded her head. Regina breathed out another laugh, then bit her lip, trying to stop the tears that were welling into her eyes. She made to step out of Shae's arms, but Shae kept her firmly wrapped in her embrace. She placed her hands on either side of Regina's face, smiling lovingly into her eyes.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I love you?" Shae whispered softly.

Regina laughed once more, wiping at a stray tear. "Maybe just… One more time."

Shae chuckled too. "Yeah, I doubt that." She muttered, rolling her eyes. She then smiled again, and gently brushed Regina's tears away with her thumbs. "That's ok. I'll tell you every second of every day until you get it through that thick skull of yours. And when you do, I'll still keep on telling you. I'll never stop. I promise."

Regina stared into Shae's gorgeous, piercing blue eyes, her heart hammering in her chest. She was unable to stop the steady flow of tears that came pouring out of her eyes. She was too overwhelmed with Shae's unyielding love for her, which still remained as strong as ever, despite everything that had happened.

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" Regina whispered in wonder.

"Oh, lots of terrible things." Shae replied.

Regina laughed as Shae grinned at her, one of those quirky and cheeky grins that Regina loved so very much. She then sighed, and took Shae's face in her own hands. "I promise, as soon as we fix all this, and find a way to get rid of The Hollow, we will get married." She smiled through more of her tears, and she placed a gentle kiss on Shae's lips. "One day soon, we'll both have the life that Daniel and Nadia would have wanted for us. _I_ promise."

Shae nodded, her own eyes glistening with tears. She then softly cleared her throat, and suddenly looked quite nervous. "Regina, listen…" She slowly and carefully began. "I think we need to talk about the reality of my situation here. We've looked through countless books already, and haven't found a single thing about The Hollow. Maybe… There _isn't_ a way to get rid of it. At least… Not without Excalibur."

Regina scoffed indignantly, stepping back out of Shae's arms. "What exactly are you saying?" She demanded. "Are you saying that you actually _want_ to die?"

"No! God, just… No." Shae replied in a rush, vigorously shaking her head. "All I'm saying is that maybe this is something I'm going to have to… Learn to live with. I mean, I've been fine so far."

Regina's jaw dropped open in utter disbelief. "Fine?" She exclaimed. "Shae, The Hollow completely took over you just the other day! You almost killed me!"

Shae breathed out a sad, heavy sigh, running a hand through her messy black hair. "Yeah… I know." She mumbled. "Maybe I'll just have to… Be careful, you know? Maybe-"

Shae stopped mid sentence when Regina's cellphone began ringing from inside her pocket. Regina rolled her eyes, and was about to voice her displeasure at being interrupted. She stopped when she saw the caller ID.

"It's… The hospital." She muttered. She then pressed the phone to her ear. "Hello?" She listened for a moment, and Shae watched curiously as her deep brown eyes grew wide. "Oh… Oh my god! I-I'll be right there!"

"What is it?" Shae asked in concern.

"It's Zelena." Regina whispered, staring fearfully into Shae's eyes. "She's… In labor."

Shae's jaw nearly hit the floor. "What? How? She's only three months pregnant!"

"There's only one thing I know of that can speed up a pregnancy like this." Regina muttered, her voice grave. "Dark magic."

"Dark magic?" Shae asked as she followed Regina back into the living room. "Who's dark magic?"

"Well, it's definitely not Gold, and it's _most_ definitely not me." Regina replied as she scooped up her coat from the back of the couch. "That just leaves-"

"Emma." Shae finished for her. She quickly shook her head, trying desperately to make some sense of the situation. "I don't understand… What the hell does Emma want with Zelena's baby?"

Regina sighed heavily as she pulled on her coat. "I'm sorry, Shae, but… It looks like she really _is_ going to destroy light magic after all." When Shae looked confused, she went on to explain. "Belle found a spell to do just that in one of Merlin's books. The only other thing The Dark Swan needs besides Excalibur is… The cries of a newborn."

Shae's jaw dropped open all over again. "Jesus Christ…" She groaned, placing her hands over her face. She then quickly shook herself, and nodded at Regina. "Alright. Come on, lets go."

"No!" Regina exclaimed, placing her hands on Shae's chest as she started toward the door. "No, please, I need you to stay here."

"But-" Shae began to protest.

"Shae, please!" Regina pleaded with her, tightly gripping both her hands. "I'm going to call Henry and tell him to come straight here. I don't know what exactly Emma is planning to do, but it might get messy. I need you to keep Henry safe."

Shae groaned again, running both her hands through her hair. "Fine." She muttered, a bit begrudgingly.

"Thank you." Regina whispered, placing a light kiss on Shae's cheek. "Right. I need to go get Robin."

"Oh, sure." Shae said with a snort. "Take your ex-boyfriend with you, who's only powers are sticky fingers and some decent aim with a bow."

Regina sighed heavily. "Shae, please."

Shae bit her lip, then sighed herself. "Sorry." She mumbled, slightly hanging her head. "You know I get jealous."

Regina chuckled, and placed her hand gently on Shae's cheek. "I know. I think it's awfully sweet." She said with a smile. "I'll be back as soon as I can. I love you."

"I love you too." Shae replied. "Be safe, ok?"

Regina nodded, and gave her lover a quick kiss on her lips. She then headed toward the door, and rushed off into the night. Shae watched her carefully from the window, and, as soon as her car was lost from sight, she too stepped out of the house. She felt bad about disobeying the woman that she loved, the woman that loved _her_. But, she needed to know what happened in Camelot, why Elsa somehow knew so much about The Hollow, and why Emma was doing all this. She was going to get the answers she needed, one way or another.

XXXXX

Shae spent the next several weeks in the company of her friends in Arendelle, reading through every book on magic and magical creatures they could find. Elsa and Anna's father had quite an extensive library on the subject, and they ploughed through as many as they could every day, sometimes reading even more in their rooms at night. They were desperate to find some way, any way, to rid Shae of the awful darkness that had taken hold of her.

As the days turned into weeks, Shae began to lose hope. She tried to remain hopeful and positive, but every book cast aside with no answers left her more and more disheartened. Still, though, it was nice to be among friends, nice to know that Elsa was happy now, and Ruby too. She couldn't help but smile every time they stole kisses from each other when they thought no one else was looking. However, seeing them together made her ache with longing for the woman that _she_ loved. Regina would send letters from Camelot every so often, but she said very little, and some of her words were carefully coded. Shae had a feeling that not everything in Camelot was as it seemed, and it left her worried.

One afternoon, Shae's eyes were growing tired, her headache growing worse by the minute. She announced to Elsa and the others that she was taking a break from reading through more dusty old tomes. She decided to go for a walk in the garden, to clear her head. She was joined by Ruby a few moments later.

"Want some company?" Ruby asked her with a smile.

"Sure." Shae replied, smiling back at her. She gestured for Ruby to sit beside her on the bench. "We haven't really had much chance to talk since I got here. Elsa told me how you ended up in Arendelle, but did you ever, you know… Find your pack? Oh! And is Mulan as badass as I think she is?"

Ruby chuckled lightly. "Even _more_ badass, I promise." Slowly, her smile faded, and she looked quite sad. "But, um… No. I never found my pack. We found their trail a few times, and I even caught their scent. But I never actually found them."

"Oh." Shae mumbled with a frown. "I'm… Really sorry, Ruby."

"It's ok." Ruby replied, smiling once again. "I found something… Even better. I'm still the only one of my kind around here, but, still I… I finally feel like I belong."

"Because of Elsa?" Shae said with a knowing grin.

Ruby's cheeks suddenly flushed the same shade of red as her cloak. "Um… Yeah." She mumbled, a bit sheepishly. "She's… Really something. When I met her, it was like getting hit by a freight train, and then… Then everything happened so fast, and… And I… Well-"

"You love her." Shae cut in, stopping Ruby's anxious stammering.

Ruby bit her lip, her cheeks growing even redder. "I…Yeah. I think so." She quietly replied. "Honestly… I'd marry her tomorrow if I could."

"Well, why don't you?"

Ruby barked out a loud, amused laugh. "Yeah. Right." She said, rolling her eyes.

"I'm serious!" Cried Shae, throwing her arms up in the air. "Life is short!"

Ruby snorted, rolling her eyes once again. "Yeah, sure, coming from the two-hundred year old… Half elf… Thing."

"Halfling." Shae corrected her. "And, yeah, I managed to cheat death for a while, but… Still." She sighed, and shifted in her seat to better face Ruby. "Look, when I first fell in love with Regina, she was already pretty far gone, we both were. But… If I would have told her sooner how I felt, things might have been… Different. We could have been happy. I spent a lot of time being afraid of love. Don't make the same mistake I did. You gotta tell Elsa how you feel."

Ruby bit her lip again as she slowly nodded her head, pondering Shae's words of wisdom. "Well… I mean… You're happy _now_ , right?"

Shae sighed again, running a hand through her messy black hair. "Well… I would definitely _love_ to be with Regina right now," She began with a small chuckle. "But, trust me, Camelot is _not_ the place for me. Arthur's guards were constantly watching me, and Regina's trying to protect Emma by pretending to be The Savior. I think we both know just how hard _that_ job is, what with watching Emma running around these last few years."

Ruby chuckled too, nodding earnestly in agreement. Shae then cleared her throat, and went on. "But, um… Once all this is over, I think Regina and I will finally have a shot. For real this time."

Ruby nodded some more, and gently took Shae's hand in her own. "That's good to hear." She said with a smile. "I'm really glad you're happy now, Shae. I just hope we can actually find a way to get this Hollow thing out of you. Soon."

Shae nodded back at her, and they both fell silent for a few moments, Ruby thinking about Elsa, and Shae thinking about Regina. After all the hardships she had endured in her life, after everything her and Regina had been through, all Shae wanted now was a quiet, happy life with the woman that she loved. However, with the threat of The Hollow looming over her head, she knew that a quiet life just wasn't possible. Not now, and, if they couldn't find a way to get rid of it, not ever.

"Hey!"

Ruby and Shae both gave a start, and glanced round, searching for the source of the sudden shout. They finally spotted Anna, whose head was poking out of the library window. "Come back up!" Anna called out to them. "We found something!"

Both Ruby and Shae's eyes grew wide, and they smiled excitedly at each other. They hurried back into the castle, and Shae took the steps two and three at a time. Her heart raced with excitement. Maybe, just maybe, she was finally going to get the answers she so desperately needed.

"Here! I'm here!" Shae exclaimed as her and Ruby burst back into the library. She doubled over with her hands on her knees, her chest heaving. "Shit… Holy shit… That was a lot of stairs… I really need to start working out."

"Ditto." Ruby rasped, leaning heavily against a bookcase.

"You guys, look at this!" Anna said excitedly, sliding a book across the table toward them. "It's, well… It's not much. But it's something!"

Shae and Ruby both stepped up to the table, and glanced down at the book lying before them. On one side of the page was a drawing of The Hollow, a brief description beside it. "The Hollow, a powerful and ancient evil, it's origins shrouded in mystery." Ruby read out loud. "It took the combined strength of a force of great good, and a force of great evil, to seal it away. Should it ever be freed again, it will surely mean… The end of days."

"That's… Ominous." Shae mumbled, her blue eyes wide. She turned the page, frowning when she found nothing more about The Hollow on the other side. "And… Super unhelpful."

"I mean… I _did_ say it wasn't much." Muttered Anna, giving her a one armed shrug.

Shae groaned in frustration, slowly sinking down into a nearby chair. "Looks like we're back to square one." Kristoff commented with a sigh.

"Well, we have a bit to go on, at least." Elsa said as she pulled the dusty old book closer to her. "It says here a force of great good and a force of great evil sealed The Hollow away. If we can find out who exactly those people were, we might find some more answers."

"Well, since I found The Hollow in The Dark One's vault, I'm guessing The Dark One at the time was the force of great evil." Shae mused with an uncertain shrug. "As for the force of great good… Well, I don't know. Maybe it was Merlin."

"We could always go ask Grand Pabbie." Anna offered with a shrug of her own.

"I thought you said he was on his… Pilgrimage, or whatever." Said Shae, looking to Kristoff.

Kristoff shrugged himself when all eyes turned expectantly onto him. "I dunno… It's been a few weeks. He might be back by now."

"Well, it certainly won't hurt to go and see." Elsa said, determinedly rising to her feet. "Besides, it's not like we have any other options."

Shae chuckled as she also rose from her chair. "You know, Elsa, when you're right, you're right." She then clapped her hands together with a chipper smile. "Come on, everybody! Let's go see the rock trolls!"

XXXXX

Shae pounded on the door of Emma Swan's new home, her heart hammering in her chest. When she was met with no response, she knocked once more. She waited in silence for a moment, the blood pulsing in her ears the only sound to be heard.

"Come on, Emma!" Shae shouted into the night air. "Don't make me summon you!"

When she was met with only more silence, Shae groaned in frustration. "Emma Swan!" She shouted. "Emma Swan, EMMA SWAN!"

A familiar whooshing sound caused Shae to whirl around upon the porch. She found The Dark One herself standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking irritated. "What is it, Shae?" She snapped. "I'm pretty busy at the moment."

"Trying to steal Zelena's baby?" Shae asked, folding her arms across her chest. "What the hell do you want with it?"

Emma crossed her arms as well, narrowing her eyes at Shae. "I don't think that's any of your business."

Shae breathed out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Look, I just came to talk, alright? Can we please just… Go inside?"

Emma raised an eyebrow at Shae. "Are you _sure_ you want to do that?"

When Emma was met with only confused silence, she simply shrugged, and stepped around Shae, opening her front door. Shae followed her inside the house, and gasped in alarm as her chest suddenly began to burn with white hot pain. She groaned, grabbing onto the wall for support as the world spun wildly around her. Suddenly, a terrible fear took hold of her, a fear that was not quite her own.

"T-The Hollow, it's… Scared." Shae muttered, wincing as the pain finally subsided. "Excalibur… It's here, isn't it?"

"Yes." Emma quietly replied. "Don't worry, I won't be stabbing that heart of yours with it."

Shae nodded as she rubbed at her still aching chest. "Ok, well… That's a relief, I guess."

Emma chuckled, and stepped up to Shae, placing a hand gently on her cheek. "I'm actually really glad you're here, Shae." She said with a sad sort of smile. "You saved me a trip."

Shae yanked her face irritably away from Emma's touch. "A trip? A trip where?"

"To find _you_ , of course." Emma replied. "This will all be over soon. I'm going to rid us both of our darkness, once and for all."

"And you're _not_ going to stab me with Excalibur to do it?" Asked Shae. When Emma shook her head, Shae narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her. "So there really _is_ another way."

"More or less."

"Then tell me."

Emma breathed out a sad, heavy sigh, and turned her back on Shae. "No." She whispered softly.

Shae groaned, running her hands through her messy black hair. "Emma, listen." She began, placing her hand on Emma's shoulder. "You once told me that I was your best friend, and that you loved me, in a… Best friend kind of way. If that's all true, if I'm really your best friend, then why the hell won't you tell me why you're doing this? Why won't you tell me what happened in Camelot?"

Emma suddenly whirled back around, and swatted Shae's hand away. "Of course it's true!" She exclaimed. Shae's heart ached when she saw tears in Emma's eyes. "You _are_ my best friend, and I _do_ love you. That's why I'm doing all this. I… I-I can't lose anyone else I love."

Shae's brow furrowed in confusion. "You… You think that if you give me my memories back that you'll lose me?"

"I know I will." Emma whispered, tears now falling freely down her face. "That's why you can't know what happened in Camelot, and you can't know what I'm about to do to save you. You'll just try and stop me."

Shae opened her mouth to question Emma more, but stopped when Emma reached out, and placed her hand on her forehead. "Shhh… It's alright." Emma whispered soothingly. "It'll all be over soon."

Shae opened her mouth to speak once again, but no sound was able to come out as the world began spinning around her again. She grunted as her knees buckled, and she fought with every fiber of her being as her eyelids began to grow very, very heavy.

"Emma…" Shae mumbled, blinking furiously through foggy vision. "W-What… What are you-"

"Shhh…" Emma whispered again. She knelt down in front of Shae, catching her by her arms as she slumped limply forward. "I'm sorry, Shae. It's for your own good."

XXXXX

"Look, Shae, look! I grew a mushroom!"

"I earned my fire crystal!"

"I passed a kidney stone."

Shae chuckled, and smiled around at all her old friends, the rock trolls. The trolls had been positively overjoyed to see Shae again, and they bombarded her with tight, and slightly painful, embraces. They bombarded her with questions as well, and Shae did her best to quickly and kindly answer all of them.

Once all the excitement had died down, Kristoff questioned his family members about Grand Pabbie. Unda confirmed that he was indeed back from his pilgrimage. She quickly left them to go wake the ancient troll from his nap, and they all waited anxiously with the rest of the rock trolls for her to return.

"Shae! Shae! Pick me up!" One of the child trolls cried.

Shae's eyes grew wide with alarm. "Oh, no… I-I can't-"

Shae grunted as the tiny troll suddenly threw herself into her arms. The other child trolls all giggled excitedly, and began throwing themselves upon Shae as well. Shae was quickly overwhelmed, and the others all gasped as she hit the ground, several trolls clinging to her back.

"Easy now, children." A familiar voice spoke quietly. Grand Pabbie had finally made his entrance. "She's not quite as durable as she once was."

The child trolls all scampered off of Shae, who breathed out an immense sigh of relief. She staggered to her feet, and watched with a fond smile as Grand Pabbie embraced both Anna and Kristoff. He did the same with both Elsa and Ruby, and finally turned his attention onto Shae. She experienced a strange sense of dejavu when she saw the immense sorrow in the ancient troll's eyes.

"It's good to see you again, Shae." He said with a smile as he took Shae's hand, patting it gently. "Though I wish it were under better circumstances."

"So… You know?" Asked Shae, eyebrow raised.

Grand Pabbie slowly nodded his head. "A terrible curse has been placed upon you, Shae." He answered quietly, smiling a sad but kind smile. "And you have come to me for the answers that you seek. I promise, I will do everything I can to provide you those answers."

"Good ol' Grand Pabbie." Anna said with a grin. "I knew he could help."

Grand Pabbie's kind smile slowly faded, and he suddenly looked quite grave. "I said I could provide answers. However, I did not say that I would be able to help."

A sudden hush fell over them all, and Shae's heart sank deep into the pit of her stomach. Elsa hastily broke the silence, and she cleared her throat as she handed Grand Pabbie the page about The Hollow that she had torn from the book they had found.

"It says here that The Hollow was sealed away by a force of great good, and a force of great evil." She quickly explained. "I thought that, perhaps, if we could find out who exactly these people were, then we might just find a way to free Shae from it."

Grand Pabbie chuckled as he handed the page back to Elsa. "Well, then, look no further." He said with another smile. "It was I who helped The Dark One to seal The Hollow away."

Everyone's jaws dropped open in shock. "So… _You're_ the force of great good?" Kristoff breathed, staring at Grand Pabbie in awe.

"Indeed." Grand Pabbie affirmed with a nod.

"Woah…" Shae whispered, breathing out an astonished laugh. She then quickly shook herself, and began to question the ancient troll. "So… Belle said that The Hollow was released from Pandora's Box by, you know, Pandora herself. Is that really true?"

"Indeed." Grand Pabbie said again. "It was sealed back in the box by the great goddess Freya. She saw the havok it was wreaking on mankind, and she took pity on them. The Hollow remained inside Pandora's Box for centuries after that, until… Nimue."

"Nimue?" Asked Ruby, brow furrowed in confusion. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"She's part of the King Arthur legend, from The World Without Magic." Shae quickly explained. "She was some sort of… Sorceress, I think. And Merlin's lover."

"She _was_ Merlin's lover, but she was no sorceress." Said Grand Pabbie, slowly shaking his head. "At least, not until she became the first Dark One."

Everyone's mouths gaped open in shock all over again. "Nimue was… The first Dark One?" Asked Shae.

Grand Pabbie nodded gravely. "As most Dark One's do, she became hungry for more power." He went on, his tone dark and serious. "She released The Hollow once again, and attempted to harness it for herself, to control it. But, as many others did before her, she failed. The Hollow was too strong, too unpredictable, even for one such as her. She attempted to seal it away herself, but found that she could not."

"Really?" Asked Kristoff. "How come?"

"The Hollow's only weakness is light magic." Grand Pabbie explained. "Since The Dark One cannot wield such power, she was forced to call upon _me_. Together, we used magic from Pandora's Box itself to seal it underground, as well as a bit of our own. Since that day, every Dark One that has ever come to be was forged in that place, a place where only darkness can reside."

"That Dark One's vault." Shae mumbled. "They built it around that door where you sealed The Hollow."

"Indeed." Grand Pabbie said once again. "No one has ever sought to free it since. That is… Until _you_ , Shae."

"I didn't do it on purpose!" Cried Shae. "It… I-It used Emma's voice! It tricked me!"

Grand Pabbie nodded solemnly, patting Shae's hand again. "I know, my child, I know." He whispered softly. He fell silent for a moment, and when he looked into Shae's eyes, Shae saw more deep, immense sorrow in his own. "Shortly after Nimue and I sealed The Hollow away, I had a vision of the future, of _your_ future. This was your destiny, Shae, among other things."

Shae's jaw dropped open in indignant shock. "You knew this would happen?" She exclaimed. The ancient troll nodded, which made Shae even more furious. "Then why the hell didn't you do something? Why didn't you stop it?"

"I could not." Grand Pabbie replied, his tone heavy with grief, with regret. "I once told you that it is my great and terrible burden to know of such things. I also told you that it is my burden to-"

"'To know when such things are better left unsaid.'" Shae finished for him in a bitter tone, using his own words from years earlier. "Yeah, yeah… I get it."

"Shae, it's alright." Elsa said gently, placing her hand on Shae's arm. "In fact, this is wonderful news. Light magic is The Hollow's only weakness."

"Which means we can use light magic to destroy it." Ruby said with a smile. Her smile quickly faded, and she raised an uncertain eyebrow at Grand Pabbie. "Er… Right?"

All eyes turned expectantly to the old troll, who breathed out a heavy sigh. "Yes, and… No."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Shae snarled.

"Shae, please. Calm down." Elsa said in another gentle tone.

Elsa placed her hand on Shae's arm again, but Shae jerked her arm away. "No! I will _not_ calm down!" She shouted, rounding furiously on Elsa. She then turned back to Grand Pabbie, pointing an accusing finger in his round, stony face. "Tell me what you know! NOW!"

Grand Pabbie stared wide eyed at Shae's quivering finger. At the alarmed and frightened look on his face, Shae slowly lowered her arm. The rest of the rock trolls were eyeing her much the same way, as were Elsa and the others. Shae softly cleared her throat, and drew back a step.

"Sorry." She mumbled, rubbing her chest as it gave a painful twinge. "I… Shouldn't have yelled like that."

Grand Pabbie simply smiled another one of his sad but kind smiles. "It's alright, Shae. You carry a dark and heavy burden in your heart." He paused for a moment, then went on to explain more. "That is where The Hollow resides, in fact, within the hearts of man. Specifically, within hearts that have been so broken by love and loss that they themselves have become… Hollow. That is how it gets its name."

Another shocked hush fell over the group of humans and trolls. They all carefully watched Shae, who stood rigid in her spot, her mouth opening and closing several times. "So… S-So _that's_ why it kept calling me, Hollow One." She muttered, staring wide eyed at the ground. "That's why it said it's been… Waiting for me. I thought it was just because I had magic."

"Indeed, The Hollow _does_ seek your power." Grand Pabbie agreed with a solemn nod. "And it also seeks your heart. Your heart has been hollowed just enough to grant it access to your body, but, for now, it is lying dormant. It is… Waiting."

"Waiting?" Asked Anna. "Waiting for what?"

Shae sighed, rubbing her aching forehead. "Let me guess," She began, breathing out a sour laugh. "It's waiting for my heart to be broken even more."

Grand Pabbie nodded once again. "You must guard your heart closely, Shae." He told her quietly. "Otherwise, you yourself will become hollow. You will feel nothing except rage, and you will give in to your deepest and most brutal desires. All capacity for love and compassion will be wiped away by The Hollow, and you and it will become one. You will be driven by nothing but it's lust for power, and you will destroy all in your path to get it, whether they be friend or foe."

Shae placed her hands over her face, breathing out another heavy, shaky sigh. The others all watched her with pity in their eyes. "So… How do we stop it?" Elsa asked, her eyes wide. "Emma is The Dark One now. Can't you and her work together to seal it away again?"

Grand Pabbie slowly and sadly shook his head. "Now that The Hollow resides within a living vessel, there is only one sure way to destroy it for good."

"I don't like the look on your face, Grand Pabbie." Kristoff muttered, eyeing the ancient troll warily. "How exactly do we destroy it for good?"

Grand Pabbie's face was indeed quite grave, and he took a moment to respond. "By using the most powerful light magic in this realm." He answered, his tone dark and solemn. "There is a fabled blade, a darkness rending blade known as… Excalibur."

Shae suddenly gasped, and her face lit up with a grin. "Excalibur?" She exclaimed. "That's… T-That's great! Arthur has it! All I have to do is go back to Camelot and take it from him."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple." Said Grand Pabbie.

The grin faded from Shae's face, as did the excited and hopeful smiles of all the others. "W-What do you mean?" Shae stammered.

"All magic comes with a price, Shae. Even magic such as Excalibur." Grand Pabbie replied, his tone more quiet and dark than ever. "And the price that you must pay is steep, indeed."

Shae swallowed the hard, fearful lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "What kind of price?" She whispered.

"Your life."

Shae's eyes grew wide with alarm, and everyone else's jaws dropped open in sheer horror. "What?" Elsa exclaimed.

"The only way to destroy The Hollow, is the death of its host." Grand Pabbie slowly explained. "The hollow heart with The Hollow residing within must be pierced by Excalibur. Then, and only then, will The Hollow be rid of this world, and all others that be."

"You can't be serious." Anna whispered, vigorously shaking her head. "There… T-There has to be another way!"

Grand Pabbie pursed his stony lips, and they all watched him anxiously as he took another moment to respond. "I cannot say for sure." He muttered quietly. "That is the only way I myself know of. However, there is another man that might have more answers. An ancient and powerful sorcerer, much more powerful than I."

"Merlin?" Asked Shae. When Grand Pabbie nodded, she breathed out a frustrated groan. "Great. Last time I checked, he's still a tree."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Grand Pabbie said with a knowing smile. When Shae and the others looked to him in expectant silence, he went on. "It seems that your friends in Camelot have succeeded in their task. Merlin is now free from his bondage, as is Excalibur. In fact, the fabled blade is in the hands of The Dark One as we speak."

Shae's piercing blue eyes grew wide with shock. "Emma has Excalibur?" She whispered. Grand Pabbie nodded once more, to which Shae nodded back. "Right. Ok. I need to get back to Camelot. I need to find Emma, find Merlin, and… A-And hope that he has answers. I may be over two-hundred years old, but I still think I'm too young to die just yet."

The others all chuckled at Shae's cheeky and quirky grin. However, as she watched everyone else saying their goodbyes to Grand Pabbie and the other trolls, the grin faded from her face. She tried to quell the terror that was bubbling in her stomach. She wasn't afraid of death, but she certainly wasn't ready for it, especially since her and Regina were finally on the path toward their happy ending. She hoped against hope that Merlin, the fabled sorcerer, would have another way to rid her of The Hollow, a better way.

Elsa, Ruby, Anna, and Kristoff began to make their way out of the home of the rock trolls, but Shae remained behind with Grand Pabbie for a moment. "Can I ask you something?" She asked of him. When he nodded, she knelt down in front of him, to better see into his ancient, stony eyes. "You know things, Grand Pabbie. Lots of things. I'm sure you know that, I… I-I've done a lot of terrible things in my life, things that I regret, things that I've paid dearly for."

Shae paused, biting back the tears that were welling into her eyes. "I've worked really hard to put all that behind me." She went on in a whisper. "I've worked so, _so_ hard to change, to be better, to be… A hero."

"What exactly is your question, child?" Grand Pabbie asked her.

Shae breathed out a shaky sigh, running a hand through her messy black hair. "My question is… After all that I've done, after all that I've been through, is it all… Pointless? Am I just… Just… Doomed, or something? Doomed to suffer, doomed to always be… A villain?"

Grand Pabbie didn't respond right away. He stared deep into Shae's eyes, his own filled with immeasurable sorrow. It was the same kind of sorrow that she had seen in his eyes before, all those years ago, when he had spoken about her destiny. It still chilled her right to the bone.

"I'm afraid I can't answer that question, Shae." He whispered with a sad smile. "Only _you_ can. You must hold on to hope."

Shae breathed out a sour laugh, wiping a few stray tears from her face. "Yeah… Snow and Charming are always saying stuff like that."

"Then you would be wise to listen to them." Grand Pabbie said with another smile. He then reached out, and took Shae's hand in both of his own. "Keep your friends and loved ones close. And always remember, whenever you feel lost, whenever you feel hopeless and weak, know that visions and prophecy are never completely absolute. Not much in this life truly is."

Grand Pabbie released Shae's hand, and placed both of his own on either side of her face. "Your life, your fate, they're in _your_ hands, Shae." He whispered with a smile. " _You_ control your own destiny. You always have."

XX

Night had fallen by the time Shae was packed and ready for her trip back to Camelot. She shared misty eyed embraces with Ruby, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven as they stood in Arendelle Castle's entrance hall. Finally, she turned to Elsa, the woman that she had once loved, the woman that was still very dear to her heart.

Before saying her goodbyes, Elsa handed Shae two pieces of paper. One of them was the page about The Hollow she had torn from the book, and the other she had written on herself. In her infinite wisdom, she decided to record everything Grand Pabbie had told them, just in case Shae might need it.

"I'm sorry your visit to Arendelle was for nothing." Elsa said, trying her best to smile through the tears welling into her eyes.

"Nothing?" Shae echoed, breathing out a surprised laugh. "It wasn't for nothing, Elsa. I learned a lot, and I got to see all of you again." She paused for a moment, smiling around at everyone's teary eyed faces. Then, she turned her gaze back to Elsa, her own eyes welling with tears. "And, I… I finally feel like I got some closure over everything that happened between us. I never really got to say goodbye, and now I can. It's easier, knowing how happy you are now. You and Ruby are… Perfect for each other."

Elsa and Ruby both smiled at each other, their eyes streaming with tears. Elsa then stepped up to Shae, and wrapped her arms around her neck. Shae held her tight, tears beginning to leak from her own eyes.

"Will we ever see you again?" Elsa whispered, her voice quavering with emotion.

Shae sighed as Elsa released her, and she held both of her hands in her own. "I… Don't know." She muttered, smiling a sad smile. "But I really hope so."

Elsa nodded, and Shae watched her curiously as she removed the necklace with the snowflake pendant that she always wore from around her neck. It was the necklace that had been given to her by her sister, the one that held the now inactive wishing star inside.

"Then I want you to have this." She said as she pressed the necklace into Shae's hand. "Just a little something to remember me by."

Shae opened and closed her mouth several times, struggling to find words as she stared down at the necklace in her hand. "Elsa… You know I'll never forget you." She whispered softly.

Elsa nodded some more as more and more tears poured from her eyes. "Then let it serve as a different reminder." She said, smiling through her tears. "A reminder of who you once were, who you really are." She paused for a moment, and took Shae's face in her hands, staring deep into her eyes. "I want you to know just how dear you are to me, Shae, to all of us. I hope you never forget it."

"Good luck, Shae." Kristoff said with a misty eyed smile.

"You'll always be our Protector." Said Anna.

Olaf opened his mouth to speak as well, but all that came out was a strangled, miserable cry. Shae chuckled as he began to sob loudly, wrapping his stick arms around Kristoff's legs. Shae then turned back to Elsa and Ruby, who both embraced her again, and pressed a kiss on both of her cheeks.

"Are you sure you don't want to come see Granny?" Shae asked of Ruby.

Ruby bit her lip, and slowly shook her head. "If I do, I'll only feel even worse than I already do for leaving her." She replied. "Just… Tell her that I'm happy, ok?"

Shae nodded in silent agreement. She remained where she stood for a moment, smiling around at all her friends and loved ones from Arendelle. It pained her to leave them all again, but she was content knowing that Elsa was finally happy. They all were.

Shae stepped toward the door, but paused, biting her lip with her hand on the handle. "By the way," She slowly began as she turned back around. She cleared her throat, and turned her attention back onto Elsa and Ruby. "Ruby, Elsa loves you. Elsa, Ruby loves you too."

Both Elsa and Ruby's eyes grew wide, and Anna stifled a giggle from behind them. "There." Shae went on with a satisfied grin. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" She cleared her throat again, and gave them all a wave. "Anyway… See ya!"

With that, Shae disappeared in a gust of swirling wind. Elsa and Ruby both stood rigidly still, and the others all watched them with bated breath. Slowly, they turned to face each other, and they both started to laugh. With tears streaming from her eyes, Elsa cupped Ruby's face in her hands, and placed a deep, passionate kiss on her lips.

"I love you, Ruby."

"I love you too, Elsa."

XXXXX

Shae slowly began to wake. She kept her eyes shut tight as she felt her head spinning. Slowly, carefully, she peeled her eyes open, and found herself staring up at a rocky ceiling. She groaned as she sat forward, and her brow furrowed when she realized she was lying on the pebble strewn ground. What was most confusing, and alarming, was the shackle and chain that were attached to her ankle.

"Well, well… Look who's finally awake."

Shae nearly leapt right out of her skin. She turned her torso around, and her lips curled into a snarl when she found Zelena sitting on the ground behind her. She was dressed in a hospital gown, but was clearly no longer pregnant.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Shae grumbled.

"Oh, you know, I just thought I'd spend a little quality time with my favorite almost sister-in-law." Zelena replied chipperly, her tone heavy with sarcasm. "As well as Captain Guy-Liner over here."

Shae's eyes grew wide with shock when she realized that Captain Hook was also sitting on the ground, looking glum. He and Zelena both had shackles similar to Shae's strapped to their ankles.

"Dammit, Emma." Shae muttered. She then turned her attention on her own shackle, and waved her hand over it in attempt to magically remove it. "Why the hell can't I use my magic?"

"It looks like Dark Swan put a magic dampening spell on that shackle." Zelena spat bitterly. "Don't worry, I've got one of my own."

Zelena raised her arm, which had a very familiar black leather cuff attached to it. "Why is Emma doing this?" Asked Shae, raising her eyebrows in alarm. "What the hell is going on?"

"The Dark One sped up my pregnancy, and kidnapped me, so she can use me to get rid of her darkness, as well as _yours_." Zelena replied, narrowing her eyes irritably at Shae. "She's going to put all of it into me, then strike me down with that damned sword."

Shae's eyes grew wide with shock, and she slowly turned them onto Hook. "Seriously?"

"Aye." Hook muttered grimly. "It appears that she's lost all reason."

Shae breathed out a bemused laugh, and she leaned her back against the rocky wall of Emma's basement. "Well, I don't know about that. It _is_ a pretty solid plan."

"Right. Thanks for that." Grumbled Zelena.

"Oh, sorry, am I supposed to shed a tear over you or something?" Snapped Shae.

Hook suddenly emitted a frustrated snarl, and he slammed his fist into the ground. "Dammit, will you just listen to yourself!" He shouted, glaring at Shae. "We're talking about cold blooded murder!"

"Cold blooded? Seriously?" Shae demanded, throwing her arms up in the air. "She killed Neal, she killed Marian! And, most importantly, she almost killed _me_!"

"Right, right… And how many people have _you_ killed?" Zelena snarled, narrowing her eyes at Shae once again. "Hundreds? Maybe more?"

"Shut up!" Shae shouted.

"Both of you shut up!" Bellowed Hook. When Zelena and Shae both silently glared at each other, he turned his attention back onto Shae. "You can't seriously be considering sitting back and doing nothing!"

"Yeah, maybe I am." Shae replied with an unconcerned shrug. "Why the hell do you care, anyway?"

"BECAUSE I SEE MYSELF IN YOU!"

Shae blinked several times in surprise at Hook's sudden, furious outburst. "What?" She whispered.

Hook breathed out a heavy sigh, leaning back against the wall. "I've seen how much you've changed, how hard you've worked to become a hero." He quietly replied, his eyes glistening with tears. "When I see how far you and your Queen have both come, it… Gives me hope, hope that Emma and I can win the battle against our own darkness."

Shae watched with a heavy heart as Hook wiped furiously at a few stray tears. "If _you_ can so easily slip right back into that darkness," He went on in a bitter tone. "Then… Then what hope is there for me, for Emma?"

Shae bit her lip, rubbing at the brand on her chest as it gave a painful twinge. She then breathed out a sad, heavy sigh. "You're right. I'm sorry." She muttered quietly. "I guess… Old habits die hard, you know?"

Hook chuckled, and managed a weak smile. "Aye. That they do."

"As touching as this all is," Zelena began to say, dramatically rolling her eyes. "Can we _please_ focus on finding a way out of this mess?"

Shae sighed, gesturing to the shackles attached to all their ankles. "Well, without magic, I don't think we're going anywhere."

"Wait a moment…" Hook suddenly muttered, his eyes wide. "You two may not have magic, but _I_ do."

Zelena and Shae both exchanged a shocked glance. " _You_ have magic?" Zelena asked with a snort.

"Not me, no. But my hook does." Hook replied with a grin. "As you recall, I imbued it with magic to rip out your heart."

"And you didn't use it… Why?" Asked Shae. When Hook raised a knowing eyebrow at her, she breathed out a heavy sigh. "Right, right. 'Murder bad.' I get it."

Hook rolled his eyes at Shae, then turned his attention back to Zelena. "Now, I can't be completely certain, but perhaps I can use my hook to remove your cuff. Then, you can set us all free."

The three of them all nodded their heads, and scrambled up onto their feet. Zelena held out her arm to Hook, frowning when the pirate remained where he stood. "Well, go on!" She cried. "What the hell are you waiting for?"

Hook was suddenly eyeing Zelena very warily, and he silently fiddled with his hook for a moment. "Last time I tried helping you, you betrayed me. And you _did_ rip out our friend's heart, here." He replied, exchanging a quick glance with Shae. "How do we know we can trust you?"

"You don't." Zelena replied with a shrug. "But, the beauty of it all is… You don't have a choice."

Hook looked to Shae again, who also shrugged. "She's got a point." Shae mumbled.

Hook breathed out a begrudging sigh, then nodded. "Right, then. Here's to trust."

Zelena held out her arm once again, and Hook stepped forward as far as he could. He reached out with his hook, and there was a flash of bright white light as he undid the cuff on Zelena's arm. The cuff fell to the ground at Zelena's feet, and she sighed contentedly, rubbing her wrist. She then magically undid her own shackle, and drew her arms up, engulfing herself in a cloud of bright green smoke. When the smoke cleared, she was no longer wearing a hospital gown. She was now garbed in an elegant green dress, a black wool shawl, and a black hat to match.

"Mommy's back." She said with a grin. She then turned her attention onto Hook and Shae. "Now then. About that deal we made."

Zelena paused for dramatic effect, staring between the two of them. Shae and Hook waited with bated breath, their hearts hammering. Zelena then waved her hand, and the shackles on their feet fell away.

"Wow." Shae said, chuckling as she kicked her shackle away from her. "I'm… Pleasantly surprised."

Zelena laughed loudly, and wrapped her arm around Shae's shoulders. "Oh, don't worry, darling." She said, lightly pinching Shae's cheek, ignoring her grimace of disgust. "You can trust me."

XXXXX

Leaves and twigs crunched under Shae's boots as she walked toward Granny's Diner. It was still sitting deep in the woods just outside of Camelot, where it had first landed upon arrival in the realm of The Enchanted Forest. It was dark inside, but Shae could make out distinct shadows of people milling about within. Her heart began to race as she grew closer and closer. She couldn't wait to see Regina again. She had found Arthur's castle empty of all Storybrooke residents, so she hoped that the woman she loved would be inside the diner. She couldn't wait to see those beautiful brown eyes again, and that smile that she loved so very much.

The bell over the diner's door tinkled as Shae stepped through the door. She found Mary Margaret, David, and Henry within, along with a tall, dark skinned man in flowing robes that Shae didn't recognize. Her heart soared when she spotted her best friend Remus sitting at the counter, Regina, the woman that she loved, sitting beside him.

"Shae!" Henry exclaimed.

"You're back!" Said Mary Margaret.

Everyone immediately leapt up from the various places they had been sitting, and rushed over to Shae. She exchanged quick embraces with Henry, David, and Mary Margaret, and, finally, she turned to Regina. She found herself overwhelmed with emotion as she stared into those deep brown eyes, and her own eyes swam with tears as she swept Regina into her arms.

"You came back." Regina whispered as she held Shae tight.

"Always." Shae whispered back.

Regina laughed, her eyes glistening with tears as well. She cupped Shae's face in her hands, and placed a deep, passionate kiss on her lips. It was the kind of kiss that would make even the most stoic of people blush. Shae suddenly felt her head spinning, and her heart began to race as her lips parted against Regina's.

"God, I missed you." Shae murmured, pressing her forehead against Regina's.

Regina smiled through her joyful tears, gently caressing Shae's face. "I missed you too."

"Alright, that's quite enough of that." Remus muttered, dramatically rolling his eyes. "Out of the way, now. Best friend, coming through."

Remus shoved Regina, a bit roughly, out of his way, and threw his arms around his best friend. "Thank god you're back." He said as he held Shae tight. He then released her, and held her out at arm's length. "Don't you _dare_ leave me alone with these people again."

"Remus, we have all been perfectly pleasant to you." Mary Margaret said scoldingly, folding her arms across her chest.

"Oh, yes, you have." Remus replied, eyebrows raised. "But all the trouble you all seem to get yourselves into is utterly maddening."

"Yeah, uh… What exactly is going on?" Asked Shae, glancing around at them all. "I went looking for you guys at Arthur's castle, and, well… Let's just say that everyone in that place was even _more_ unhappy to see me than usual."

The others all exchanged dark and knowing glances. "A lot has happened since you've been gone, Shae." Said David, his tone grave. "Come and sit down. We'll tell you all about it."

Shae nodded her head, and they all sat around at a table together. Before they began to recount events in Camelot the last few weeks, they quickly introduced Shae to the dark skinned man that had been standing quietly off to the side. He was none other than Merlin, the fabled sorcerer. Shae was positively bursting with questions for him, but she held her tongue as Regina and the others told her about everything that had happened since she had been in Arendelle.

The people of Storybrooke were now at all out war with Camelot. The great King Arthur had proved himself to be a cunning villain, and he had been secretly thwarting everyone's attempts to free Merlin from his tree. They were able to succeed regardless, and Arthur quickly aligned himself with Zelena, who had managed to free herself from her magical bondage. The two of them cast a dark spell, which bound Merlin to Excalibur. Arthur attempted to use him to get The Promethean Flame from Emma, which could finally reunite Excalibur with The Dark One's dagger.

Emma, with Hook's help, managed to free Merlin from Arthur's control. Hook was injured during the scuffle, and suffered a gash on his neck from Excalibur. Emma healed his wound, but only temporarily. As she was about to use The Promethean Flame to make Excalibur whole again, Hook's wound suddenly reopened. He had been bleeding to death upon the ground when Emma suddenly realized that she could use her own dark magic to bind Hook to Excalibur. It would save his life, but it would mean that Hook would also become a Dark One.

Emma's friends and family had all protested, as did Hook. He begged Emma to stop, to just let him go. He feared that he would be too weak to fight the darkness, that it would only consume him. But Emma was desperate to save the man she loved. She disappeared with Hook in tow, and the others immediately rushed off in search of them. When they arrived at The Dark One's vault, they found that it was too late. Merlin told them that Captain Hook had already been forged as the new Dark One.

"Wait a minute…" Shae muttered, bewilderedly shaking her head. "So, not only is Emma The Dark One, but Hook is too now?"

The others all nodded gravely. "Everyone else is still out looking for them as we speak." Said Regina. "The rest of us decided to wait here, in case they come back." Regina then shifted in her seat to better face Shae, and she stared mournfully into her lover's eyes. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you more in my letters. I couldn't risk Arthur finding out what we were doing."

Shae smiled, and placed a light kiss on Regina's lips. "It's alright, I'm here now. I'll do whatever I can to help."

"Well, I'm afraid there's little else to do at the moment except wait for the new Dark Ones to return." Remus said, leaning back in his chair.

"Tell us all about Arendelle!" Henry said excitedly. "Did you get to see Elsa again? Is she ok?"

"Yeah, I did." Shae replied with a smile. "She's, uh… Really great. Her kingdom is better than ever, and she's already found someone else."

"Really?" Asked Regina, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "Who?"

"Ruby."

Everyone's eyes grew wide with shock. "Wait a minute…" Henry muttered, his jaw dangling open. "Ruby is in Arendelle, and with… Elsa?"

Shae smiled some more as she nodded her head. "They're crazy in love, and just… Really happy."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Mary Margaret exclaimed, her eyes shining with joyous tears. "We'll have to tell Granny as soon as she gets back."

"What about The Hollow?" Asked David. "Did you learn anything about it while you were there?"

Shae bit her lip, hesitating in silence for a moment as she stared around and everyone's expectant faces. She then removed the papers that Elsa had given her from inside her vest, and began to tell them everything she had learned about The Hollow from Grand Pabbie.

They were all shocked and horrified by this new and startling information, and Regina was especially distraught. She blamed herself for all of Shae's heartbreak, which had allowed The Hollow to take up residence inside her heart. Shae did her best to console the woman she loved, but it had little effect.

"No, there… T-There must be another way to free her from The Hollow that doesn't require her death." Remus snarled, looking to Merlin with wide, fearful eyes. "There just _has_ to be!"

Merlin glanced around at all of them in silence for a moment, then turned his gaze back onto Shae. "Shae…" He slowly began. "Perhaps we should speak in private."

"No." Shae replied, vigorously shaking her head. "Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of them."

Merlin hesitated in silence for another moment. He then breathed out a sad, heavy sigh. Shae already knew what he was about to say just by the look on his face. She tried desperately to stop her hands from shaking underneath the table.

"I am truly sorry, Shae." The great sorcerer finally replied. "Piercing your heart with Excalibur is the only way to free yourself from The Hollow."

"And what kind of freedom is that, exactly?" Regina snarled furiously. "She'll die!"

"Yes." Merlin sadly agreed. "But it would be one of the greatest and most noble sacrifices. You will be ridding this world and all those that be of one of the most terrifying and powerful evils, for good."

"She's not sacrificing a goddamn thing!" Shouted Remus, angrily rising to his feet. "We'll find another way!"

"Wait, can't she just, you know… Learn to live with it?" Mary Margaret asked of Merlin. "The Hollow has been inside her for weeks now. She's been just fine!"

"No." Merlin whispered, his eyes suddenly filled with fear. He turned his wide eyed gaze onto Shae, who was staring quietly down at the table. "You musn't let thoughts like that tempt you, Shae. I saw many possibilities for your future, but this, by far, is the darkest. It may be lying dormant now, but it _will_ consume you."

"Like hell it will!" Regina growled, her clenched fists trembling. "She can fight it! I know she can!"

Merlin slowly and gravely shook his head. "It's just not possible. The Hollow is much too strong. No one can fight off such dark power."

" _You_ fought off Excalibur's control." Said David, raising an eyebrow at the sorcerer.

"It's not the same." Replied Merlin.

"LIKE HELL IT ISN'T!" Roared Regina.

Regina too leapt furiously to her feet, and chaos erupted in the once quiet diner as she and Remus continued shouting at Merlin. Shae slowly turned her gaze up from the table, staring around at all her friends and loved ones, all of them desperate to save her life. Regina and Remus screamed at Merlin, and Mary Margaret and David attempted to calm them both down. Henry simply stared at Shae with tears in his eyes.

Shae's heart began to pound in her chest, her throat suddenly very dry, her ears filled with a deafening ringing. She stared up at Regina, the woman that she loved so very deeply. She tried to burn her image into her mind, to memorize her face, right down to the very last gorgeous detail. She reached out toward Regina's arm, but stopped as her hand began to tremble violently. She bit back a terrified sob, and buried her face in her quivering hands. Only one thought kept turning around and around in her mind; _I'm not ready, I'm not ready._

Suddenly, all the shouting stopped. Shae glanced back up at Regina, who was standing rigidly still, her finger pointed in Merlin's face. "Regina?" Shae asked. She looked around at the others, who were also holding unnaturally still. "Um… Guys?"

Shae jumped when she felt a sudden tingling sensation on her arm. She glanced down, her eyes growing wide when she saw a black leather cuff strapped to her wrist. "What?" She exclaimed, leaping to her feet. "NO!"

"Oh, yes!"

Shae whirled around, her lips curling into a snarl when she found Zelena, The Wicked Witch of the West, standing by the diner's door. Beside her was none other than Robin Hood, his hands bound together with rope, a white cloth tied around his mouth. He emitted a muffled cry from around the cloth, his eyes gaping wide, and filled with fear.

"What the hell are you doing?" Shae bellowed, pointing a furious finger at Robin. "Let him go!"

Zelena casually draped her arm around Robin's shoulders, tapping a finger against her chin. "Hmm… Sorry. No." She replied, giving Shae a one armed shrug. "You see, I've been waiting ever so patiently for you to return. Now that you have, I can finally put my plan into motion."

"Plan? What plan?" Shae snarled, tugging furiously at the cuff on her wrist. She glanced back at Regina and the others, who were all still frozen in place, then turned back to Zelena. "What the hell do you want, Zelena?"

"Oh, to destroy my little sister's happiness, of course." Zelena replied with a devilish grin. "I think I'll start with her true loves."

Shae opened her mouth to retort, but all that came out was a strangled groan as Zelena waved her hand in her direction. Shae's world was suddenly a spinning, chaotic blur. Her legs gave out from beneath her, and she hit the floor face first. Zelena's dark and maniacal laughter rang in her ears as she lost consciousness.

XXXXX

Hook, Shae, and Zelena made a hasty escape from Emma's basement. Hook decided to remain behind to try and talk some sense into Emma, but Zelena was all too eager to get as far away from The Dark One as she could. Shae was hesitant at first, for she too wanted to try and talk to the woman that had once been her friend. In the end, she decided to leave things to Hook. She needed to find Regina, and tell her of Emma's plan.

Upon arriving back at Regina's house, Shae found only Henry waiting inside. She was about to leave again in search of Regina, but Henry begged her to stay. The poor boy was frightened and confused, destitute over the fact that his mother, The Savior, was now a villain. The brand over Shae's heart ached as Henry broke down into tears. She hadn't realized how much of a toll everything had taken on him.

Despite the urgency of the situation with Emma and Zelena, Shae knew that Henry needed her most at the moment. She agreed to stay with him, and they both fell asleep on the couch watching their favorite Star Wars movie. They awoke to the sound of the front door bursting open. They both blinked dazedly in the bright sunlight flooding the room. They had slept through the night, and the sun had risen over Storybrooke once again.

"Mom!" Henry suddenly exclaimed.

Shae turned herself around on the couch, and saw Regina stepping into the living room. She immediately knew something was wrong. Her lover's face was white as a sheet, and she had tears in her gorgeous brown eyes.

"What happened?" Henry asked as he threw his arms around his mother. "Are you ok?"

"Fine, Henry. I'm fine." Regina muttered in reply.

"Are you sure?" Shae asked, eyeing Regina with concern. "You look… Upset."

Regina stared deep into Shae's eyes, opening and closing her mouth several times, her bottom lip trembling. Shae watched in shock and confusion as tears began to stream from her eyes. Regina then choked out a strangled sob, and she pulled Shae into her arms. She held Shae tighter than she possibly ever had before, and she pressed gentle but desperate kisses on her cheek, and on the side of her head.

"Regina… You're shaking." Shae muttered. She then pushed Regina back, and held her out at arms length, searching her eyes in concern. "What the hell is going on?"

Regina breathed out a shaky sigh, and slowly shook her head. "I… I-I need to sit down." She mumbled, tightly gripping both of Shae's hands. "It's been a long night."

Shae exchanged an anxious glance with Henry, then nodded. She held on to Regina's arm as she led her over to the couch. Once they had all sat down, Regina began to explain to Shae and Henry what had happened while she had been gone.

Unsurprisingly, Zelena had not exactly been truthful in her plan to get far away from Emma. After Shae had left, Zelena decided to go exploring in the new Dark One's home. She had found dozens of dream catchers in Emma's garage, dream catchers that held the lost memories of all those that had been in Camelot. She returned to Hook, who had been in mid argument with Emma, and used her magic to return his memories to him, which was not at _all_ a good thing.

Shae and Henry sat with their mouths gaping open as Regina explained to them that Hook had become a Dark One back in Camelot. Now, with his memories returned, the darkness had entered him all over again. Unable to fight against the darkness within him, Hook returned to the path of his centuries old quest for revenge against Rumplestiltskin. Hook had already gone to Gold, and proposed a duel on his ship at noon, to which Gold agreed. Gold was not expected to survive.

Regina also said that Emma had finally given up on her plans, but was still not to be fully trusted. At the moment, she was under the careful watch of Merida, the young woman from DunBroch, whom Emma had brought with her to Storybrooke. In attempt to help, and make amends for all she had done, Emma allowed Regina to use more of the dream catchers. Regina now had her memories back, as did David and Mary Margaret.

"Wait, so… You remember everything now?" Asked Shae. When Regina nodded, Shae's brow furrowed in confusion. "I don't understand… Why didn't you give me _my_ memories back?"

Regina bit her lip hesitantly, and slowly shook her head. "I can't." She whispered, staring mournfully into her lover's eyes. "You can't remember, Shae. Not ever."

"Why?" Shae asked, her eyes wide with concern. "What the hell happened, Regina?"

Regina shook her head even more, more tears welling into her eyes. Shae opened her mouth with more questions, but Regina stopped her by placing a finger to her lips. For a moment, she simply stared into Shae's eyes, as if she were trying to burn the image of her face into her mind, to memorize every last detail.

"Please…" Regina whispered shakily, tears now pouring from her eyes. "Please, Shae. You have to trust me."

Shae stared back into the eyes of the woman that she loved, and she saw nothing but fear and sorrow in those deep, gorgeous brown eyes. "Of course." She whispered, gently squeezing Regina's hand. "Of course, I trust you."

Regina nodded, and she leaned forward, placing a tender kiss on Shae's lips. "Thank you." She whispered back. She paused for a moment, continuing to stare deep into Shae's piercing blue eyes, her own still streaming with tears. "I love you, Shae. With my whole heart."

"I love you too." Shae whispered in return.

Regina nodded some more, and placed another kiss on Shae's lips. "I _will_ find a way to save you." She murmured as she held Shae's face in her hands. "I promise, I will."

Shae exchanged another worried glance with Henry as Regina suddenly rose to her feet. "W-Where are you going?" Asked Henry.

"Emma and the others, they need my help to stop Hook." Regina quietly explained.

"I'll come with you." Said Shae, also leaping to her feet.

Regina shook her head, and placed her hand gently on Shae's shoulder. "Shae, no." She muttered, staring mournfully into her lover's eyes again. "I need you to stay here with Henry."

Shae's mouth gaped open as she stared back into Regina's eyes. Suddenly, a deep, seething rage took hold of her, and her lips curled into a snarl. "No!" She shouted, swatting Regina's hand away. "No, I will _not_ sit on the sidelines anymore!"

"Shae, please." Regina pleaded with her. "Please, I told you, I-"

"I don't give a shit what you told me!" Shae continued to shout, pointing a furious finger in Regina's face. "I'm not your puppet anymore, Regina! I'm not some stupid little pet that you can keep locked up all day. You gave me my heart back. You don't control me ANYMORE!"

"Shae, _please_!"

"FUCK YOU!"

Suddenly, Shae let out a strangled cry. She clutched at her chest as it burned with a stinging, white hot pain. Regina and Henry both gasped in alarm as she collapsed to her knees upon the floor. Regina dropped down in front of her, and Henry too rushed to her side in concern.

"No, no, no…" Regina muttered as Shae doubled over, one hand on the floor, the other clutching her aching chest. "No, Shae, no… Please… Not now. Not again!"

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, her head spinning, her ears ringing. She took deep, ragged breaths, her whole body trembling. Through the deafening ringing in her ears, she heard a voice whispering to her, a dark, sinister voice, a voice that was all to familiar.

 _It hurts. Make them HURT._

Shae groaned, her hands shaking violently as she clutched at her head. "Shut up…" She growled.

"Shae?" She heard Regina shouting. "Shae, can you hear me?"

 _Kill them. Kill them all._

"Stop it…" Shae whispered.

"Who's she talking to?" Henry asked.

 _Kill… Kill… KILL._

"Shae?" Regina continued shouting, grabbing Shae by her shoulders. "SHAE!"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

A blast of magic in the form of a violent gust of wind knocked both Henry and Regina back. Henry barreled right into the couch, and it toppled over from the momentum of his body. Regina was blasted into the wall, and her head smacked painfully against it. She slumped down onto the floor, her head spinning, aching. She peered through foggy vision at Shae, who was still hunched over on the floor, her body trembling violently.

Regina scrambled to her feet, and staggered over to her son, who was freeing himself from the couch cushions that had fallen on top of him. "Henry!" Regina exclaimed. "Henry, are you alright?"

Henry nodded as his mother helped him to his feet. They both then glanced over at Shae, just in time to see her collapse face first onto the floor. Regina and her son both rushed over to Shae, and they quickly rolled her over. Shae's eyes were closed, her body completely still. She was totally unconscious.

"W-What do we do?" Henry asked of his mother, his eyes wide with fear.

Regina sighed, placing her quivering hand on Shae's sweat covered forehead. "Henry, I need you to go find David and Mary Margaret." She told her son in an urgent whisper. "I'll take Shae to my vault. She'll be safe there."

Henry didn't even bother to argue with his mother. He simply nodded his head, and hurried toward the door. Once Henry was gone, Regina swept her hand over Shae's body, and they were both engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke.

Regina appeared with Shae in tow inside the magical safe room within her vault. She stood with her eyes closed for a moment, trying to stop her head spinning, and her limbs from trembling. She breathed out a shaky sigh as she sat down on the edge of the bed, where Shae was now lying. As she stared down at the peaceful, unconscious face of the woman that she loved, her heart ached with sorrow, with regret, regret over all the heartache she had caused her.

"Shae, I know you can't hear me." Regina whispered softly, brushing back a stray lock of Shae's hair. "But, I promise you, I will spend every minute of every day trying to find some way to make up for everything I've done to you. I will use every breath I have to tell _you_ exactly how much I love you."

With tears rushing down her face, Regina leaned forward, and kissed the lips that she loved so very much. "I will find a way to stop all this. I _will_ find a way to save you." She whispered. Then, her lips curled into a furious snarl, and she balled her hands into fists. "And my sister… She will _pay_ for what she's done to you."

XXXXX

Shae groaned as she slowly began to wake. The last thing she remembered was Zelena appearing in Granny's Diner with Robin Hood, then not much after that. She peeled her eyes open, and found herself staring up at stars in the night sky, slightly obscured by the tops of trees. She sat forward, and gritted her teeth when she heard a very familiar voice from behind her.

"Well, well… Look who's finally awake."

Shae scrambled up onto her feet, and whirled around to find Zelena sitting on a tree stump, a wide grin stretching across her face. "Dammit, Zelena." Shae snarled, glancing quickly all around her. "Where's Robin? What the hell did you do to him?"

"Oh, don't you worry about old Robby." Zelena replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "He's safe and sound. For now."

"'For now?'" Shae echoed, narrowing her eyes at Zelena. "What's going on? What the hell are you scheming?"

Zelena breathed out a low, dark chuckle, and rose from her stump. "Oh, something very, _very_ … Wicked." She slowly began to saunter toward Shae, grinning deviously all the while. "You see, I've given my darling little sister a choice; She has till sunrise to decide whether she wants to save her thief, or _you_."

Shae chuckled too, and she ran a hand through her messy black hair as she slowly shook her head. "You are just… _Seriously_ fucked up."

"Sticks and stones, darling, sticks and stones." Zelena replied, waving her hand idly once again.

"You're insane if you think Regina is actually going to play your stupid game." Shae snarled. "She'll find another way to stop you, or _I_ will."

"And how exactly are you planning to do that?" Asked Zelena, gesturing to the cuff that was still clamped to Shae's wrist. "Are you going to babble me to death?"

Shae gritted her teeth, keeping a careful eye on Zelena as she began to walk circles around her. "Tell me… Who do you think Regina will choose, hm?" Asked Zelena, still grinning in a way that made Shae want to punch her right in her face. "Do you really think she'll choose _you_ over dear Robin? He does have a son after all, and another baby on the way."

Shae gave Zelena a disgusted grimace as she ran a hand over the small bump in her stomach. "She won't have to choose." Growled Shae. "She'll find another way."

Zelena barked out a disbelieving laugh. "And if she doesn't? What then? She's chosen Robin over you before. What makes you think she won't do it again?"

Shae winced, and rubbed at the brand over her chest as it gave a painful twinge. "Just look at how much Regina has changed, how hard she's tried to become a… _Hero_." Zelena drolled on, grimacing slightly herself. "Robin may be a thief, but the man doesn't have an evil bone in his body. But _you_ … I think you might just be even more wicked than I am."

"Shut up." Shae snarled through gritted teeth, her chest aching even more. "I'm not listening to you."

"Why not? Because you know I speak the truth?" Asked Zelena. "Do you _really_ think Regina needs someone like you by her side? All _you_ are is a grim reminder of her past."

Shae opened her mouth to retort, but shut it again as she heard a strange sound. It was a whisper, and, for a moment, she glanced all around her, searching for its source. It was a deep, dark, guttural whisper. Suddenly, she realized that it was coming from her own mind.

 _She doesn't love you…_

Shae squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her fists tight. "Shut up." She growled at the voice in her head.

 _None of them do. They're just using you, toying with you, lying, always lying. Aren't you tired of it?_

Shae's hands began to tremble, and she placed them on either side of her head. "Stop it." She whispered shakily.

 _Everything you do is for her, and what have you gotten in return? NOTHING!_

"SHUT UP!"

Shae snapped her eyes open, and she found Zelena standing before her, still grinning wickedly. She took a step back, her chest heaving, the brand in her flesh burning. "Let's take a look at what dear Regina is up to right now, shall we?" Asked Zelena.

The Wicked Witch of the West held out her hand, which was momentarily engulfed in a cloud of bright green smoke. When the smoke dissipated, there was a small but ornate hand mirror sitting in her open palm. The mirror had a crack in the glass.

"That's… T-That's the mirror I gave to Regina!" Shae stammered as she tried to calm her racing heart.

"Indeed it is." Zelena replied, still grinning.

Zelena waved her hand over the mirror, then handed it over to Shae. Zelena stepped behind Shae as she took the mirror in her trembling hands. With Zelena watching over her shoulder, Shae stared down into the mirror's glass, which was swirling with bright green smoke. When the smoke cleared, she saw Regina rushing through the forest, Mary Margaret and Remus right beside her. She smiled as she watched the image of the woman that she loved. As quickly as it came, her smile faded, and she watched in horror as Robin of Locksley appeared in the mirror. Regina smiled with she saw him, the smile that Shae loved so very much.

Shae watched as Regina threw her arms around Robin. She squeezed his arms, his shoulders, his face, smiling all the while. With The Wicked Witch behind her, Shae failed to notice Zelena waving her hand in the air. Her jaw dropped open as Regina pulled Robin Hood into her arms, and kissed him.

"Oh, would you look at that." Zelena whispered in Shae's ear. "Looks like my sister has made her choice."

The mirror slipped from Shae's hands, and fell into the grass at her feet. Her whole body began to tremble violently, and a deafening ringing filled her ears. Her chest burned with a white hot pain, and she heard the voice of The Hollow whispering to her once again.

 _She doesn't love you._

"No." Shae whispered, tears beginning to stream from her eyes.

 _It hurts. All she's ever done is make you hurt. I can make it stop._

Shae's knees buckled, and she clamped her hands on either side of her head again. Images began to flash before her mind; Regina ripping out her heart, Regina attacking her in the Storybrooke cemetery, Regina standing on her front porch, telling her that she loved Robin.

 _I can set you free, Shae. I can make it all go away. You just have to give in._

Shae choked out a strangled sob, digging her fingers into her own scalp. "It hurts…" She whispered.

 _I know. Now make_ her _hurt. Make them all hurt. Make them hurt like they hurt you._

More images flashed before Shae's eyes; Getting captured by Snow White and Prince Charming, being tortured in their dungeon, being locked in a cell within the Storybrooke Sheriff's Station, David and Mary Margaret banishing her from Storybrooke.

Shae shifted her eyes over to the mirror lying in the grass next to her. She watched Regina holding Robin Hood in her arms, smiling that smile that she loved so very much. Suddenly, a vicious, white hot rage began to boil deep within her. Her knuckles cracked as she balled her hands into fists. She raised one fist into the air, and brought it down onto the mirror, shattering the glass to pieces.

"I WILL MAKE THEM HURT!"

Zelena, who had been watching with bated breath, was suddenly blasted back by a pulsewave of magic. She hit the ground hard, and watched in awe as a swarm of dark magic burst forth from Shae's body. Shae screamed as the swarm poured from her gaping mouth. The earth quaked, the very air trembled, and Zelena was forced to clamp her hands over her ears from the deafening ringing. She watched as the swarm circled above Shae, her eyes wide and wild with a morbid sense of glee.

Suddenly, the black swarm was sucked back into Shae's body. The ground stopped trembling, and the forest was quiet once again. Zelena remained where she sat on the ground, watching Shae, who was hunched over on her hands and knees. After a few long, silent moments, Shae sat back, breathing out a dark, devious chuckle. Zelena watched with wide, baffled eyes as Shae effortlessly removed the magical cuff from her wrist, and tossed it aside.

"Oh, yes…" Shae whispered, staring down at her own hands. "Finally… After all this time."

Zelena pushed herself up onto her feet, another devious grin stretching across her face. "Welcome back, Hollow." She said quietly. "Tell me… How do you feel?"

Shae slowly lifted her head, and grinned back at Zelena, the entirety of her eyes completely black. "I feel positively… Wicked."

XXXXX

Shae woke alone within the safe room inside Regina's vault, and she began to panic as she remembered what she had done to the woman that she loved, and to her son. The Hollow had taken hold of her all over again, and had forced her to harm the people that she cared for.

She immediately made a call to Regina, and was relieved to hear that her and Henry were both safe and unharmed. However, Regina did give Shae some alarming news. While Shae had been unconscious, Captain Hook, now a Dark One all over again, had finally put his plan into motion. He had summoned all of the Dark Ones of the past from The Underworld, who were laying siege to Storybrooke.

The long dead Dark Ones hunted down residents of the town, and placed magical brands on their flesh. The brands would allow them to trade places with the living souls, so they could return to the land of the living, and plunge the world into darkness. Regina had been among those that had already been branded, as well as Henry, David, Mary Margaret, Robin Hood, and Remus.

While her friends and loved ones raced to find a way to stop Hook, Shae was left feeling frightened, helpless, and weak. She wanted to help, but Regina had refused to let her out of her safe room, which was sealed with blood magic. With The Hollow inside her, Regina was worried what Hook and The Dark Ones might do to the woman that she loved.

Shae wildly paced the length of the small room, glancing down at her phone every few moments. She waited anxiously for a call from Regina, waited, hoped, and prayed that she would tell her she was safe. Suddenly, Shae stopped in her tracks when the mirror that served as a door to the safe room suddenly swung open.

"Regina!" Shae called out. "What's going on? Are you-"

Shae stopped mid sentence, and narrowed her eyes at Zelena, who was stepping through the gap. "You." She snarled. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

"Oh, I've just brought some friends over for a little visit." Zelena replied with a grin. "They're just _dying_ to see you."

Shae's eyes grew wide with alarm, and she drew back a step as Captain Hook climbed through the gap. He was closely followed by a woman dressed in a long black robe. Her skin was a dark shade of teal, and it glittered softly in the light. This woman was strangely familiar to Shae. Suddenly she realized that this Dark One wasn't actually familiar to _her_. She was familiar to The Hollow.

"You." Shae breathed, pointing a shaky finger at the woman. "You're… Nimue."

"That's right." Nimue replied, grinning at Shae. "And I know exactly who _you_ are, Hollow One."

Zelena suddenly, and loudly, cleared her throat, causing Nimue to raise an irritated eyebrow at her. "Right, then. About our deal…" Said Zelena.

"Yes, yes, you've done as we asked." Replied Hook, waving his hand dismissively at Zelena. "You and your baby will be safe from us."

"Excellent." Zelena said with a satisfied nod. "Do have fun, darlings. Ta-ta!"

With that, Zelena disappeared in a cloud of bright green smoke. Shae turned her attention back onto the two Dark Ones. As she stared at Nimue's grinning face, a vicious rage began to boil within her chest. The rage was not quite her own.

"W-What… What do you want?" Asked Shae, eyeing Hook and Nimue warily.

"Don't worry, love." Hook replied with a grin. "We've simply brought you a gift."

Hook held out his hand, and a small dream catcher appeared in his open palm. "Your memories from Camelot." He explained, holding the dream catcher out to Shae. "The ones that Swan took from you."

Shae stared wide eyed at the dream catcher in Hook's hand. For a moment, she was tempted. She desperately wanted to know what had happened to her, what had happened to Elsa. Then, she remembered the warnings that both Regina and Emma had given her, remembered the fear that she had seen in both their eyes.

"No thanks."

Hook blinked several times in surprise, and exchanged a quick glance with Nimue. "Really?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at Shae. "Don't you want to know what happened?"

Shae breathed out a bitter, sour laugh. "Look, I'm not stupid, ok? I'm pretty sure I already know what happened." She replied, running a hand through her messy black hair. "The Hollow somehow… Took over me, and I'm pretty sure if I remember everything, it'll just happen all over again. So… Yeah. I'm good."

Hook chuckled, slowly sauntering toward Shae. "Perceptive as always, love." He said with a wink. "But aren't you curious to find out what exactly happened to make that heart of yours go hollow? Don't you want to know _who_ exactly it was that betrayed you, who's _always_ betrayed you?"

Shae gritted her teeth as Hook stopped just before her, and she glared into his eyes. "No." She snarled. "Regina wouldn't. Not again, not after all we've been through."

Hook laughed once again, and he leaned in close to Shae. "Are you sure about that?" He whispered.

Shae was met with even more laughter as she glared at Hook in silent defiance. "Well then…" Said Hook, taking a step back and spreading his arms wide. "I suppose you'll have to just see for yourself."

"NO!" Shae shouted.

Hook thrust the dream catcher toward Shae, and Shae raised her hand to stop him, but was just a moment too late. The dream catcher began to glow with a bright white light, and Shae stood rigid in her spot, hand raised as she stared into it. Suddenly, all her memories rushed back to her.

XXXXX

Regina rushed through the forest outside Camelot, following closely behind Remus, who was leading the way. David had remained behind with Henry, while Regina, Remus, and Mary Margaret raced off to find Robin and Shae, as well as Zelena. Remus was using his ring to track Shae down. He held it out in his open palm, following in the direction where the stardust glowed brightest.

Remus stopped for a moment, turning in his spot, staring intently down at his ring. "This way!" He commanded, pointing forward.

Regina nodded, and she and Remus made to race off again, but stopped at Mary Margaret's sudden shout. "Wait!" She said. "Do you hear that?"

They all held rigidly still, listening hard to the quiet of the forest. Through the breeze rustling through the trees, they heard the faint sound of rushing footsteps. They turned toward the sound, and Remus drew the sword at his belt, Mary Margaret her bow. Regina was about to summon a fireball into her hand, but stopped as a man suddenly burst through the trees.

"Robin!"

It was indeed Robin Hood, looking panicked and confused, but otherwise unharmed. "Regina!" He exclaimed.

Regina rushed forward, and threw her arms around him. She squeezed his arms, his shoulders, breathing out a sigh of relief. "Are you alright?"

"Fine. I'm fine." Robin replied with a smile.

"Where's the witch?" Growled Remus. "Where's Shae?"

"I'm… Not sure." Answered Robin, slowly shaking his head. "After the diner, I was left out here. I've been trying to find my way back ever since."

"I don't understand." Mary Margaret muttered, her eyes wide. "Why would Zelena just leave _him_ out here and take Shae?"

They all fell silent for a moment, brows furrowed in confusion. Suddenly, Regina felt a shiver run up her spine. She got the strange feeling that they were being watched. Her eyes suddenly grew wide, and she emitted a startled gasp.

"We have to hurry." She whispered, tightly gripping Remus's arm. "We have to get to Shae."

Remus nodded, and turned his attention back onto his ring. He rushed back off into the forest, Regina, Mary Margaret, and Robin following hot on his heels. Regina's heart raced as she followed Remus's pounding footsteps. She knew _exactly_ what her sister was up to. She only hoped that they could reach Shae in time, before it was too late.

Suddenly, they all stopped in their tracks at the sound of voices. "You should be thanking me!" One of them shouted.

"Thanking you?" Came another. "For what, exactly?"

Regina and the others all exchanged wide eyed glances. The voices they were hearing were those of Zelena and Shae. "I'm the one that set you free!" Zelena continued shouting.

"And you expect thanks? A reward? Please."

"AAH!"

The others all gasped in alarm at Zelena's sudden, strangled cry of pain. They raced off in the direction of the voices, and found Zelena and Shae standing in a small clearing. Shae had her arm outstretched toward Zelena, whose body was glowing with a sinister red light. An equally red tendril of magic was shooting out of her body, straight into Shae's arm.

"SHAE!" Regina shouted.

Shae turned her head toward the sound of Regina's voice, and Regina's heart stopped dead in her chest. Shae's eyes were completely black. "No." Regina whispered.

Zelena took Shae's moment of distraction to disappear in a cloud of bright green smoke. Shae, however, seemed unconcerned. "Well, well, well…" She muttered, grinning deviously at Regina and the others. "I thought I was going to have to hunt you all down. But here you are, like lambs to slaughter."

"Shae?" Asked Remus, his mouth gaping open in horror. "What the bloody hell is going on?"

"That's not Shae." Regina whispered, her eyes welling with tears as she looked upon the woman that she loved, now consumed by The Hollow. "Not anymore."

Shae threw her head back, and laughed loudly, mockingly. "See, that's where you're wrong." She said, grinning even more. "The Hollow and I are one now. It's finally set me free."

"Set you free?" Asked Regina, her voice quavering with emotion. "Free from what?"

Shae laughed even more, a deranged, maniacal sort of laugh. She slowly began to saunter toward Regina, and stopped right in front of her. She reached out, and gently cupped Regina's face in her hands. Regina stared into her lover's black eyes, her own streaming with tears.

"Why, _you_ … Regina."

Suddenly, a circle of flames erupted around both Shae and Regina. Mary Margaret, Remus, and Robin all called out in alarm, but their voices were drowned out by the roaring fire. All Regina could hear was Shae's soft, sinister voice, all she could see was the empty black void of her eyes.

"I'm free from you now, Regina." Shae whispered as she leaned in close, gently tracing her finger down the side of Regina's face. "I'm not your lovesick puppy dog any longer. I'm finally free to do as I please, without all those pesky feelings like love and compassion getting in the way."

Regina choked out a frightened, miserable sob. "Shae, please!" She whispered, tightly gripping the front of Shae's vest. "Please, you can fight this! I know you can!"

Shae laughed mockingly once again. "Fight it? Why would I want to fight it? I've finally embraced the darkness, just like I should have a long, long time ago. It's finally set me free."

Regina sobbed once again, and she jerked Shae in close, placing a deep, desperate kiss on her lips. Regina's body trembled as her lips parted against Shae's, just like they'd done so many times before. However, this kiss felt wrong. She pulled away from Shae's lips, and her heart sunk as she stared into Shae's black eyes.

"Did you really think that would work this time?" Shae asked her quietly. "You're nothing to me anymore, Regina. Soon, that's _all_ you'll be. NOTHING!"

Regina gasped in alarm as Shae suddenly grabbed her by her throat. As Shae's fingers squeezed around her windpipe, Regina attempted to use her magic to blast Shae back. But nothing happened. She watched in horror as her hands that were gripping Shae's began to glow with a bright red light. Suddenly, she felt extremely weak, and she could feel her magic draining away.

"Shae, I… Love you." Regina rasped.

Shae emitted a dark, devious chuckle, her black eyes wide as she wrapped her other hand around Regina's throat. "I know. That's what makes this so easy."

Regina squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down her face. She could hear the faint cries of the others around her, but they were quickly drowned out by the ringing in her ears. She felt herself growing weaker and weaker as she gasped desperately for air. This was it, _this_ was how she was going to die, at the hands of the woman that she loved. She took solace in the fact that she at least got to tell Shae, one last time.

"STOP!"

Suddenly, Shae's hands were wrenched away from Regina's throat. Regina immediately fell to her knees, coughing and sputtering, drawing in deep lungfuls of air. She felt hands supporting her arms, and she was pulled her to her feet. Once her foggy vision cleared, and the world stopped spinning, she noticed that the circle of flames was gone. Remus and Robin were gripping both her arms, and she spotted Emma standing a few feet to her right, Shae lying on the ground a few feet to her left.

"Well, well, well…" Shae muttered as she staggered back up to her feet. "If it isn't The Savior. I'm actually glad you're here."

"Is that right?" Asked Emma, raising an eyebrow at Shae.

"Of course." Shae replied, another devious grin stretching across her face. " _Your_ power is the greatest of all, and it's going to be _all_ mine."

Shae threw her arm out toward Emma, her black eyes wide and wild once again. When nothing seemed to happen, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What?" She whispered, staring down at her own hand. "What is this? Why can't I take your power?"

"Because, I'm The Dark One." Emma quietly replied. "My power is what helped to seal you away."

For a moment, Shae merely glared furiously at Emma. Then, she breathed out another low chuckle, dropping her arm back to her side. "No matter." She said with an unconcerned shrug. "I can still kill you."

"Yes… You can." Emma replied, her hazel green eyes filled with sorrow. "But I won't let you. I'm going to save you. I'm going to save _all_ of you."

Emma waved her hand in the air, and her mother, Regina, Remus, Robin, and Shae too all instantly collapsed to the ground. She waved her hand once again, and they were all engulfed in clouds of black smoke. They appeared back at Granny's Diner, with the rest of the group from Storybrooke, all lying unconscious on the floor.

More black smoke was billowing out of a cauldron in the back of the diner, and Emma watched it sadly for a moment. She then stepped over to Shae, who was lying on the ground near the booth at the back. She knelt down beside her, her eyes welling with tears as she ran her fingers through Shae's messy black hair.

"Don't worry, Shae." She whispered softly. "When you wake up, you'll be the person you once were. You'll be my friend again."

Emma leaned forward, and placed a gentle kiss on Shae's forehead. She then stood up, and knelt down beside Killian Jones, the man she loved. "And _you_ will be too." She whispered to him. "When you wake up, you'll be the man I love, the man who loves me."

The black clouds of the dark curse Hook had cast to take them all back to Storybrooke loomed ever closer. Emma gently lifted Hook into her arms, holding him close as tears streamed down her face. She took a deep, steadying breath, and placed a kiss on his lips as she was engulfed by smoke.

XXXXX

Regina slowly descended the steps down into her vault, her deep brown eyes filled with tears. She and the others had done all they could to stop Hook and his army of Dark Ones, but came up empty. With time running out, all they could do now was spend what little time they had left with their friends and loved ones. Soon, they would all be dragged down into The Underworld. Regina had no idea what exactly was in store for her there, but she had a feeling it was nothing pleasant, not after all the things she had done.

As she approached the mirror that lead into her safe room, Regina tried to come up with a way to tell Shae the news. Once again, she came up empty, and her heart ached with sorrow as she waved her hand in front of the mirror, which slowly swung open. When she stepped through the gap, she found Shae sitting in a chair at the far end of the room, her back turned. Regina opened her mouth to speak, but stopped when Shae spoke first.

"Hello, Regina."

Regina furrowed her brow at the back of Shae's head. There was something strange about her voice. It was flat and devoid of emotion. It sounded almost… Hollow.

Shae rose to her feet, and turned to around to face her lover. Regina's heart stopped dead in her chest when she saw Shae's black eyes. "No." She whispered, her mouth gaping open in horror. "Shae, no… What's happened to you?"

"Oh, I think you know _exactly_ what's happened to me." Shae whispered back, a devious grin stretching across her face. "What _you_ did to me."

Regina bit back a sob, her clenched fists trembling. "Hook. He gave you back your memories, didn't he?"

"Indeed." Shae replied, grinning even more. "My new friends The Dark Ones have made me such a tantalizing offer. Once they take this world, and the next, and the next… All the power will be _mine_ to take. It will be a feast for the ages." Shae paused for a moment, and frowned, tapping a finger against her chin as she thought. "I dunno, I still might kill them all. Especially that damned witch Nimue. I suppose I'll have to see where my mood takes me."

Regina let out a shaky breath, fighting to stop the trembling in her limbs. "Shae, please. I know you're still in there. You have to fight this."

Shae threw back her head, and laughed mockingly. "I've already explained this to you once, Regina." She replied, her dark and twisted grin returning. "I don't _want_ to fight it. The darkness has finally set me free. I am free of that cursed thing called love." Shae slowly began to saunter toward Regina, and she stopped just before her, leaning in close. "I feel nothing anymore, and I've never felt more alive!"

Regina stared helplessly into the empty black void of her lover's eyes, her own streaming with tears. "I'm sorry, Shae." She whispered, her voice quavering with emotion. "I'm so, _so_ sorry."

Shae emitted a deep, dark chuckle, and she gently cupped Regina's face in her hands. "Oh, you haven't even _begun_ to be sorry."

Suddenly, Regina's vision was engulfed in a cloud of black smoke. When the smoke cleared, she found herself no longer standing in her magical safe room. She was deep in the Storybrooke forest, standing beside the wishing well.

"This is where I woke up, after you cast your curse." Shae explained, before Regina could even ask. "Back then, I was weak, pathetic. I was hurt and frightened, so I ran. That was a mistake." She paused, her devious grin falling into a menacing, vengeful glare. "I should have hunted you down, and slit your throat while you slept."

Regina stared silently into her lover's black eyes, at a loss for words as her heart ached with misery. "This…" Shae went on, placing her hands gently onto the wishing well. "This is where it all began. And this is where it will end. This is where _you_ will end."

"Not if I can help it!"

Regina and Shae both turned toward the sound of the sudden shout, and found Remus stepping through the trees, sword in hand. "You." Shae snarled, turning her menacing glare onto her best friend. "What power do _you_ have to stop _me_?"

"None, I suppose." Remus replied with a shrug. "All I have is a sword, a stubborn determination, and an undying love for my friend." He pointed the tip of his sword at Shae, matching her dangerous glare. "My friend that _you_ took away from me!"

Shae barked out another loud, mocking laugh. "Nothing has been taken from you, Remus." She replied, grinning wickedly once again. "The Hollow and I are one now. I am the truest version of myself that I have _ever_ been!"

"LIES!" Remus snarled, taking an angry step forward. "The Shae I know cares nothing for vengeance anymore, _or_ power!"

Shae breathed out a low, dark chuckle. "Well, you obviously don't know me very well, do you?" She muttered, still grinning. " _All_ I care for is vengeance, for power. I may have denied it for a long time, but, deep down, It's _all_ I've ever cared for. The Hollow has helped me see that. It's going to help me make all my wildest dreams come true."

"NO!" Remus bellowed. "Shae, if you're still in there, you _have_ to stop this! You have to fight it!"

Shae chuckled once again, turning her black eyes back onto Regina. "When will you idiots ever learn?"

Shae suddenly reached out, and seized Regina by her throat. Her grip was so strong that Regina's knees immediately buckled. Shae's fingers squeezed harder around her windpipe, and her black eyes grew wide and wild with glee as she watched Regina gasping desperately for air. Regina's body began to glow with a bright red light, and she felt her power draining away, all over again.

"STOP!"

Once again, Emma Swan had come to Regina's rescue. She blasted Shae back as she crashed through the trees, and Shae was sent spiraling through the air. Remus immediately rushed to Regina's side, and quickly pulled her to her feet. Emma planted herself firmly between them and Shae, Excalibur clutched firmly in her fist.

"You." Shae snarled, glaring at Emma as she pushed herself up onto her elbows. "Even as The Dark One, you are somehow _still_ determined to protect these loathsome people. I thought you'd embraced the darkness as I have."

"Never." Emma snarled back.

Shae chuckled once again as she slowly rose to her feet. "Well… Good for you." She spat irritably. "Now, hush. I'm busy."

Shae raised her fist, and punched it straight into the ground. Regina, Remus, and Emma all stumbled on their feet as the ground began to quake beneath them. A pulsewave of energy broke through the ground around Shae's fist, and it shot straight toward Emma. It's speed was so lightning quick, that Emma didn't even have time to react. She cried out in alarm as the very earth beneath her feet began to consume her. It crept up her legs, swallowed her arms, her torso, her neck. Thick, green vines shot forth from the ground as well, and they wrapped themselves tightly around her, covering her mouth.

"EMMA!" Regina shouted.

Emma emitted a muffled cry, casting her eyes down to Excalibur, which was lying at her feet. Shae rushed toward it, but Remus was closer. He quickly scooped it up, and brandished it at Shae. Shae stopped in her tracks, and a low hiss escaped her lips, like a frightened snake.

"Find a way to free Emma." Remus commanded to Regina. "I'll hold Shae off."

Whatever fear Shae felt at the sight of Excalibur quickly dissipated, and her twisted grin returned. "You can certainly try." She snarled.

"Come on, then! Arm yourself!" Remus shouted at her, brandishing Excalibur once again. "Let's make this a fair fight!"

Shae emitted another dark and devious chuckle. "Oh, I'll do just that." She whispered. She then held out her hand, and a sword appeared in it with a puff of black smoke. "But I doubt it'll be fair."

Remus bellowed out a fearsome war cry, and charged at Shae, Excalibur in the air. Regina stood and watched them for a moment, sounds of steel striking steel echoing out through the trees as their swords clashed together again and again. She then turned toward Emma, who was still trapped in the earth.

"Emma! What do I do?" Regina asked frantically.

Emma emitted a weak, unintelligible cry from around the vine at her mouth. Regina bit her lip, her heart racing as she glanced back at Shae and Remus, locked in furious battle. She then turned back to Emma, and outstretched her hands down toward her feet. A stream of roaring fire erupted from Regina's hands. After a few seconds, Emma cried out in alarm, and began to squirm violently, vigorously shaking her head.

"Well, I don't know what else to do!" Cried Regina.

Suddenly, a strangled shout from Remus caused Regina to turn her head. Remus fell flat on his back, Excalibur shooting from his hand. He rolled himself onto his belly, and began to crawl toward the sword. He stopped, grunting in pain as Shae pressed her foot onto his wrist. He, Regina, and Emma all watched in silent horror as Shae scooped up the fabled blade.

"Oh, yes." Shae whispered, grinning once again as she stared up and down the length of Excalibur's blade. She then turned her malicious gaze back onto Remus, and pointed Excalibur straight at his throat. "Oh, I am going to enjoy this."

Shae raised Excalibur into the air as she stood over Remus, and Regina threw her hand out toward her. She had made to blast Shae back, but Shae merely stumbled. Shae emitted an enraged snarl, and she took an angry step toward Regina. Remus quickly scrambled up onto his feet, and threw himself upon her.

As Shae and Remus wrestled around on the ground, Regina turned her attention back onto Emma. She threw her arm out toward the vines and the earth that had consumed The Savior's body, frowning when her magic seemed to have no affect. She glanced back at Remus and Shae, just in time to see Shae strike Remus in the side of the head with her fist.

Excalibur had fallen from Shae's hand, but Shae didn't even seem to care. She climbed on top of Remus, her black eyes wide and wild with rage. "Oh, this has been a long time coming, my friend." She whispered.

Remus groaned in pain. "Shae, please…" He whispered shakily. "Stop."

"Why should I? It's _your_ fault she's dead!" Shae shouted, hitting him in the face once more. "You could have saved her, but you failed! You were WEAK!"

"Shae, I… I-I tried." Remus stammered through a mouthful of blood. "I'm… Sorry."

"SORRY?" Shae bellowed, striking her best friend with her fist again. "Sorry didn't save her! Sorry won't bring her back!"

Regina watched in silent, helpless horror as Shae continued to hit Remus in the face again, and again, and again. "And then… You were GONE!" Shae continued to shout, as Remus coughed up a wad of blood. "You said you would be right behind me, but you WEREN'T! For years, you left me alone! For twenty-eight years you were gone!"

Shae struck Remus several more times, and Remus groaned weakly, coughing up more blood. "Shae, I… I looked for you." He rasped. "I… I-I tried. I swear, I… I did."

"Tried? TRIED?" Shae screamed, hitting Remus again. "That means nothing to me! You are nothing! NOTHING!"

Shae continued to strike her oldest and dearest friend in the face, her black eyes wide and wild, filled with rage. Unable to watch anymore, Regina mustered up all the power she could, and threw both her hands out at Shae. Shae was thrown off of Remus, and Remus simply emitted a feeble groan. He turned on his side, and coughed violently, blood spattering onto the grass below his lips. Both of his eyes were already black and swollen, his face covered with blood.

Shae staggered up onto her feet, turning her black eyes onto Regina once again. She took several, furious steps toward her, and Regina gasped as she hit the ground face first. Remus had wrapped her arms around Shae's legs, causing her to lose her balance.

Shae rolled onto her back, letting out another enraged snarl. Remus coughed up more blood, groaning feebly. Shae pushed herself back onto her feet, and grinned deviously down at Remus as she held out her hand. It was momentarily engulfed in a cloud of black smoke. When the smoke dissipated, Regina's eyes grew wide with horror. Shae was now holding a long, black whip in her hand.

"Remember this?" She sneered down at Remus. "It was fifty lashes last time. I think that will _more_ than suffice now."

Shae raised the whip into the air, and brought it down upon Remus. Regina ran a few steps forward, but stopped as Remus raised his hand into the air. He clenched his hand around the end up the whip as it wrapped around his arm.

"Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?" Shae asked with an amused laugh.

Remus staggered shakily to his feet, holding on firmly to the whip in Shae's hand. "Showing you that I'm your friend." He whispered as he spat more blood onto the ground, his chest heaving. "Showing you that I'm not going anywhere. Not again. Not ever."

Shae continued laughing mockingly as Remus stumbled toward her. She stopped, emitting a startled gasp when Remus finally reached her. With his whole body trembling, his face swollen and spattered with blood, he threw his arms around his best friend.

"I love you, Shae." He whispered in Shae's ear. "I will always love you."

Shae stood rigid in her spot, her arms spread wide, her mouth gaping open. Remus placed a kiss on the side of her head, and Regina emitted a startled gasp. A pulsewave of magic burst forth from around Remus's lips. Regina gasped again as she heard a strange sound from beside her. She watched with wide, baffled eyes as the earth and the vines that had taken hold of Emma Swan suddenly fell away.

Emma fell to her knees, drawing in a deep, shuddering breath. Regina turned her eyes back onto Shae and Remus, who were both standing rigidly still. The blackness of Shae's eyes faded away, turning back to their normal shade of piercing blue. Remus then fell to his knees in front of his oldest and dearest friend, the friend that he loved so very dearly, and he slumped sideways onto the ground.

"What the hell just happened?" Emma rasped.

A wide, joyous smile stretched across Regina's lips. "True love's kiss!"

Regina raced forward, and made it to Shae just in time to catch her by her shoulders. She dropped down to her knees with Shae, her eyes streaming with grateful tears. "Shae…" She whispered. "Shae, are you alright?"

Shae blinked dazedly several times, her chest heaving, her whole body trembling. "I… I-I think so." She muttered. She then gazed down at Remus, lying bloody and unconscious on the ground, and her now blue eyes grew wide. "Oh my god… Remus!" She exclaimed. She then turned her panicked eyes back onto Regina. "Regina… I… I-I'm so sorry. I could see what I was doing, but I couldn't-"

"Shh, it's alright." Regina whispered with a smile, pressing a finger gently to her lover's lips. "You're free now. Remus set you free."

Suddenly, Shae's eyes grew even wider, and she vigorously shook her head. "No… Not free." She murmured. "I can feel it… Inside me… The Hollow."

"It's alright." Regina said again, lovingly caressing Shae's face. "You can fight it now. I know you can."

Shae continued to shake her head, her body trembling even more. "No. I'm not strong enough." She whispered. She placed her hands on Regina's arms, staring desperately into her eyes. "You… You have to stop it. You have to use Excalibur."

Regina's jaw dropped open in horror, and she shifted her eyes over to the sword, which was lying beside Shae. "No." She breathed.

"We'll find another way." Emma whispered, now standing beside Regina.

Shae shook her head even more. "It's the only way. Please."

"No!" Emma shouted, her hazel green eyes welling with tears. "I didn't do all this just to lose you! We can find another way to save you!"

Shae suddenly cried out in pain, clutching at her chest. She continued to shake violently, Regina and Emma watching helplessly. "No. You can't." Shae whispered. She then took Regina's face in her hands, staring deep into her eyes, her own streaming with tears. "Please, Regina. Please, you… You have to help me. I don't want to be this."

Regina shook her own head, cupping her lover's face in her own hands. "No. No, I won't. I can't!"

"You have to!" Shae cried, choking out another strangled sob. "Please! You have to!"

"It's alright, Shae." Emma muttered, kneeling down beside Shae, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll find another way."

Shae grunted, doubling over with her hands on her head. She could hear the faint cries of both Emma and Regina, but they were drowned out by the ringing in her ears. She heard the dark whispers of The Hollow inside her head, and she slammed her fist into the ground.

"NO!"

Regina and Emma were suddenly blasted back by a violent force of magical energy. The ground began to quake beneath their feet, and they both pushed themselves up. They watched in horror as Shae seized Excalibur, her fist quivering around the pommel.

"Shae, NO!" Regina shouted. "What are you doing?"

Shae stared up and down the length of Excalibur's blade for a moment. Both Emma and Regina expected her eyes to turn black again, but they didn't. Shae turned her still blue eyes onto the two of them, eyes that were filled with sorrow.

"Taking my destiny into my own hands." Shae whispered.

Before either Regina or Emma could do anything, Shae took Excalibur in both her hands, and plunged it straight into her heart. They both screamed, but their cries of horror were drowned out by the force of the black swarm that suddenly burst forth from Shae's body.

Shae's arms spread wide, Excalibur falling from her hands. Her mouth gaped open in a silent scream as the dark swarm that was The Hollow poured forth from her lips. Emma and Regina watched as the swarm began to burst into flames as it streamed from Shae's open mouth. The ground quaked violently beneath them, and the very air trembled. They stared helplessly at Shae's quivering body, which was finally being released from The Hollow.

The last of the dark swarm dissipated with glowing embers into the air. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Shae continued to stand rooted in her spot, her arms still spread wide, her piercing blue eyes gaping wide. She then slowly collapsed to her knees, staring down at the wound in her chest.

Regina quickly scrambled up onto her feet, catching Shae just as she was about to fall backwards onto the ground. Regina sunk down onto her knees, sobbing in sheer horror as the woman that she loved slumped limply into her arms.

"No…" Regina whispered, frightened tears streaming from her eyes. "Shae, no… NO!"

Shae reached out a trembling hand, and placed it gently on Regina's cheek. "It's… Alright." She rasped. Her face was calm, serene, even. "Just… Let me go."

Regina sobbed loudly, caressing Shae's face with an equally trembling hand. "Shae, no… I… I-I can't!"

Shae drew in a deep, shuddering gasp, and she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. When she opened them again, she stared deep into Regina's eyes. She smiled, a single tear trickling down her cheek.

"I love you." She whispered. "I will always love you."

"I love you too." Regina whispered back.

Regina leaned forward, and pressed a gentle kiss onto Shae's lips. She held that kiss for a desperate moment. She then pulled away from Shae's lips, and began to sob violently. Shae's eyes were closed, and no more breath escaped her lips. She was gone.

XX

Shae slowly opened her eyes, and she blinked dazedly for a moment. She felt strange, as if her body was somehow lighter than it used to be. She slowly turned around, frowning when she saw the wishing well. The well was strange too, as it seemed to be glowing with a faint, red light. Shae turned her eyes up onto the sky, her eyes growing wide when she realized the red light on the wishing well was being cast by the deep red sky.

"Where the hell-"

"'Where the hell am I?'"

Shae whirled back around, and was startled to find a man dressed in a fine black suit behind her. "That's always their first question." The man went on with a grin.

"Who the hell are you?" Shae asked, eyeing the strange man warily.

The man chuckled, slowly shaking his head. " _That's_ always their second question." He replied, still grinning. He then bowed low, spreading his arms wide. "I am Hades. Welcome to my realm."

Shae gasped in fright, and stumbled back a step, knocking into the wishing well. As the man, who was the dark lord Hades himself, straightened up again, his hair suddenly burst into glowing blue flames. Shae stood with her mouth gaping open in sheer horror.

"I've been waiting a long time for you, Shae." Hades went on in a sinister whisper, his lips curling into a dark and dangerous grin. "We're going to have so much fun together."

XX


End file.
